Diva
A Novel
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3.8 • 6 Ratings
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
New York Times bestselling author Daisy Goodwin returns with a story of the scandalous love affair between the most celebrated opera singer of all time and one of the richest men in the world.
In the glittering and ruthlessly competitive world of opera, Maria Callas was known simply as la divina: the divine one. With her glorious voice, instinctive flair for the dramatic and striking beauty, she was the toast of the grandest opera houses in the world. But her fame was hard won: raised in Nazi-occupied Greece by a mother who mercilessly exploited her golden voice, she learned early in life to protect herself from those who would use her for their own ends.
When she met the fabulously rich Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, for the first time in her life, she believed she’d found someone who saw the woman within the legendary soprano. She fell desperately in love. He introduced her to a life of unbelievable luxury, showering her with jewels and sojourns in the most fashionable international watering holes with celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.
And then suddenly, it was over. The international press announced that Aristotle Onassis would marry the most famous woman in the world, former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, leaving Maria to pick up the pieces.
In this remarkable novel, Diva, Daisy Goodwin brings to life a woman whose extraordinary talent, unremitting drive and natural chic made her a legend. But it was only in confronting the heartbreak of losing the man she loved that Maria Callas found her true voice and went on to triumph.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
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.
