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Carmen: An Urban Adaptation of the Opera
Into the summer heat of New York’s Spanish Harlem strides Carmen, a chica who is as hot as the sizzling city streets. When she first meets José, she falls for him hard. He’s not like the gansta types she knows— tipo duros who are tough, who think they are players. But José has a quick temper, and he likes to get his own way. And nobody gets in Carmen’s way.
When Escamillo rolls into town, everyone takes notice of the Latino Jay-Z—a quadruple-threat singer/rapper/producer/businessman. But he only notices one person—Carmen. And Carmen has given up on José—he’s not going to get her out of her tough neighborhood, el barrio , and into the action. Escamillo will.
But José won’t let that happen.
Passion, love, and betrayal explode into tragedy in this modern retelling of an enduring love story.
"...this concentrated dose of high drama is full of sharp repartee and would make a lively classroom read-aloud." - Publisher's Weekly
When Escamillo rolls into town, everyone takes notice of the Latino Jay-Z—a quadruple-threat singer/rapper/producer/businessman. But he only notices one person—Carmen. And Carmen has given up on José—he’s not going to get her out of her tough neighborhood, el barrio , and into the action. Escamillo will.
But José won’t let that happen.
Passion, love, and betrayal explode into tragedy in this modern retelling of an enduring love story.
"...this concentrated dose of high drama is full of sharp repartee and would make a lively classroom read-aloud." - Publisher's Weekly
122 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
3 people are currently reading
226 people want to read
About the author
Walter Dean Myers
232 books1,182 followerspseudonyms:
Stacie Williams
Stacie Johnson
Walter Dean Myers was born on August 12, 1937 in Martinsburg, West Virginia but moved to Harlem with his foster parents at age three. He was brought up and went to public school there. He attended Stuyvesant High School until the age of seventeen when he joined the army.
After serving four years in the army, he worked at various jobs and earned a BA from Empire State College. He wrote full time after 1977.
Walter wrote from childhood, first finding success in 1969 when he won the Council on Interracial Books for Children contest, which resulted in the publication of his first book for children, Where Does the Day Go?, by Parent's Magazine Press. He published over seventy books for children and young adults. He received many awards for his work in this field including the Coretta Scott King Award, five times. Two of his books were awarded Newbery Honors. He was awarded the Margaret A. Edwards Award and the Virginia Hamilton Award. For one of his books, Monster, he received the first Michael Printz Award for Young Adult literature awarded by the American Library Association. Monster and Autobiography of My Dead Brother were selected as National Book Award Finalists.
In addition to the publication of his books, Walter contributed to educational and literary publications. He visited schools to speak to children, teachers, librarians, and parents. For three years he led a writing workshop for children in a school in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Walter Dean Myers was married, had three grown children and lived in Jersey City, New Jersey. He died on July 1, 2014, following a brief illness. He was 76 years old.
Stacie Williams
Stacie Johnson
Walter Dean Myers was born on August 12, 1937 in Martinsburg, West Virginia but moved to Harlem with his foster parents at age three. He was brought up and went to public school there. He attended Stuyvesant High School until the age of seventeen when he joined the army.
After serving four years in the army, he worked at various jobs and earned a BA from Empire State College. He wrote full time after 1977.
Walter wrote from childhood, first finding success in 1969 when he won the Council on Interracial Books for Children contest, which resulted in the publication of his first book for children, Where Does the Day Go?, by Parent's Magazine Press. He published over seventy books for children and young adults. He received many awards for his work in this field including the Coretta Scott King Award, five times. Two of his books were awarded Newbery Honors. He was awarded the Margaret A. Edwards Award and the Virginia Hamilton Award. For one of his books, Monster, he received the first Michael Printz Award for Young Adult literature awarded by the American Library Association. Monster and Autobiography of My Dead Brother were selected as National Book Award Finalists.
In addition to the publication of his books, Walter contributed to educational and literary publications. He visited schools to speak to children, teachers, librarians, and parents. For three years he led a writing workshop for children in a school in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Walter Dean Myers was married, had three grown children and lived in Jersey City, New Jersey. He died on July 1, 2014, following a brief illness. He was 76 years old.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
February 11, 2020
Normally I love Walter Dean Myers, but this one didn't quite hit it off for me. I would attribute it to the screenplay style of the work, but I absolutely adore Monster. I think perhaps part of it is that I'm not familiar with Carmen, the opera, and that extra context might have helped me out more with the backstory and the emotions running high. I think if executed as a play, there might be a lot to be done with it--but as a page instead of stage, Myer's Carmen is pretty bare-boned.
