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West Side Story
From the silver screen to the Great White Way—one of the greatest stories of all time.
They came together through love but violence threatened to tear them apart. Maria was young and innocent and had never known love—until Tony. And he, who had been seeking something beyond the savagery of the streets, discovered it with her.
But Maria’s brother was leader of the Sharks and Tony had once led the rival Jets. Now both gangs were claiming the same turf. Tony promised Maria that he would stay out of it. Would he be able to keep his word? Or would their newfound love be destroyed by sudden death?
They came together through love but violence threatened to tear them apart. Maria was young and innocent and had never known love—until Tony. And he, who had been seeking something beyond the savagery of the streets, discovered it with her.
But Maria’s brother was leader of the Sharks and Tony had once led the rival Jets. Now both gangs were claiming the same turf. Tony promised Maria that he would stay out of it. Would he be able to keep his word? Or would their newfound love be destroyed by sudden death?
160 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1961
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 311 reviews
January 30, 2022
There were people who loved, who ate, who lusted and promoted. There were people who died in peace, in pain and in violence. And there were people who looked up at the sky and ached with loneliness, as they appealed in silence to the stars and the moon. They hoped that someplace, somewhere, someone heard them, that their own little dreams would come true, that very soon they would meet someone they could trust, could love and be happy with.
Some of the wishes came true, but it made no difference to the city because it had been built to endure beyond the lifetime of all the people that inhabited it.
That is the way things were. And if things did not change, the way it would always be.
West Side Story is Irving Shulman's 1961 novelization of the popular Broadway musical of the same name. My attention was brought to it by Steven Spielberg's 2021 film adaptation, which I have not yet seen but have heard good things about. The story is a modern retelling of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, and takes place in the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City in the mid-1950s. The story centers around two street gangs, the Jets and Sharks, both of which appear to be comprised entirely of teenagers between 14-18 years old.
The Jets have run their particular group of streets in the West Side for years, but recently the Sharks, made up entirely of Puerto Rican immigrants to New York City, have moved in and are challenging them for their territory. Tony is the head of the Jets but has stepped away from the gang in the hopes of straightening out, getting a job, and living a clean life. He has been superceded as gang leader by Riff, who is eager to prove his leadership abilities. The rival Sharks are led by the hotheaded Bernardo, who has a sister, Maria, of whom he is overprotective.
Tony and Bernardo's sister Maria meet at a dance and fall in love. Neither wants anything to do with the respective gangs they are unwillingly associated with, but will that matter? Can their love overcome the bitter territorial and racial rivalry between the two gangs, and win out in the end? Or are the two gangs destined to destroy each other, with Tony and Maria's love a doomed casualty, caught in the crossfire?
West Side Story is a very difficult book for me to evaluate. I both loved it and really disliked it. I'll start with what I didn't like, the first thing being the love story; it's simply ridiculous, and is not in any way believable. Tony and Maria meet each other at the dance, and are quite literally instantly in love. That very evening, after the dance, they're talking about how they love each other, and the next day they're talking about getting married.
The next day. As in less than 24 hours after they met.
It was just so utterly ridiculous and unrealistic, to the point where that part of the story lost all credibility to me, and I just saw it as silly for the entire length of the book.
The other thing I really didn't like is that this book is incredibly offensive and derogatory, towards multiple different groups and minorities. It's heavily misogynistic towards women, but also insults gay people and Puerto Ricans, all within the opening five or ten pages. The discrimination is not mild, either, it's vicious, and to the point of dehumanization. It's not enough that the author uses numerous derogatory terms to describe Puerto Ricans, he also more broadly describes how their mass immigration to New York City is a terrible thing that no one in the city wants, and even descends to H.P. Lovecraft levels of dehumanizing racism by including numerous passages mentioning how they "smell".
In one such scene, two police officers are thinking of going back to a Puerto Rican-run grocery store that one of the Jets threw a stinkbomb into, to see if they can get a description of the kid that threw the stinkbomb from the shopkeeper. They ultimately decide not to, with one of the officers saying something like "I can't stand the smell", to which the other says something like "Of the stinkbomb or the shopkeeper?", to which the other replies "No comment."
