The Sound of Music has always been one of my all-time favorite musicals. I know every song by heart and have seen it performed live several times. So, when a historical fiction retelling of Maria Von Trapp came across my radar, I knew I had to read it.

Obviously, everyone knows that any adaptation has some embellishments or scenes that are changed for a broader audience, perhaps more dramatic or more humorous than the real-life event depicted actually was. What I did not know was how upset Maria Von Trapp was with Hammerstein and his interpretation of her life, which was also based on a German film that I had no idea even existed. Although, I assume Michelle Moran took some liberties herself in her own interpretation of what happened during the months preceding the premier of the musical, I felt like the author finally gave Maria the voice she was desperately seeking in her requested changes. I also saw why Hammerstein was set in his own ways, having created one successful musical after another.

What I loved most about all the new (to me?) information in this novel was that Georg really loved Maria and his children. I was also pleased to learn that they had children of their own who were part of the original Von Trapp Family Singers. The musical makes everything about their life a somewhat fairytale, even the hike over the mountain to escape the Nazis (which never happened). This book shows the grittier nature of Maria, the financial problems that the Baron had at the beginning of the war and how they truly narrowly missed a window of escape. I also appreciated adding the reluctance of one of the children to sing.

My only issue with the book was that I felt the chapters with Fran and her personal life were completely unnecessary and did not tie in with Maria's story at all. The use of Fran for storytelling purposes and as a listener to Maria's true accounts of her life was well done and made sense int the overall structure of the book.

Overall, a fantastic read that does not diminish one's love of the musical in any way, but rather adds to the story. Recommended for any old and new fans of The Sound of Music and truth based historical fiction. 3.75 stars, rounded up to 4

Thank you to NetGalley, Michelle Moran, and Random House - Ballantine for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

A captivating historical fiction that tells us about the life of the real Maria Von Trapp. We read of her early life and then of the time when Rogers and Hammerstein work on the musical adaptation of her life. I loved the honest portrayal which told of the difficulties she faced.
Many thanks to Random House and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review Maria: A Novel of Maria von Trapp by Michelle Moran.
I would assume, like many people, that Maria’s life resembled much of what was portrayed in “The Sound of Music”. Although there are only a few similarities, this shouldn’t deter anyone from reading this rich historical narrative. As Maria shares her concerns about the upcoming Broadway play, she is vulnerable as she exposes how she dealt with her new life as a mother and wife. I enjoyed the storyline from her early years as an aspiring nun to her journey into the von Trapp family’s musical legacy.
The novel beautifully balances Maria's personal struggles with the broader historical context of early 20th-century Austria. Maria’s character is portrayed with depth—her passion for music, her desire for freedom, and her resilience in the face of societal expectations are all compellingly explored.
The pacing of the novel is well-structured, with moments of tension and joy that keep readers engaged. The bigger than life Oscar Hammerstein is woven through, along with other characters that lend authenticity to the historical backdrop.
Overall, "Maria" is a heartfelt tribute to an extraordinary woman. It’s a delightful read for fans of historical fiction, music lovers, and anyone intrigued by the story behind the movie.

I had some basic idea that The Sound of Music's story was nothing at all like the real people it portrays, but it's fascinating to get another version of the story told around the creation of the musical. We get time jumps between Maria telling her version of the story and Fran, a young woman in 1959 who works for Oscar Hammerstein and is charged with seeing what Maria's issues with the new story are. It's two very different worlds and stories connecting through the magic of Broadway musicals.
Moran does a great job of setting the scene for both a 1950s America slowly recuperating from the horrors of war and adapting to the new world and the fascinating Austrian life of Maria going from abused orphan to noviciate to nanny and eventually a singing baroness. The situations and actions of people feel true to the places and era and really add to the true feel of the story.
Overall, it's a fascinating new take on the life of a woman who led a remarkable life but few know the true story of told in an inventive new way.

Happy thanks to NetGalley and Dell for the interesting read!

Maria.
A Novel of Maria von Trapp
by Michelle Moran (this review is based on an ARC sent to me by Netgalley)

This dramatic novel, based on the woman Romanized in the film The Sound of Music (1965), played by Julie Andrews, brings Maria to life as never before, which is based on a 1959 Broadway musical by the famous duo Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein and which is based on a 1956 German movie called Die Familie Trapp In the 1950s.
Oscar Hammerstein is asked to write the lyrics to a musical based on the life of a woman named Maria von Trapp.
Yet much of Maria’s life will have to be reinvented for the stage, and with the horrors of war still fresh in people’s minds, Hammerstein can’t let audiences see just how close the von Trapps came to losing their lives.
This novel is a fictional account set at the time Rodgers and Hammerstein are writing their famous musical.
Hearing that they are writing this musical, Maria von Trapp shows up to their offices in New York City insisting on telling them the real story so that they can accurately portray her life, her family, and her husband.
The narration alternates between Maria’s life and that of Hammerstein’s fictional secretary Fran. The pair strike up an unlikely friendship as Maria tells Fran about her life, contradicting much of what will eventually appear in The Sound of Music, immortalized by Hollywood.
Michelle Moran, an author known for writing historical fiction based on real strong women, did her research, so while the exact conversations may have been fictionalized, they were based on fact.