It was certainly a quick read, very fast-paced. So it's definitely worth reading if you're interested in Carmen adaptations, or for urban adaptations in general of classic operas or plays. I think it's important for those facts, but it unfortunately failed in its execution.
Review cross-listed here!
It was certainly a quick read, very fast-paced. So it's definitely worth reading if you're interested in Carmen adaptations, or for urban adaptations in general of classic operas or plays. I think it's important for those facts, but it unfortunately failed in its execution.
Review cross-listed here!
November 13, 2021
This was a cute little read. I must first say that I am a fan of Carmen and a fan of Myers, but how do I feel about Myers' adaptation of the Carmen story?
I'm familiar with the opera, but my particular reference point is the Otto Preminger film starring Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte (1954), which Myers did not love. This book would be a good adaptation for a teenage who needs to story for fit a situation they can more relate to. For me, I didnt need this story altered. I also think, root of the tragedy shifted in this book (which Myers says is closer to the original story) from the movie.
I'm familiar with the opera, but my particular reference point is the Otto Preminger film starring Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte (1954), which Myers did not love. This book would be a good adaptation for a teenage who needs to story for fit a situation they can more relate to. For me, I didnt need this story altered. I also think, root of the tragedy shifted in this book (which Myers says is closer to the original story) from the movie.
February 20, 2022
A quick read as it's set as a script. Interesting idea and as someone who never knew the story of "Carmen" this was helpful. Myers includes some of the music in the back of the book and that helps the reader to understand. This is definitely a high school read.
April 13, 2012
“Love came easy, but it just wasn't for me.
It flew away like swallows on a summer evening.
Love sang softly, but it just wasn't to me.
Was I a fool to give my love, to give my soul,
and more away?
My heart aches with longing, cries each night,
As I just fall apart."
―Carmen, singing Love Has Flown Away, P. 70
I hope that eventually some enterprising filmmaker takes a look at some of the books that Walter Dean Myers has written, and decides to adapt one or two of them into movies. As in Riot, Carmen is a novel written like a script, the main difference being that the notes for direction are designed for a stage production rather than a movie. This style might be confusing to some readers―I have to admit that it presented certain challenges for me in engaging myself fully in the narrative―but Walter Dean Myers makes up for it with some really well-written "songs", as well as several underlying moments of wisdom to the story, a quality that his readers have come to expect from his books. It's not always easy to follow every inch of an opera's plot, but in this adaptation of the opera Carmen, Walter Dean Myers has made everything simple to understand, which I suppose can only help matters.
Most readers, I believe, will be able to identify fairly easily with either Carmen or José as portrayed in this book. Carmen is a beautiful young gypsy girl who didn't always stand out to boys as she does now. In fact, the boy whose affections she had longed for when she used to live in town, a dashing youth named José who was training to join the police force, hardly knew that she existed... until now. As Carmen swoops back into town, now a vivacious eighteen-year-old who could hardly fail to attract the attention of any male suitor she desires, she takes particular care to arouse the senses of that boy she liked from the neighborhood, José, now twenty-one years of age and a full-fledged member of the police. Carmen knows the influence she exerts on those of the opposite gender and treads lightly in these situations that can always turn bad very quickly, considering the passions that she inflames; she's good at this high-wire act, though, and, sees no harm that is likely to come from a few flirtations with her former love interest, the dapper José.
For José, though, seeing Carmen for the flower in bloom that she has become is almost too much for him to handle. She is now a rare and scintillating beauty, and he can think of nothing that he wants more than to be able to call her his own, his lover, his girl. However, as the dance of attraction commences and José falls more and more deeply for Carmen, the gypsy girl begins to understand that there's something different about him, something disturbing that's not at all like the boy she used to pine after from afar. There's a darkness to this new José that frightens Carmen, but now that she's become so involved in their dance of romantic intent, she's not sure how to get out of it. José has a violent temper that flares up here and there, and while Carmen is usually so deft at managing her relationships and sidestepping the persistence of unwanted suitors, this time she's dug herself in too deep. Her very survival has been threatened by her mistake, and now José is out for revenge, and he won't be easily satiated...