Here is another example, from a different part of the book:
If anybody was going to live in the water it was going to be the Sharks. Damn [racial epithet]! They never took a bath, kept coal in the bathtub; so kicking them into the river would be doing them a favor.
The level of racism and misogyny inherent in this book was so heavy, particularly in the opening half of the book, that it took me completely out of the story at times, and made me want to DNF the book more than once. Another minor thing I didn't like is that this is a new printing of this book, and it even boasts on the back of the book that it has "a beautiful new cover", and yet this edition still contains numerous and obvious typographical errors. I found this ironic; you can pay someone to create a fancy new cover for it, but you can't fix the obvious errors in the content itself? Ha!
What did I like about the book? Besides the offensive parts, the book is incredibly well written. Shulman is clearly a gifted writer, and there are some beautiful passages in this book, like the one I included at the top of my review. The characters are also memorable and uniquely defined, and I found myself invested in them and their journeys.
There's also a shocking twist that the reader can somewhat see coming, as much of the book builds up to it, but it was one that was much more shocking than anything I could have imagined when it eventually came. I was left stunned, wondering how the story could possibly recover from it and reach any sort of conclusion. The narrative power of this event, and the fact that the story does recover and reach a satisfying conclusion are testaments to Shulman's gifts as a writer.
The book is also a very interesting reimagining of Romeo and Juliet, maintaining the essence of tragedy but resulting in a different ending. One could get philosophical and say the two works really have the same ending, in a way. In any event, it's a fascinating take on this classic Shakespeare play.
Ultimately, I won't recommend or not recommend West Side Story to anyone. I found it to be a highly offensive work, but also a well written and captivating tale sporting a deep cast of memorable characters. If you can get over the offensiveness, and you're a fan of theater or reimaginings of classic works of literature, you might enjoy this. If it's likely to offend you, but the story sounds like something you'd be interested in, maybe check out Romeo and Juliet instead.
3.5 stars
Some of the wishes came true, but it made no difference to the city because it had been built to endure beyond the lifetime of all the people that inhabited it.
That is the way things were. And if things did not change, the way it would always be.
West Side Story is Irving Shulman's 1961 novelization of the popular Broadway musical of the same name. My attention was brought to it by Steven Spielberg's 2021 film adaptation, which I have not yet seen but have heard good things about. The story is a modern retelling of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, and takes place in the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City in the mid-1950s. The story centers around two street gangs, the Jets and Sharks, both of which appear to be comprised entirely of teenagers between 14-18 years old.
The Jets have run their particular group of streets in the West Side for years, but recently the Sharks, made up entirely of Puerto Rican immigrants to New York City, have moved in and are challenging them for their territory. Tony is the head of the Jets but has stepped away from the gang in the hopes of straightening out, getting a job, and living a clean life. He has been superceded as gang leader by Riff, who is eager to prove his leadership abilities. The rival Sharks are led by the hotheaded Bernardo, who has a sister, Maria, of whom he is overprotective.
Tony and Bernardo's sister Maria meet at a dance and fall in love. Neither wants anything to do with the respective gangs they are unwillingly associated with, but will that matter? Can their love overcome the bitter territorial and racial rivalry between the two gangs, and win out in the end? Or are the two gangs destined to destroy each other, with Tony and Maria's love a doomed casualty, caught in the crossfire?
West Side Story is a very difficult book for me to evaluate. I both loved it and really disliked it. I'll start with what I didn't like, the first thing being the love story; it's simply ridiculous, and is not in any way believable. Tony and Maria meet each other at the dance, and are quite literally instantly in love. That very evening, after the dance, they're talking about how they love each other, and the next day they're talking about getting married.
The next day. As in less than 24 hours after they met.
It was just so utterly ridiculous and unrealistic, to the point where that part of the story lost all credibility to me, and I just saw it as silly for the entire length of the book.
The other thing I really didn't like is that this book is incredibly offensive and derogatory, towards multiple different groups and minorities. It's heavily misogynistic towards women, but also insults gay people and Puerto Ricans, all within the opening five or ten pages. The discrimination is not mild, either, it's vicious, and to the point of dehumanization. It's not enough that the author uses numerous derogatory terms to describe Puerto Ricans, he also more broadly describes how their mass immigration to New York City is a terrible thing that no one in the city wants, and even descends to H.P. Lovecraft levels of dehumanizing racism by including numerous passages mentioning how they "smell".
