Diva
Bestselling Daisy Goodwin returns with a heartbreaking, powerful novel about the legendary Maria Callas
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4.5 • 13 Ratings
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- £4.99
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.
'An extraordinary, vivid, and skilful re-imagining of a modern Greek legend' - Victoria Hislop
In the glittering and ruthlessly competitive world of opera, Maria Callas is known simply as la divina: the divine one. With her glorious voice, instinctive flair for the dramatic and striking beauty, she's the toast of the grandest opera houses in the world. Yet her fame has been hard won: raised in Nazi-occupied Greece by a mother who mercilessly exploited her, Maria learned early in life how to protect herself.
When she meets the fabulously rich shipping magnate, Aristotle Onassis, her isolation melts away. For the first time in her life, she believes she's found a man who sees the woman rather than the legendary soprano. Desperately in love, Onassis introduces her to a life of unbelievable luxury, mixing with celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.
And then, suddenly, it's over. The international press announce that Onassis will marry the most famous woman in the world, former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, leaving Maria to pick up the pieces.
'I gulped it down... the brilliantly persuasive portrayal of a woman negotiating the demands of her art with an intense emotional life is so compelling' - Elizabeth Buchan
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.