In the 1950s, Oscar Hammerstein is inspired to adapt Maria von Trapp’s story—a novice-turned-nanny who married a baron and led her family to safety from the Nazis—into a Broadway musical. When Maria discovers the altered story, she confronts Hammerstein's secretary, Fran, leading to an unexpected friendship as Maria shares her real story, which differs greatly from what will appear in The Sound of Music.

I always knew The Sound of Music was fiction based on real life, but I never knew just how much. The set-up of the story is very well done. In the 1950s, we follow Fran as she listens to Mrs. von Trapp’s story, though she knows it is too late for the script to change. And then we have Maria von Trapp’s telling of her life story.

My least favorite part was how Maria’s telling was in the present tense. It felt out of place to me, but other readers may not even notice. The plot was paced well and detailed enough without sounding like a biography.

Overall, this was an interesting novel and I did feel as though I learned a lot. Readers who enjoy the musical or have an interest in fiction based on real life will probably enjoy this one.

This a fictionalized story of Maria von Trapp.
In the 1950s, Oscar Hammerstein is asked to write the lyrics to a musical based on the life of a woman named Maria von Trapp. The musical had quite a few thing changed to make it more appealing to the public, but when Maria von Trapp read the script she was adamant, that this was not all a true story, and wanted to have them rewrite it. She tried to talk to Oscar Hammerstein, to give him the real story, but instead Hammerstein, had his assistant Fran sit down with Maria to hear her concerns, and her real story.
The book goes back and forth between the making of the musical, and us hearing the true story of Maria's life, which was quite different in a lot of ways.
The author did a great job putting this story together and researching the true life of Maria.
Anyone who loved the story of the von Trapp family, will enjoy this book and getting a different perspective.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Random house publishing group for a copy of this book.

MARIA takes readers behind the scenes of sound of music and shows the back story of a loved classic. This book was surprising because I learned so much and really felt transported

If you are familiar with The Sound of Music, you might love this book There were chapters of Maria by Michelle Moran that were literal scenes from the movie until about midway through the story. Told in dual timelines, one follows the movie and the other follows the 1950s Maria von Trapp as she tries to to set Rodgers & Hammerstein straight with what actually happened. Prior to reading this novel, I hadn't known about the aspects of the von Trapp family story that were fictionalized for Broadway and Hollywood. This book is a great reminder that the truth is usually far more complicated than made-for-tv sagas.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Oh my gosh! I just loved, loved, loved this book about my favorite movie of all time. It was so interesting to get glimpses of Hammerstein at the time time the musical was being produced (I didn't realize it was his last!) as well as getting the "real" story from Maria Von Trapp. While I have read other biographies of Maria Von Trapp--this combo of the her life and the musical version of her supposed life was riveting and so enjoyable. I absolutely devoured it! And am now off to watch the movie!

I absolutely loved this story, and was surprised to find the true story of one of my favorite musicals, The Sound Of Music. I honestly believed everything to be true, so found this story truly opened my eyes. This book provided so much additional information about the family I find so interesting, and helped pain a very real picture of this historical period of time. I would absolutely recommend this book at any fan of historical fiction, or interested in learning more about the von Trapp family.
Huge thank you to Michelle Moran, NetGalley, and Random House Publishing Group for this advanced copy.

If The Sound of Music was a staple movie of your childhood, you should enjoy this book. Very interesting to read the true story of the Von Trapp family and what really happened and how they really felt about the making of their lives into a show - a wholly inaccurate but nevertheless very entertaining show.

Thank you to NetGalley for a chance to read this book.

I loved it! Maria von Trapp the way the world has never seen her. I was engaged in this novel the whole way and was a little sad when it ended. A fresh perspective, and therefore brave, on a tale the world loves and knows well. Enjoyable read. Recommend.