In one such scene, two police officers are thinking of going back to a Puerto Rican-run grocery store that one of the Jets threw a stinkbomb into, to see if they can get a description of the kid that threw the stinkbomb from the shopkeeper. They ultimately decide not to, with one of the officers saying something like "I can't stand the smell", to which the other says something like "Of the stinkbomb or the shopkeeper?", to which the other replies "No comment."
Here is another example, from a different part of the book:
If anybody was going to live in the water it was going to be the Sharks. Damn [racial epithet]! They never took a bath, kept coal in the bathtub; so kicking them into the river would be doing them a favor.
The level of racism and misogyny inherent in this book was so heavy, particularly in the opening half of the book, that it took me completely out of the story at times, and made me want to DNF the book more than once. Another minor thing I didn't like is that this is a new printing of this book, and it even boasts on the back of the book that it has "a beautiful new cover", and yet this edition still contains numerous and obvious typographical errors. I found this ironic; you can pay someone to create a fancy new cover for it, but you can't fix the obvious errors in the content itself? Ha!
What did I like about the book? Besides the offensive parts, the book is incredibly well written. Shulman is clearly a gifted writer, and there are some beautiful passages in this book, like the one I included at the top of my review. The characters are also memorable and uniquely defined, and I found myself invested in them and their journeys.
There's also a shocking twist that the reader can somewhat see coming, as much of the book builds up to it, but it was one that was much more shocking than anything I could have imagined when it eventually came. I was left stunned, wondering how the story could possibly recover from it and reach any sort of conclusion. The narrative power of this event, and the fact that the story does recover and reach a satisfying conclusion are testaments to Shulman's gifts as a writer.
The book is also a very interesting reimagining of Romeo and Juliet, maintaining the essence of tragedy but resulting in a different ending. One could get philosophical and say the two works really have the same ending, in a way. In any event, it's a fascinating take on this classic Shakespeare play.
Ultimately, I won't recommend or not recommend West Side Story to anyone. I found it to be a highly offensive work, but also a well written and captivating tale sporting a deep cast of memorable characters. If you can get over the offensiveness, and you're a fan of theater or reimaginings of classic works of literature, you might enjoy this. If it's likely to offend you, but the story sounds like something you'd be interested in, maybe check out Romeo and Juliet instead.
3.5 stars
August 4, 2020
A modern interpretation of Romeo and Juliet with some new aspects of modern society like gang culture and racism. Characters feel better composed in the novel than in the movie.
April 27, 2022
A novelization of the Broadway musical that is a re-telling of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliette.
Easy reading and fast paced, although it is hard for me to say if it is due to the writing or my exposure to the play repeatedly over the years.
Still an enjoyable read, I imagine if you have never seen the play.
Easy reading and fast paced, although it is hard for me to say if it is due to the writing or my exposure to the play repeatedly over the years.
Still an enjoyable read, I imagine if you have never seen the play.
March 11, 2016
Terrible novelization. TERRIBLE. I'm not even going to review it, it was so terrible - it doesn't deserve one yottasecond of my time and energy.
July 6, 2025
A short work, and disappointing.
Is this the same plot as the movie? The book seems nastier, maybe because there is less singing and dancing, and more standing around talking — and that means we spend more time with the characters and their thoughts and words. Yikes!
I re-watched the original movie not that long ago, and still I was surprised by the twists and turns of this "novelization" of the musical.
It's a rushed, incomplete work, unbelievable and overly-dramatic — perhaps what works on the stage is rendered false on the page.
Is this the same plot as the movie? The book seems nastier, maybe because there is less singing and dancing, and more standing around talking — and that means we spend more time with the characters and their thoughts and words. Yikes!
I re-watched the original movie not that long ago, and still I was surprised by the twists and turns of this "novelization" of the musical.
It's a rushed, incomplete work, unbelievable and overly-dramatic — perhaps what works on the stage is rendered false on the page.
November 23, 2011
I really enjoyed this book. It's easier to split up my review however, so I will.
Likes
I really, really liked the depth added to the characters. In the movie, all of the characters, even Tony and Maria, felt a little distant. However, in the novel, I could feel and relate to them. I loved knowing what was going through their heads, and seeing certain scenes through the eyes of the characters. I also liked reading it without the songs (don't get me wrong, I LOVE the songs). It made the story so much more realistic for me.
