Maria: A Novel of Maria von Trapp
by Michelle Moran
Summary
Maria von Trapp. You know the name and the iconic songs, but do you know her real story? This dramatic novel, based on the woman glamorized in The Sound of Music, brings Maria to life as never before.
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. He’s intrigued to learn that she was once a novice who hoped to live quietly as an Austrian nun before her abbey sent her away to teach a widowed baron’s sickly child. What should have been a ten-month assignment, however, unexpectedly turned into a marriage proposal. And when the family was forced to flee their home to escape the Nazis, it was Maria who instructed them on how to survive using nothing but the power of their voices.
It’s an inspirational story, to be sure, and as half of the famous Rodgers & Hammerstein duo, Hammerstein knows it has big Broadway potential. 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.
But when Maria sees the script that is supposedly based on her life, she becomes so incensed that she sets off to confront Hammerstein in person. Told that he’s busy, she is asked to express her concerns to his secretary, Fran, instead. The pair strikes up an unlikely friendship as Maria tells Fran about her life, contradicting much of what will eventually appear in The Sound of Music.
A tale of love, loss, and the difficult choices that we are often forced to make, Maria is a powerful reminder that the truth is usually more complicated—and certainly more compelling—than the stories immortalized by Hollywood.
My Review
I’ve always enjoyed watching The Sound of Music, so when I read the synopsis of this book, I decided to give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised by just how much I ended up enjoying it. Embarrassingly, I didn’t realize that Maria von Trapp was a real person—I had assumed the movie was entirely fictional. Reading this fictionalized account of her life was both enlightening and entertaining, as it offered a deeper understanding of her story and provided a fascinating glimpse into history during the World War II era.
The narrative alternates between past and present timelines, which took a little getting used to at first. However, once I adjusted to the writing style, it was easy to follow. The present-day timeline is set in the 1950s, during the creation of the Broadway musical, while the past timeline spans from 1913 through the 1940s, covering Maria’s childhood, her introduction to the baron and his family, and her experiences during the war.
I especially loved the past timeline, which offered a captivating portrayal of Maria’s life, from her early years to her unique perspective on the world around her. Getting to know her as a person made the story both interesting and insightful. Although I preferred the past timeline, the entire book was engaging and enjoyable.
If you’re a fan of The Sound of Music, I highly recommend this book. Even if you’re not a fan of the movie but enjoy historical fiction or learning about real people, this story is absolutely worth reading.