José, for all his faults, is like many of us. When the heat of passion rises in his veins he makes mistakes, big mistakes. His amorous feelings cloud his better judgment and he begins to make decisions that he clearly could have avoided were he in his right mind. It's the delirium of lust that changes his thinking, and if he's not careful, he could destroy more than one life with his reckless actions. But it can be so hard to do the smart thing and walk away in the heat of passion...
I'm not sure what audience Walter Dean Myers is primarily aiming for with this book, but I do hope that he reaches it. There's a lot of good material in Carmen that deserves to be read, and I think that readers of any age will be able to appreciate the strong feelings of the characters that arise in the story again and again. I don't know if this book will do much to revive the appreciation of opera among young readers, but at least it's an introduction to one of the art form's most celebrated stories, and may appeal to some opera newbies in a way that the original Georges Bizet production cannot. I would give at least one and a half stars to Carmen, and perhaps the full two.
It flew away like swallows on a summer evening.
Love sang softly, but it just wasn't to me.
Was I a fool to give my love, to give my soul,
and more away?
My heart aches with longing, cries each night,
As I just fall apart."
―Carmen, singing Love Has Flown Away, P. 70
I hope that eventually some enterprising filmmaker takes a look at some of the books that Walter Dean Myers has written, and decides to adapt one or two of them into movies. As in Riot, Carmen is a novel written like a script, the main difference being that the notes for direction are designed for a stage production rather than a movie. This style might be confusing to some readers―I have to admit that it presented certain challenges for me in engaging myself fully in the narrative―but Walter Dean Myers makes up for it with some really well-written "songs", as well as several underlying moments of wisdom to the story, a quality that his readers have come to expect from his books. It's not always easy to follow every inch of an opera's plot, but in this adaptation of the opera Carmen, Walter Dean Myers has made everything simple to understand, which I suppose can only help matters.
Most readers, I believe, will be able to identify fairly easily with either Carmen or José as portrayed in this book. Carmen is a beautiful young gypsy girl who didn't always stand out to boys as she does now. In fact, the boy whose affections she had longed for when she used to live in town, a dashing youth named José who was training to join the police force, hardly knew that she existed... until now. As Carmen swoops back into town, now a vivacious eighteen-year-old who could hardly fail to attract the attention of any male suitor she desires, she takes particular care to arouse the senses of that boy she liked from the neighborhood, José, now twenty-one years of age and a full-fledged member of the police. Carmen knows the influence she exerts on those of the opposite gender and treads lightly in these situations that can always turn bad very quickly, considering the passions that she inflames; she's good at this high-wire act, though, and, sees no harm that is likely to come from a few flirtations with her former love interest, the dapper José.
For José, though, seeing Carmen for the flower in bloom that she has become is almost too much for him to handle. She is now a rare and scintillating beauty, and he can think of nothing that he wants more than to be able to call her his own, his lover, his girl. However, as the dance of attraction commences and José falls more and more deeply for Carmen, the gypsy girl begins to understand that there's something different about him, something disturbing that's not at all like the boy she used to pine after from afar. There's a darkness to this new José that frightens Carmen, but now that she's become so involved in their dance of romantic intent, she's not sure how to get out of it. José has a violent temper that flares up here and there, and while Carmen is usually so deft at managing her relationships and sidestepping the persistence of unwanted suitors, this time she's dug herself in too deep. Her very survival has been threatened by her mistake, and now José is out for revenge, and he won't be easily satiated...
José, for all his faults, is like many of us. When the heat of passion rises in his veins he makes mistakes, big mistakes. His amorous feelings cloud his better judgment and he begins to make decisions that he clearly could have avoided were he in his right mind. It's the delirium of lust that changes his thinking, and if he's not careful, he could destroy more than one life with his reckless actions. But it can be so hard to do the smart thing and walk away in the heat of passion...
I'm not sure what audience Walter Dean Myers is primarily aiming for with this book, but I do hope that he reaches it. There's a lot of good material in Carmen that deserves to be read, and I think that readers of any age will be able to appreciate the strong feelings of the characters that arise in the story again and again. I don't know if this book will do much to revive the appreciation of opera among young readers, but at least it's an introduction to one of the art form's most celebrated stories, and may appeal to some opera newbies in a way that the original Georges Bizet production cannot. I would give at least one and a half stars to Carmen, and perhaps the full two.