Dislikes
I didn't like the Jets. I hated them. I know there's hate on both sides, but honestly, I feel like they started. The Puerto Ricans didn't come hating anyone; the Jets started it. The fight scene between Bernardo (soooo attractive by the way) and Tony was with fists, until Riff, the leader of the Jets, decided to bring knives into the mix. In the movie, I felt more sad for both sides. However, in the novel, I turned more against the Jets. Like I stated above, the book gave a more emotional connection.
I also disliked how quickly the plot moved. I wish the author had turned the movie into a proper novel, not a short 200 page book. The spontaneous falling in love made a lot more sense in the movie, but made no sense in the novel. Everything just moved so fast.
The rest isn't really a criticism of the novel, but of the plot itself, which stems from the movie and the musical. The prose and the adaptation was excellent, hence the five stars. One thing that annoyed me about the plot was
All in all though, I loved the book, and I love the movie. Definitely recommended.
Likes
I really, really liked the depth added to the characters. In the movie, all of the characters, even Tony and Maria, felt a little distant. However, in the novel, I could feel and relate to them. I loved knowing what was going through their heads, and seeing certain scenes through the eyes of the characters. I also liked reading it without the songs (don't get me wrong, I LOVE the songs). It made the story so much more realistic for me.
Dislikes
I didn't like the Jets. I hated them. I know there's hate on both sides, but honestly, I feel like they started. The Puerto Ricans didn't come hating anyone; the Jets started it. The fight scene between Bernardo (soooo attractive by the way) and Tony was with fists, until Riff, the leader of the Jets, decided to bring knives into the mix. In the movie, I felt more sad for both sides. However, in the novel, I turned more against the Jets. Like I stated above, the book gave a more emotional connection.
I also disliked how quickly the plot moved. I wish the author had turned the movie into a proper novel, not a short 200 page book. The spontaneous falling in love made a lot more sense in the movie, but made no sense in the novel. Everything just moved so fast.
The rest isn't really a criticism of the novel, but of the plot itself, which stems from the movie and the musical. The prose and the adaptation was excellent, hence the five stars. One thing that annoyed me about the plot was
All in all though, I loved the book, and I love the movie. Definitely recommended.
January 23, 2022
Sem dúvida a versão moderna de Romeu e Julieta, em que as rivalidades entre famílias/gangs abordam temas tão actuais como o preconceito racial e a imigração.
April 6, 2022
hold my hand & we're halfway there ~ another broadway musical i wish i get to see live 😭😭😭 picked up its novelization by irving shulman recently and it brings back so many mmrs listening to the broadway soundtrack :')
shakespeare's romeo and juliet is transported to modern-day NYC as two young, idealistic lovers find themselves caught between warring street gangs, the "american" Jets and the puerto rican Sharks. it focuses on their struggle to survive in a world of hate, violence and prejudice.
i wished the book was longer tho bc its such a quick read and felt that it was quite rushed overall - rated it ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. but i guess its still a pretty good adaptation, based on the reviews from most who have actually seen the broadway.
decided to watch the film (2021) recently as well and i have to say that i actually enjoyed it a lot!!! probably much more than the book 😅 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5!!! prepare some tissues bc its definitely more emotional 😔😭
it sorta gives a taste of how the broadway musical would be like ((i can only imagine)) + i love the casts in the film, remake of the songs and the choreography is 💯!!!!! will definitely recommend watching the film if youre generally into musicals 💚 the 1961 film ver. is sucha vibe too.
shakespeare's romeo and juliet is transported to modern-day NYC as two young, idealistic lovers find themselves caught between warring street gangs, the "american" Jets and the puerto rican Sharks. it focuses on their struggle to survive in a world of hate, violence and prejudice.
i wished the book was longer tho bc its such a quick read and felt that it was quite rushed overall - rated it ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. but i guess its still a pretty good adaptation, based on the reviews from most who have actually seen the broadway.
decided to watch the film (2021) recently as well and i have to say that i actually enjoyed it a lot!!! probably much more than the book 😅 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5!!! prepare some tissues bc its definitely more emotional 😔😭
it sorta gives a taste of how the broadway musical would be like ((i can only imagine)) + i love the casts in the film, remake of the songs and the choreography is 💯!!!!! will definitely recommend watching the film if youre generally into musicals 💚 the 1961 film ver. is sucha vibe too.