Oh my goodness. The Sound of Music is one of my all-time favorite movie/musical and reading "Maria: A Novel of Maria von Trapp" by Michelle Moran was such a treat, learning of the real-life people behind this fantastic production. Loved how the real-life version was somewhat different from the story we know, more people in this talented family, as well as the conflicts, hardships, harmony and resilience that they experienced, was fascinating. Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

Oh, how I wanted to love this book. Austria, von Trapps, a family fleeing over the mountains in their musical glory...what's not to love? The challenge is sometimes I want the real story, and sometimes, well, I just don't. It turns out "Maria" served me up a portion of the latter, where the fictional-but-based-on-real-events version of the von Trapp story tipped down my rose-colored glasses to a story that is much more stern - and much less colorful - than my imagination had filled in from The Sound of Music.

In other words, not a beach read. More of a splash of cold water.

That being said, Moran wrote this nicely and weaved together a narrative that got me through to the end easily. But will I try to keep my fantasies about the von Trapps? Yes, I will.

This wonderful historical fiction jumps back and forth through different time lines, which I wasn't sure (in a good way) how it was going to end or tie in together. The more I read the more I wanted to savor every page. I loved the ending and how it brought everything together.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this advanced copy.

Whenever I think of The Sound of Music I can picture Julie Andrews as Maria von Trapp. While the play and the movie are based on her life, there is so much more to tell. With the memory of WWII still fresh, the story pictures their escape over the Alps after the Salzburg festival, Maria, however, arrives to set the story straight. Oscar Hammerstein filled the production with memorable music but as rehearsals are about to start Maria arrives at the theater to protest the production and demand changes. Hammerstein sends Fran, one of his assistants, to talk to her and take notes. Meetings over the following week have Fran spellbound as Maria tells her story. She was sent by the abbey, where she was preparing to take her vows, to teach one of the von Trapp children for ten months. From a young orphan to a baroness, she was unprepared for what life had in store for her, but she was a survivor. The von Trapp family was raised with a love of music. Maria’s father was also a musician who shared his music with her before his death. Sharing her songs with the children brought them close together. When the Germans invaded Austria and the Baron was called to serve, they knew it was time to leave. Under the pretense of a concert in Italy they rode the final train into Italy before the borders were closed and made their way to New York.

There is so much to love about this book. Michelle Moran includes some of the scenes from the play that actually occurred. Maria did make play clothes for the children from her curtains so that they could play outside. She also includes scenes from her childhood as she was beaten by her uncle for disobedience and escaped to the hills that she loved. While Maria objected to her husband’s portrayal she was swayed when Hammerstein wrote Eidelweiss and played the song for her. He was suffering from cancer and it would be the last song he would write. What happened to the von Trapps after their escape from Austria and throughout the following years is a story of love, loss, family and survival. Maria’s story lives on through the classic movie but there was so much more that will bring smiles and tears as you discover the real Maria von Trapp. I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine For providing this book.

This novel was incredible, so much so I read it in one day. While I've always enjoyed watching "The Sound of Music," there was so much to learn about the real story and Maria Von Trapp. Learning about her, her struggles, her life as an orphan and novitiate in a convent and her life's serving to God was heart rendering. Even when she married Georg Von Trapp and became the mother of 7 children, she led them to a better existence and life through her devotion to religion and as a person with real faults and demanding personality. Told through the eyes of Oscar Hammerstein's assistant Fran, this character plays an important part in the book, as a conduit between Hammerstein and the real Maria, who isn't happy with the play's script. I felt this was also a tribute to Hammerstein himself, as he died 9 months after the play was a huge success on Broadway. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Maria is a semi-fictional retelling of Maria Von Trapp, the real woman that the Sound of Music was based on. The book is told in 2 timelines, the story of Maria in Austria, which is a little different from the musical in lots of ways but generally the same story. And the story of Fran, in 1959, who works for Hammerstein as he's writing the Broadway musical. Fran has her own problems, but she also meets the real Maria, who wants her to change the musical to make it more like her own life.

As a big Sound of Music fan, I enjoyed the book a lot, even more for Maria having more faults than the play/movie shows. Fran's story was a little less interesting, but her role connecting with Maria's past was powerful.

WOW! Just when I think author Michelle Moran can't make me fall even more in love with a historical heroine, she does it again. Fair warning - I'm a huge fan - her Egyptian series is among my favorite books. But with Maria, Moran does an incredible job of pulling back the curtain on Maria and the von Trapp family, telling the true story that you never knew. While at times I was knocked off my feet - learning just how wrong Rodgers and Hammerstein got it - I truly loved the stories and the truth behind them. I also loved the subplot around Oscar Hammerstein and his legacy. How do you solve a problem like Maria? You write a book like Michelle Moran!