September 1, 2016
Recap:
When Carmen - a gorgeous, young, Dominican woman - sees Jose - the boy she had a crush on so many years ago - it doesn't matter that he is a police offer (who will soon be arresting her!), all of the old feelings come rushing back.
Jose quickly falls deeply in love, but it isn't long before he begins to show the darker side of his feelings. Carmen always thought true love was dangerous, but she still wasn't prepared for this.
Review:
Walter Dean Myers is the man. 145th Street, Street Love, Handbook for Boys... these books are phenomenal, convincing kids who think they hate reading that books might not actually be so bad.
But Carmen? This was a big miss for me. Written like the script of a play, or an opera in this case, Carmen is an extremely quick read. I initially envisioned using it for readers theater once I'm back in a classroom again. But as the story progressed, I felt increasingly disenchanted.
The main characters, Carmen and Jose, fall madly in love in the space of about one page. And then a few pages later they've broken up. And then a few pages later they're in love again. And then... you get the idea. The cycle repeats. And it was all the more irritating because there wasn't any real, rational backstory on WHY they were seeming to fall in and out of love. Carmen thought Jose didn't love her anymore because he had to go to work. Jose thought Carmen didn't love him because she wouldn't move to Puerto Rico. Sheesh.
And I typically think Mr. Walter Dean Myers is an outstanding writer. But the dialogue here? Not so much. It just felt choppy and stilted, like there wasn't a real person behind it. Here's just one example:
"Pain? Not love? Jose, maybe we need to slow this train down. I don't know if I'm ready to make a lifetime thing of this."
"Carmen, don't... Don't think of being away from me. I've given up my whole career on the force for you. It's going to be me and you. Don't even think about it being any other way. You don't want me disappointed in you. That would really piss me off."
By the time I reached the final pages, I didn't even care that it ended in tragedy. I was already thinking about the next book on my reading list... It's entirely possible that I just didn't get as much out of this story as I could have because I've never seen Carmen and really didn't know the story of the opera beforehand. What do you think, book lovers? Have any of you read this adaptation of Carmen? What am I missing?
Recommendation:
If you're already a fan of the opera Carmen, give this urban adaptation a shot. If you really love Walter Dean Myers or you're in the mood for a re-telling of a classic, I would choose Street Love, his adaptation of Romeo and Juliet instead. It's a novel in verse and had my students, male and female, spellbound while we took turns reading aloud.
Quotable Quote:
"How do you know you're in love? It could be swine flu." - Frasquita
When Carmen - a gorgeous, young, Dominican woman - sees Jose - the boy she had a crush on so many years ago - it doesn't matter that he is a police offer (who will soon be arresting her!), all of the old feelings come rushing back.
Jose quickly falls deeply in love, but it isn't long before he begins to show the darker side of his feelings. Carmen always thought true love was dangerous, but she still wasn't prepared for this.
Review:
Walter Dean Myers is the man. 145th Street, Street Love, Handbook for Boys... these books are phenomenal, convincing kids who think they hate reading that books might not actually be so bad.
But Carmen? This was a big miss for me. Written like the script of a play, or an opera in this case, Carmen is an extremely quick read. I initially envisioned using it for readers theater once I'm back in a classroom again. But as the story progressed, I felt increasingly disenchanted.
The main characters, Carmen and Jose, fall madly in love in the space of about one page. And then a few pages later they've broken up. And then a few pages later they're in love again. And then... you get the idea. The cycle repeats. And it was all the more irritating because there wasn't any real, rational backstory on WHY they were seeming to fall in and out of love. Carmen thought Jose didn't love her anymore because he had to go to work. Jose thought Carmen didn't love him because she wouldn't move to Puerto Rico. Sheesh.
And I typically think Mr. Walter Dean Myers is an outstanding writer. But the dialogue here? Not so much. It just felt choppy and stilted, like there wasn't a real person behind it. Here's just one example:
"Pain? Not love? Jose, maybe we need to slow this train down. I don't know if I'm ready to make a lifetime thing of this."
"Carmen, don't... Don't think of being away from me. I've given up my whole career on the force for you. It's going to be me and you. Don't even think about it being any other way. You don't want me disappointed in you. That would really piss me off."