June 2, 2017
West side story me recuerda a uno de mis libros favoritos, The outsiders, esas historias de bandas que miran más allá, hacia esos niños con alma y corazón, no solo el entorno corrompido en que viven. Y es doloroso tener que aceptar la casi inevitable consecuencia de su inocencia disfrazada de dureza.
Es una historia corta y sencilla, esta con un enfoque más bien romántico pero sin perder de vista la lealtad que caracteriza a los amigos, y se ahonda muy poco en los personajes, pero el autor pudo dar una buena muestra de lo que hay en la mente de cada chico y aunque no se les dedicó grandes párrafos, en los diálogos se nos aporta lo suficiente para conocer lo que se esconde detrás de los actos de cada persona aquí descrita. Es una prueba más de que no se necesitan demasiadas páginas para transmitir un mensaje tan conciso.
Es una historia corta y sencilla, esta con un enfoque más bien romántico pero sin perder de vista la lealtad que caracteriza a los amigos, y se ahonda muy poco en los personajes, pero el autor pudo dar una buena muestra de lo que hay en la mente de cada chico y aunque no se les dedicó grandes párrafos, en los diálogos se nos aporta lo suficiente para conocer lo que se esconde detrás de los actos de cada persona aquí descrita. Es una prueba más de que no se necesitan demasiadas páginas para transmitir un mensaje tan conciso.
March 3, 2022
The plot moves too quickly. I don’t believe the “love” between Maria and Tony. I watched the original movie long time ago and I liked that one. This novelization is a very quick read, but missing a lot in depth…
I want to watch the new adaptation, though.
I want to watch the new adaptation, though.
March 2, 2022
Unpopular opinion, but I loved it!!! A really easy book to give your mind a break, and fun and interesting to read.
April 6, 2024
Started off as a Rachel Zegler obsession, went down a rabbit hole
March 6, 2022
Recupero en esta sección uno de los clásicos de la Literatura que más se ha popularizado y que, además, este año será uno de los protagonistas en los premios Oscar a manos de Steven Spielberg. En este caso, se nos presenta como novela y no como más comúnmente es conocido: el musical. Narra la historia de dos bandas enfrentadas por motivos raciales: los jets y los sharks en un barrio de Nueva York. En medio de toda esta vorágine de odio, vandalismo y violencia, surgirá una historia de amor entre el antiguo jefe de la banda, Tony, y María, la hermana del jefe de la banda de los puertorriqueños. El cronotropo refleja los EEUU de la posguerra, donde la brecha racial y social estaba diluido en la atmósfera. Adaptando el arquetipo shackesperiano de Romeo y Julieta, el amor de estos dos atraviesa un final trágico y reflexivo en manos del narrador. Leer esta historia tan conocida y después de haber visto la película ha sido una experiencia agradable, sobre todo al no ser muy fanático del género del música. Me ha ayudado a reconciliarme con este pequeño universo ficcional.
June 23, 2022
Talvez era melhor ter ficado apenas com o musical. É um livro de romance que narra com detalhes tudo menos o romance. Cada dia mais certa que eu odeio instalove.
Não tenho paciência pra história de amor que se desenvolveu em 3 páginas e já é a coisa mais intensa do mundo, não consigo engolir.
Não tenho paciência pra história de amor que se desenvolveu em 3 páginas e já é a coisa mais intensa do mundo, não consigo engolir.
September 7, 2022
Me encanta💖
May 21, 2022
I might have given this a 5 had the love story between Maria and Tony been more credible.
Regardless, I appreciated the retro feel and the cleverness of the delivery of the "Romeo and Juliet" ending. This large print find at my library is one of the best books I've read this year.
Regardless, I appreciated the retro feel and the cleverness of the delivery of the "Romeo and Juliet" ending. This large print find at my library is one of the best books I've read this year.
