A Fresh View that Deepens an Already Beloved Tale

A Fresh View that Deepens an Already Beloved Tale

Posted on by Michele Morin

When I’m teaching a group of women I’m meeting for the first time, I try to begin with some small part of my story. I talk about my four sons or my adorable grandchildren. I might mention my garden in the summer or complain about the early winter darkness here on this country hill in Maine.

Our stories are ours to tell, and we may even find ourselves telling our stories to ourselves sometimes as a way of remembering the past and defining our role in the greater scheme of things. Imagine how disorienting it would be to hear your own story, so familiar to your mind and heart, told by someone else with misinformation, with characters missing, and with inaccurate historical details.

Dear Mr. Hammerstein,

That was the experience of Maria von Trapp, the well-loved heroine of The Sound of Music. Both the Broadway play and the classic movie played fast and loose with the basic facts that comprised her story. Audiences in the 1950s weren’t ready to be entertained by the real danger the von Trapp family faced in Nazi-occupied Austria, and other details were reinvented to streamline the telling.

Michelle Moran, historical novelist with an uncannily familiar ring to her name, has set the record straight, beginning with Maria’s letter of protest written to Oscar Hammerstein, lyricist of the famed Rodgers and Hammerstein theater writing team. With rehearsals already underway and his health failing, Hammerstein was unable to meet with Maria, so Maria poured out her life story to his secretary, Fran.

Fran is a faithful fictional sounding board for Maria, and Moran has done a delightful job of weaving Maria’s compelling story with details around the production of the musical, Fran’s personal life, and Hammerstein’s staff. In fact, I don’t remember the last time I was so intrigued by the opening chapters of a novel as I puzzled over who Fran and Jack, Eva and Peter were, and what they had to do with The Sound of Music. Such a clever beginning!

As with the story of any life, there are cautionary tales embedded in the narrative arc. While the family’s music saved their lives, it also became a point of contention and a reason to divide. The untold story of Maria von Trapp’s life may have been too unwieldy for Julie Andrews or Mary Martin to sing about, but, nevertheless, the real Maria’s story deserves to be told, and Maria is a fresh view that deepens an already beloved tale.

What Other Reviewers Are Saying

“Moran proves herself to be a master storyteller of historical fiction in this engaging and thoughtful novel with lush descriptions in every chapter. . . . Fans of The Sound of Music will want to read the author’s note for real historical tidbits that are awakened within the story.”—Booklist, starred review

“Readers, prepare to meet the real Maria, a complex and compelling leading lady who will both delight and surprise all who feel they already know the story of the fabled von Trapp family. Michelle Moran has delivered a gem of a novel, rich in historic detail, page-turning pacing, and lyrical, lush storytelling. As immersive, heartbreaking, and ultimately redemptive as the musical for which Maria von Trapp is so widely known and loved, this one is not to be missed. Brava!”—Allison Pataki, New York Times bestselling author

Holding you in the light,

The untold story of Maria von Trapp’s life may have been too unwieldy for Julie Andrews to sing about, but the real story deserves to be told. MARIA by Michelle Moran is a fresh view that deepens an already beloved tale. @randomhouse

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Many thanks to Dell, an imprint of Random House, and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which is, of course, offered freely and with honesty.

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Published by Michele Morin

Michele Morin is a Bible teacher, writer, reader, and gardener committed to the truth that women can become confident Christ-followers and students of God's Word. She has been married to an unreasonably patient husband for thirty-plus years, and together they have four married sons and a growing fleet of adorable grandchildren. Michele loves hot tea and well-crafted sentences, poems that stop her in her tracks, and days at the ocean with the whole family. She laments biblical illiteracy and advocates for the prudent use of “little minutes.” She blogs at Living Our Days, and you can connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.

16 thoughts on “A Fresh View that Deepens an Already Beloved Tale”

  2. We will get to hear your story more as you introduce yourself to the ladies of our church this weekend. I am full of faith as to what God will do in us all as we slow down and listen to what His Spirit is saying to us through your faithful study of His Word. 🥰🙏

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  5. How interesting to have an author with such a similar name! There’s one with my name who writes about water birth–something I know nothing about. Her Wikipedia page says she’s the Billy Graham of water birth! If I ever write a book, I’ll need to use my middle name to distinguish myself from her.

    I just finished reading Maria’s memoir a few weeks ago! It was astounding how many changes the film made. This would be neat to read as well.

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  7. I may be the only person in the country who hasn’t seen the “Sound of Music.” It’s actually a little embarrassing to say that, but the musical has never appealed to me. It’s one of those things, though, that is so part of pop culture that I’m sure I know a good bit even still. This book, though, sounds like a wonderful read. I’m going to add it to my list right now.

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