By the time I reached the final pages, I didn't even care that it ended in tragedy. I was already thinking about the next book on my reading list... It's entirely possible that I just didn't get as much out of this story as I could have because I've never seen Carmen and really didn't know the story of the opera beforehand. What do you think, book lovers? Have any of you read this adaptation of Carmen? What am I missing?
Recommendation:
If you're already a fan of the opera Carmen, give this urban adaptation a shot. If you really love Walter Dean Myers or you're in the mood for a re-telling of a classic, I would choose Street Love, his adaptation of Romeo and Juliet instead. It's a novel in verse and had my students, male and female, spellbound while we took turns reading aloud.
Quotable Quote:
"How do you know you're in love? It could be swine flu." - Frasquita
July 28, 2011
Carmen by Walter Dean Myers is an urban adaptation of the classic opera. Carmen is a stunningly beautiful Latino girl (18)who all the men hope to capture the love of. The story takes place in Spanish Harlem where life is tough. Carmen meets Jose, a 21 year old police officer, who has a dark side that the reader does not see until well into the book. Carmen remembers Jose from childhood when they lived on the same street and she had a crush on him. When Carmen sees him again, the old feelings come back. Carmen is pursued by Officer Zuniga, Jose’s police seargeant and Escamillo, a local rapper turned filmmaker. Carmen is caught in the middle of this love triangle. Zuniga is jealous of Carmen’s affection towards Jose and sends him to work outside of the neighborhood to keep the two apart. Escamillo sweeps in with his Hollywood charm which makes Carmen question who should she really give her heart to. Jose complicates things when he shoots Zuniga, grazing his arm, while fighting over Carmen. Jose’s dark side multiplies with his anger at the loss of Carmen’s affection when she realizes that she no longer wants to be with him. Jose’s anger, resentment, and jealousy builds which is a recipe for disaster for one person….Carmen.
I gave this book two stars only because I wish I could know more about Jose’s past and what demons he is fighting. The story line is easy to follow since Myers keeps the storyline set up as a play. Myers helps the reader by providing a cast of characters in the beginning of the book, just like a play, which I was able to reference when reading the first few pages. The book leaves me wanting more character development from Jose, but also makes me want to see the actual opera.
I gave this book two stars only because I wish I could know more about Jose’s past and what demons he is fighting. The story line is easy to follow since Myers keeps the storyline set up as a play. Myers helps the reader by providing a cast of characters in the beginning of the book, just like a play, which I was able to reference when reading the first few pages. The book leaves me wanting more character development from Jose, but also makes me want to see the actual opera.
Read
November 26, 2011A thrilling modern-day adaptation by the brilliant young adult author, William Dean Myers of Georges Bizet's classic opera, Carmen, set in Seville, Spain in the mid 19th century, Carmen is sure to wow young adults everywhere. Myers' version, set in New York's Spanish Harlem, the play tells the tale of Carmen, Escamillio and Jose's love triangle interspersed with actual songs from the opera, Carmen. I am familiar with the music from the opera, Carmen but never have seen a production on stage or read the story that accompanies the beautiful orchestration. The Spanish culture infused in this re-telling of a classic is captivating and relevant to the hardships that life in "el barrio" comes with.
An easy to read, high intensity drama with twists and turns and a passionate love story all make this play a must-read for any young adult! If one chooses to use this as a read-aloud in their classroom my suggestion would be to have the soundtrack for the original opera available for students as it is moving and makes the play come alive. The play offers many moral dilemma discussions each character must deal with and shows what it's like to live in poverty. The play teaches us that happiness and success come with hard work and there is no short cut. Young adults, especially females will identify with Carmen and understand her struggles in love and life. Not only will students enjoy reading this play but it would make a wonderful addition to an interdisciplinary lesson between Language Arts and Spanish classes!
An easy to read, high intensity drama with twists and turns and a passionate love story all make this play a must-read for any young adult! If one chooses to use this as a read-aloud in their classroom my suggestion would be to have the soundtrack for the original opera available for students as it is moving and makes the play come alive. The play offers many moral dilemma discussions each character must deal with and shows what it's like to live in poverty. The play teaches us that happiness and success come with hard work and there is no short cut. Young adults, especially females will identify with Carmen and understand her struggles in love and life. Not only will students enjoy reading this play but it would make a wonderful addition to an interdisciplinary lesson between Language Arts and Spanish classes!