December 28, 2021
was surprised with how much i liked it ! v nice
December 19, 2024
i honestly just thought it was okay. i see a lot of reviews rating based on its resemblance to romeo and juliet but i read it as a separate work so i can’t really judge from that perspective. although i did see a lot of parallels. there wasn’t much of an issue with the writing itself but i didn’t really care for or like tony and maria’s relationship. i cared more about the kids as a collective but their love story and stuff just didn’t really stand out to me. maybe it was the fact that i read this for school so i was overly analytical but i just thought their relationship was weird tbh. the only character i really liked was anita because i felt like she was realistic and i sympathized with her. all around it was okay and i see why people like it, it just wasn’t for me. i think i would’ve liked it more if i had only watched the movie
July 6, 2023
4.25/5
I enjoyed this a lot!! It captures the vibes of the musical perfectly. Although told in third person, it switches frequently between characters' points of view, showing us their thoughts and personalities. Since this is a novelization of the musical, it doesn't add anything, so I only recommend this if you enjoy the musical/movie.
I enjoyed this a lot!! It captures the vibes of the musical perfectly. Although told in third person, it switches frequently between characters' points of view, showing us their thoughts and personalities. Since this is a novelization of the musical, it doesn't add anything, so I only recommend this if you enjoy the musical/movie.
November 22, 2024
3.5 Stars… If you’ve never seen the play or the films, I would imagine this would be an easy and exciting read. If you have been exposed to this story before however, then it’s unlikely you will gain anything new from this. This novelization doesn’t take a single risk by altering or adding to the story in any way. It is simply the story without music. Also, the way Tony and Maria fall in love instantly is pure silliness, but I mostly give it a pass because it was similar in all previous versions and even Romeo and Juliet before it.
So the decision to avoid any risks is a big reason why the definitive version of this story is Spielberg’s 2021 version - it looked stunning with excellent direction and cinematography, told this story well with solid music. In fact, it seems the reputation of Spielberg’s version has already improved in the few years since its release, and many consider it among Spielberg’s best this century.
So the decision to avoid any risks is a big reason why the definitive version of this story is Spielberg’s 2021 version - it looked stunning with excellent direction and cinematography, told this story well with solid music. In fact, it seems the reputation of Spielberg’s version has already improved in the few years since its release, and many consider it among Spielberg’s best this century.
February 6, 2022
I had to read this for school but it was actually good! It was pretty sad though :(
May 18, 2022
“Kas hoiad must kinni?” küsis Maria
“Kogu oma elu hinnaga.” vandus Tony
Raamat on muusikali järgi kirjutatud seega ongi vbl raske seda ümberjutustada, aga see raamat oli suht halb. Tegevus ja koht ja aeg muutusid silmapilgutusega, raske oli arusaada kus? kes? ja mis?. Ausalt öeldes esimene raamat, mille puhul puhta südamega võin väita, et film/muusikal on parem.
“Kogu oma elu hinnaga.” vandus Tony
Raamat on muusikali järgi kirjutatud seega ongi vbl raske seda ümberjutustada, aga see raamat oli suht halb. Tegevus ja koht ja aeg muutusid silmapilgutusega, raske oli arusaada kus? kes? ja mis?. Ausalt öeldes esimene raamat, mille puhul puhta südamega võin väita, et film/muusikal on parem.
April 19, 2009
"West Side Story" has been a play that I have been wanting to read for quite a long time. I have seen the movie of this play numerous times and an extremely anxious to see the new revival on broadway. Whenever I see a movie or stage production of a play, I am always interested to read the actual book to have a different perspective on the characters and overall plot. "West Side Story" is a tragic love story set in New York City in the mid-1950's on the west side of the city. This area is full of gangs and this story features the clash between two gangs, the Sharks and the Jets. The two lovers are Tony and Maria, Tony being an ex-member of the Jets and Maria being the sister of the leader of the Sharks, Bernardo. Tony and Maria see each other at dance where both gangs happen to be at and their eyes meet and an instantaneous love connection is made. They must keep their love a secret because of their rival gangs but unfortunately, their love suddenly ends in a grim and somber way. This play is almost like a more modern adaptation of Romeo and Juliet and therefore, there are many parallels. The themes of love, secrecy, violence and tragedy are very apparent in this story and shine through the dialogue and words of music. While reading this play, I really enjoyed seeing each line of dialogue and how the music was incorporated by the book's author and the creator of the music and lyrics. Also, in the past when watching the movie, I viewed each gang as a whole and after reading the lines of each member of each gang, I found a new appreciation for the individual characters in the Sharks and in the Jets. In addition, I liked how the connection between Tony and Maria deepened from page to page and the mixing of the two ethnicities: the Caucasian Jets and the Spanish Sharks. I would recommend this play to anyone who has seen the movie or stage production of "West Side Story" or for anyone who wants to read a tragic love story.
