"From being raised in Nazi-occupied Greece, through global glory and glamour, to heartbreak and beyond, this biographical novel of Maria Callas’ extraordinary life is a dazzling showstopper."
An immersive, page-turning work of biographical fiction, Daisy Goodwin’s Diva certainly hits all the right notes for opera aficionados. At the same time, it comes hugely recommended for readers who love stories steeped in the glamour and grit of mid-century celebrity. Epic tales of love and loss. Novels that conjure the passions, pains and gifts of extraordinary women like Maria Callas — la divina.
In this novel, we first meet Maria in Paris in 1968, just after she’s discovered that the love of her life, Aristotle Onassis, is marrying Jacqueline Kennedy. Accompanied by her close friend, director Franco Zeffirelli, she steps out in public “dignified but also spectacular”. Under the glare of cameras, she shares an exchange with Elizabeth Taylor: “We divas need to stick together. Next time, don’t trust a man until there’s a ring on your finger,” cautions Liz.
Through shifting timelines, Goodwin unveils Maria’s upbringing in 1930s Greece, her remarkable, hard-fought rise to become “la divina”, the world’s greatest opera singer, and how she fell madly in love with Onassis, and into the circles of celebrities like Noël Coward, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.
Conjuring Callas in all her complexity, Diva will enchant readers who adore rip-roaring stories of ambition, desire, celebrity and the intricacies of love and heartbreak.
| Primary Genre | Historical Fiction |
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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.
In this remarkable novel, 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.
Diva features in the following genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Romance / Relationship Stories, Recommendations, Books of the Month
Diva is available in Paperback, Hardback
Diva was written by Daisy Goodwin and published by Aria an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing (UK)
Diva has 416 pages
£8.99