June 8, 2013
Georges Bizet's 19th-century opera about a lusty gypsy who is killed by a disturbed lover receives bold new treatment in the hands of Printz Award winner Walter Dean Myers. The story is relocated from Seville to East Harlem, and the characters' occupations are updated: While Carmen still works in a factory, soldier José is now a cop, shy country girl Micaela an aspiring schoolteacher, and, most notably, flamboyant bullfighter Escamillo an equally flamboyant rapper-entrepreneur. Myers cleverly adapts the libretto almost scene by scene, switching in saucy street banter, current cultural references, and biting social commentary. He also takes honest inspiration from the score, proposing a sort of remix with raps in place of arias, and even commissioning a Latin arrangement of two famous pieces (available for download here). With these contemporary elements, the classic European drama about a breakup gone bad becomes readily accessible to American teenagers. The author's notes on the story and music make it even more so.
The faithfulness of this retelling is a double-edged sword: The script format and the melodramatic pacing may be off-putting to some readers. But the thing is, this book is meant for theater. And even when it is not being produced and performed, this quick read could surely prompt lively discussions about healthy romance, representations of class and ethnicity, and the many competing versions through the ages and across cultures.
The faithfulness of this retelling is a double-edged sword: The script format and the melodramatic pacing may be off-putting to some readers. But the thing is, this book is meant for theater. And even when it is not being produced and performed, this quick read could surely prompt lively discussions about healthy romance, representations of class and ethnicity, and the many competing versions through the ages and across cultures.
August 30, 2011
The always innovative Walter Dean Myers takes the classic opera Carmen and turns it into a play set in New York's Spanish Harlem. The setting and the language he chooses gives the story a hip, it-could-happen-to-me-or-some-people-I-know feel, and many teen readers are liable to relate to the attractive, self-confident Carmen who is looking for a way out of the world in which she lives. Sometimes love or falling in love can seem to provide an avenue for escape. In this case, though, Carmen rekindles a crush she had on Jose, an older neighbor who never gave her the time of day when she was younger. Jose is devoted to his mother, and has a hair-trigger temper, and as Carmen learns too late, there is something broken inside him that even love cannot heal. I loved the witty repartee among all the characters as well as the musical arrangements, which can be downloaded from the author's website. Readers are challenged to do a lot of reading between the lines in such a minimalist approach to a story, but because of the subject matter--something of a love triangle and the desire for upward mobility as well as the idea of fate sprinkled in--they'll be up to the task, and may even enjoy sampling the music. I only wish the book had been even longer because Myers captures the characters and their neighborhoods so vividly. Backmatter includes insightful author's notes on the story behind this Carmen and the story behind the music.
March 10, 2014
Carmen is a realistic fiction novel by Walter Dean Myers. Carmen was published on
April 26,2011 based on a true opera. I picked up this book because it was recommended to me by one of my summer school teachers. After that book I started to read 2 other books by the same author, and still plan on reading more. In the book, I was expecting Carmen and Jose to spend their life time together since she had feelings for him for quite a while.
The book is about a girl named Carmen who had a crush on a guy named Jose since she was 9. Couple,years later they meet up with each other in a "crime scene". Carmen was supposed to go to jail for attempted murder. But when Jose get lost in her flirtiness , he almost looses his job. As they get to know each other, Escamillo a Latino rapper comes into town and notices no one but Carmen. As Carmen starts to fall for the Latino rapper and loses interest in Jose.
I give this book 5 stars because I really liked it. I recommend this book to people who like drama and romantic novels.
April 26,2011 based on a true opera. I picked up this book because it was recommended to me by one of my summer school teachers. After that book I started to read 2 other books by the same author, and still plan on reading more. In the book, I was expecting Carmen and Jose to spend their life time together since she had feelings for him for quite a while.
The book is about a girl named Carmen who had a crush on a guy named Jose since she was 9. Couple,years later they meet up with each other in a "crime scene". Carmen was supposed to go to jail for attempted murder. But when Jose get lost in her flirtiness , he almost looses his job. As they get to know each other, Escamillo a Latino rapper comes into town and notices no one but Carmen. As Carmen starts to fall for the Latino rapper and loses interest in Jose.