November 25, 2022
West Side Story actually surprised me. I would have never picked up this script of the play/movie if it wasn't required reading for my 8th grade English class. I saw the movie with my mom a long time ago, and didn't really remember much from it. However, now that I'm 14, I'm shocked I enjoyed this.
Romeo and Juliet (obviously by William Shakespeare) was also required reading and we had to write a 6 paragraph essay on how these books are similar, and where the lines defer (which was not a fun time, thanks for asking). I HATE Romeo and Juliet, and I had a firm feeling I was going to hate this too.
It was quite cheesy, and a lot of gaping plot holes appeared and yeah I kinda hate Tony. He's controlling and really naive, but WSS also had some saving aspects too.
The morals of the story are quite great. A movie from the 60s like this was quite modern. Incorporating how racism affected the lives of people in the 60s, especially poor people was a great lesson. Treat people how you want to be treated. And of course, don't fall in love with a stranger who you've known for 2 days.
We have dissected this enough in class to last me a lifetime so I'm gonna stop. But overall, enjoyed this. The movie was also very enjoyable (although cheesy) and definitely something I'd rewatch again.
* * *
RTC
Romeo and Juliet (obviously by William Shakespeare) was also required reading and we had to write a 6 paragraph essay on how these books are similar, and where the lines defer (which was not a fun time, thanks for asking). I HATE Romeo and Juliet, and I had a firm feeling I was going to hate this too.
It was quite cheesy, and a lot of gaping plot holes appeared and yeah I kinda hate Tony. He's controlling and really naive, but WSS also had some saving aspects too.
The morals of the story are quite great. A movie from the 60s like this was quite modern. Incorporating how racism affected the lives of people in the 60s, especially poor people was a great lesson. Treat people how you want to be treated. And of course, don't fall in love with a stranger who you've known for 2 days.
We have dissected this enough in class to last me a lifetime so I'm gonna stop. But overall, enjoyed this. The movie was also very enjoyable (although cheesy) and definitely something I'd rewatch again.
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April 8, 2010This book is wonderful ! So basicly this book is about a group of people from Puerto Rico who Immagrate to America. They move to this crazy part America. The American's do not want the Puerto Ricans in Their town. So they both Hatee eachother and both created groups called: Jets(Americans) And Sharks(Puerto Ricans). The main idea Is that thee 2 leader of the jets named Tony Falls in love with this young girl from the sharks named Maria. Can they stick out with their love, Like Romeo And JUliet, Or will it Just fade away?
I rate This book 5 starss because I can acutally Relate to the characters in the book. You can feel how the characters are feeling when they are mad, Sad, Or unhappy.
I racomend this book to people who LOVE romance ! This book is full of romance scenes where Tony and maria fight for their love !
I rate This book 5 starss because I can acutally Relate to the characters in the book. You can feel how the characters are feeling when they are mad, Sad, Or unhappy.
I racomend this book to people who LOVE romance ! This book is full of romance scenes where Tony and maria fight for their love !
December 1, 2013
The greatest American musical. Doesn't hurt that the story is ripped off from Shakespeare but hey, that' guy's dead, what does he care? Kind of silly to read it when you can watch the movie though. Best thing about the movie: the dancing. Worst thing: Natalie what'shernames ridiculous accent. Seriously she sounds like she's from Transylvania and has the worst spray tan you've ever seen. She'd be pretty otherwise, but then I found out she didn't even do the singing! So dumb. Rita Morena is amazing and it's no accident she's the only person to ever win a Tony, an Emmy, an Oscar and a Grammy. If Hollywood wasn't so racist she'd have been in a lot more movies, that's for sure. She didn't need a spray tan!
August 4, 2023
I also read this in school, and I did not like it at all. I found it incredibly cheesy and annoying.
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