10/02/2023
Goodwin (Victoria) returns with a diverting tale of opera singer Maria Callas (1923–1977). A prologue introduces 17-year-old Maria, who’s been taken by her headstrong mother from New York City to Athens, Greece, where she studies under the famous soprano Elvira de Hidalgo. The action is split between Maria’s career and love life in the 1950s and ’60s and her reflections on a difficult childhood. Her mother favored her older and thinner sister, Jackie, and exploited Maria’s natural talent by making her sing in the streets of Athens for food during WWII. As a performer, she works hard at her craft with a rigorous rehearsal schedule and adopts a strict diet after losing the top role at La Scala because of her weight. In 1957, she meets Aristotle Onassis, the richest man in the world, who is married, and they begin an affair. Captivated by his extravagant gifts and exhilarating touch, Maria begins to question whether life on stage is all there is. Though Goodwin’s portrayal of Maria’s troubling family dynamics lack depth—Maria’s continued resentment toward her sister later in life is unexamined—the author vividly evokes mid-century celebrity culture in Maria’s encounters with Richard Burton, Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe, and others. Readers will enjoy stepping into the heels of the famous opera performer. (Jan.)
Praise for Diva:
"I was blown away by Diva. Beautiful, visceral, tragic, gutting." —Miranda Cowley Heller, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Paper Palace
"The spectacular Daisy Goodwin has written Diva, an epic novel about Maria Callas in love that hits every note and soars off the page. You will root for Callas as she navigates her dynamic career and a love affair that will break her heart. Told with tenderness and power, this is bravura storytelling in the hands of a master." —Adriana Trigiani, New York Times bestselling author of The Good Left Undone
“Elegant, adult, ultimately very moving, Diva presents an amazingly convincing Maria, while always conveying the power of the majestic Callas myth.” —Laura Thompson, New York Times bestselling author of The Six: The Lives of the Mitford Sisters
"I've been completely overwhelmed by Diva: by the pleasure of reading such a marvellous ardent, romantic yet utterly worldly book…Quick, where are my Callas records…” —Lady Antonia Fraser, national bestselling author of Marie Antoinette: The Journey
“With its glamour, celebrity and heartbreak, this is the unstoppable story of ambition and desire that enchantress Daisy Goodwin was born to write.” —Lucy Worsley, host of the hit PBS series "Lucy Worsley Investigates" and bestselling author of Agatha Christie: An Elusive Woman and Jane Austen at Home: A Biography
"Daisy Goodwin's richly imagined world makes Diva an irresistible page-turner. Blending high drama with an artist's eye for detail, Goodwin breathes life into one of the greatest and most tragic stars of the 20th century. Whether you're an opera aficionado or simply love an epic tale of love and ambition, Diva is a pure delight." —Dr. Amanda Foreman, New York Times bestselling author of Georgiana and A World on Fire
"Daisy Goodwin is a genius storyteller, fashioning the most delicious, insider gossip into a tale full of heartbreak, love, ambition, and brutal disappointment." —Nina de Gramont, bestselling author of The Christie Affair
"Daisy Goodwin’s immersion in the life of Maria Callas has yielded a jewel of a novel, as tormentingly seductive as any diamond necklace given to her by her faithless lover, Onassis." —Rose Tremain, award-winning author of Restoration and Lily: A Tale of Revenge
"When Ms. Goodwin conjures the craft and grace of the hardworking singer who traced each bel canto phrase like a sinuous, unbroken 'line of ink' she does it well... Diva paints in bold, primary colors... [while exhibiting] subtler touches as Callas squanders the irreplaceable 'gold coin' of her unique talent." —Wall Street Journal
"VERDICT: Brava! Historical-fiction enthusiasts, fans of La Callas, and others will relish this view into the tumultuous love affair of a power couple; they’ll offer a standing ovation when, in the novel’s 'Final Curtain,' the opera singer discovers her true voice." —Library Journal, starred review
"Dazzling...Diva sparkles with glamour, glimmers with hope, and is emblazoned with female empowerment." —Shelf Awareness
"Fascinating, tender and richly-imagined." —Toronto Star
★ 11/01/2023
Goodwin's (The Fortune Hunter; The Last Duchess) latest historical novel covers more than a decade of world-renowned soprano Maria Callas's life and several foundational childhood flashbacks. When Callas and Greek tycoon Aristotle Onassis meet in 1957, they are both married, but a spark is ignited. They soon begin a passionate affair that spans nearly a decade. Callas performs at international venues for adoring fans, is lavishly adorned in Dior and Cartier, enjoys caviar and champagne, and cruises the Mediterranean on Onassis's yacht Christina. Her social circle includes Hollywood royalty and political figureheads such as Princess Grace, Marlene Dietrich, Elizabeth Taylor, Charlie Chaplin, Marilyn Monroe, Winston Churchill, and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. Callas also experiences vulnerability and heartbreak. She is exploited by those closest to her, struggles with her body image, fights jealousy as Onassis openly pursues other women, and worries about prematurely losing her famous voice. VERDICT Brava! Historical-fiction enthusiasts, fans of La Callas, and others will relish this view into the tumultuous love affair of a power couple; they'll offer a standing ovation when, in the novel's "Final Curtain," the opera singer discovers her true voice.—Mary Todd Chesnut
Listeners will have a grand time with Lorelei King's versatile narration of this fictionalized account of the life of famed opera singer Maria Callas. Listeners will feel as though they are globe-trotting alongside Callas as she performs in the classic opera houses of Europe and the U.S. King gives Callas a slightly detached, poised tone as she rehearses and performs, and socializes with the rich and famous of the 1950s and 1960s--including Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly, and, of course, her longtime lover, Aristotle Onassis. King excels at switching among Greek, Italian, British, French, and American accents. While the story focuses on Callas's career and romantic life, including her unsatisfying marriage to her manager, King also brings forth the resentments that existed between Callas and her critical mother. M.J. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