I give this book 5 stars because I really liked it. I recommend this book to people who like drama and romantic novels.
December 3, 2011
Myers puts it into a screen play form (or a play form) there is even songs and music. It is a Spanish Harlem rendition of the opera "Carmen". The main characters are Latino - and there is a lot of attention paid to culture and dialect. There are themes of violence (fast decisions with sad consequences), unhealthy love relationships, and fate. It was a beautiful read and I felt I could really get into the characters, despite how sparse the descriptions were (most of it is dialogue - screen play style). It is A REALLY good idea, and I would want to see the play if it has become one. I think that the dialogue fills in for the descriptions because the reader has to imagine "what emotions, or thoughts must have gone through the characters' minds in order for them to respond in such a way or to do such a thing" and slowly the gaps are filled in. I think this is definitely a book to read twice - like a script.
April 27, 2012
This was a pretty amazing project by Walter Dean Myers, grand-daddy of all things YA Lit. He takes the opera "Carmen" and adapts it to an urban setting but still retains the main plot and essence of the opera. Yes, there are urban images/vocabulary. Personally, the fact that he can adapt George Bizet's 1875 opera to appeal to modern-day urban teens is a feat in itself. What I found even more impressive is that he includes some of the opera music (original)that would still be used in his production, a couple of mixed pieces, links to productions of the play (original and modern) and a history of the opera itself. The mixed pieces take Bizet's opera music with a beat to represent urban America. Because of my love of music, YA Lit and appreciation of urban culture, this project was fantastic. Myers is a master author and really created a very unique and innovative piece with his urban "Carmen".
July 27, 2011
I loved the concept of this book. The opera Carmen, set in contemporary times in "Spanish Harlem." But I just didn't really get into it. I wanted to. I wanted to love it. It may be that it's too high-concept for me, with music in the back, but I love the music from Bizet's Carmen, so I don't think that's it. I wonder if teens would make it through the book, unless they are reading it as play. It could make for a cool school assignment from the right teacher, but it fell flat for me. Maybe the play format didn't allow me to really get to know the characters? I don't know. I was underwhelmed.
December 31, 2011
I like that the author experiments with style in this book, writing a screenplay? script? for a drama based on an opera but moving the action to modern day Spanish Harlem. We were considering it for a Mock Coretta Scott King discussion but don't believe it meets the criteria as it doesn't illuminate an aspect of the African-American experience. Still, readers can check out annotated music and lyrics at the end of the book as well as downloads from www.walterdeanmyers.net - undoubtedly, this dialogue-driven text will find a place with reluctant readers, who may want to know more about the original story.
June 6, 2014
Carmen, "a chica who is as hot as the sizzling city streets". Meets José, she falls for him hard. He’s not gansta type she knows that tipo duros who are tough, who think they are players. But José is extreme irascible, no one is to mess with Carmen.
When Escamillo rolls into town, everyone takes notice of him especially Carmen. Hence Carmen has given up on José he’s not going to help her out her struggling neighborhood, and into the action like cool Escamillo will. But José refuses for that to happen.
If you would love to read about the passion, love, and betrayal that is endured into tragedy in this modern version of Romeo and Juliet read this Book!
When Escamillo rolls into town, everyone takes notice of him especially Carmen. Hence Carmen has given up on José he’s not going to help her out her struggling neighborhood, and into the action like cool Escamillo will. But José refuses for that to happen.
If you would love to read about the passion, love, and betrayal that is endured into tragedy in this modern version of Romeo and Juliet read this Book!
March 17, 2011
Carmen is one of my favorite operas, and if this book gets more students to go see it (and from there, perhaps to other operas) then great. The author has changed very little other than the setting and some of the language: the names all remain the same, and some of the more famous songs are here in modern translations ("The Toreador Song" isn't, which makes sense as the setting has moved to el barrio). Walter Dean Myers is such a beloved author that I'm certain readers will read (and enjoy) this update.
ARC provided by publisher.
ARC provided by publisher.
June 21, 2011
Myers took the opera/novella and hundreds of remakings (as he pointed out in the afterword)and reacreated an urban drama in screenplay format that makes it accessible for teens. I must say that I've only heard of the opera and didn't know anything about it but Myers conveyed the idea pretty quickly and easily. Carmen is a fireball with insecurities covered up by her striking beauty since she can so easily fall in love with a man so obviously wrong (and unstable) as Jose. I am interested in listening to the music he incorporates at the end to get a little Hispanic culture and ambience.
August 23, 2011
How fun was this book? It's set in Spanish Harlem in the present and Myers includes the lyrics for some of the songs within the text. I found the story very entertaining and felt like I was watching the opera. The sad part was that I didn't know what dances the characters were performing, I kept slipping back in time.
The notes about the story and the music by Myers is interesting, absolutely worth reading, using perhaps as a springboard to other music and stories which is something I've been considering all summer.
The notes about the story and the music by Myers is interesting, absolutely worth reading, using perhaps as a springboard to other music and stories which is something I've been considering all summer.
July 22, 2016
As a standalone book, this fails.
As a play, this fails.
As an adaptation of Carmen, this fails.
I'm honestly furious that this wasn't good. Literally the only positive thing I can say about this book is that while I was reading this I mentally cast Frasquita and Mercedes as the characters Maritza and Flaca from OITNB. If you're interested in updated ideas of Carmen, check out the movie U-Carmen, Carmen Jones, or the hip-hopera version. There's also a new afro-cuban musical version in DC right now that looks pretty interesting. Anything but this.
Writing this bummed me out.
As a play, this fails.
As an adaptation of Carmen, this fails.
I'm honestly furious that this wasn't good. Literally the only positive thing I can say about this book is that while I was reading this I mentally cast Frasquita and Mercedes as the characters Maritza and Flaca from OITNB. If you're interested in updated ideas of Carmen, check out the movie U-Carmen, Carmen Jones, or the hip-hopera version. There's also a new afro-cuban musical version in DC right now that looks pretty interesting. Anything but this.
Writing this bummed me out.
June 27, 2012
Walter Dean Myers tells you in a long author's note how much he loves the opera Carmen, and it shows. He worked with a young composer-arranger to create new versions of Bizet's classic work (which you can listen to on Myers' website), and he adapted the original book to this stage play format.
It works, and it's a quick read, but I wonder just how many kids will pick this up because of the opera link. Myers' many fans will be likely to try it out, though.
It works, and it's a quick read, but I wonder just how many kids will pick this up because of the opera link. Myers' many fans will be likely to try it out, though.
July 12, 2015
I wanted to like this. I typically like Walter Dean Myers books. But, I can't really say it made an impact. He certainly seems like he could have put a great spin on (and modernize)the opera that the book is based on. Maybe it was the format it was written in. Maybe it was the length of the book. Either way, it's a very quick read. I would still not recommend. It was really a 1.5 with half a star for the cover.
April 27, 2011
You know how you read a really excellent adaptation of a story and that becomes the standard by which you set all of the other adaptations? Then you may get really disappointed when other versions don’t quite live up to your expectations.
Read the rest of my review here
Read the rest of my review here
June 1, 2015
Reading this makes me forlorn Walter Dean Myers is no longer with us. I like what he did with the opera Carmen. It's a clever idea to take this soap opera of a story and make it modern so teens of today can relate. Reading a play is something I haven't done in a while & I love it. But I couldn't find the updated score on his website which bummed me out. I didn't check publisher's site.
May 24, 2011
Great cover and premise. I think you have to be familiar with the songs and the opera to appreciate this story. I'm not sure if teens will be interested without having seen the play or movie. Reading it felt a bit too much like a school assignment.
July 14, 2011
I usually love Walter Dean Myers, and I love the idea of this book, but I just couldn't get into it. I'm thinking it would be good as a read-aloud (and I wouldn't mind seeing it performed), but reading it was a bit of a struggle.
April 10, 2016
This turned me off from the beginning. I'm not sure why except I didn't feel connected to any of the characters. It is told in a play format which turned me off as well.
And I like Walter Dean Myers' other books I've read. Sigh...
And I like Walter Dean Myers' other books I've read. Sigh...
May 7, 2011
Starts slow, but then gets interesting about 20 pages in, and keeps you interested!
May 7, 2011
Think I would have enjoyed this book more if I had read the Carmen novella by Posper Merimee, seen the Georges Bizet opera, or seen one of the movies before reading this book.
May 26, 2011
I personally don't like to read plays. I vaguely remember the story of Carmen and I think kids who aren't into theater will have a tough time with this one.
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