Carmen and Other Stories

Everyone knows the basic story of 'Carmen', mostly from Bizet's opera, though probably not many non-opera lovers have actually seen the opera or read the story upon which it is based. This collection of Merimee stories is united by a common theme: the passionate and violent ethics of those peoples on the fringes of civilized Europe, i.e. the Gypsies, Basques, Corsicans, African slave traders, Lithuanians. One could say that Merimee's portrayal of these groups are cliches, but that is only after so many other writers used his portrayals as models. Some of the stories could have been shorter: Colomba for example, but overall they were worth reading. A couple of the stories have a tinge of the supernatural to them. They are eerie, weirdly show more sexual, fairy tales for adults. My favorite of these stories is the last one in the book called "Lokis," -- not because it is the best story, but because the confusing cultural and linguistic mixture reminded me of my own fascination with that part of the world. The narrator is a linguistics professor who is translating the Bible into low-Lithuanian and visits an estate where a rare book on low-Lithuanian language is found. Due to Lithuania's geography and history, elements from both Russian and Polish folklore and language are mixed into the story. The narrator tells of his stay at the estate of a young Count who is seemingly both in love and disdainful of a neighboring young noblewoman, his strange behavior and his tragic, family background. As the story comes to its mysterious conclusion, the tension between the folklorish elements and the telling of it by an academic gave me a weirdly satisfying feeling that despite its unresolved ending, it could not have ended any other way. show less

I'm not an automatic fan of the short story form, but I have to say I really enjoyed these. There was something about the passionate tales combined with the slightly cool French style that I found very satisfying. And if you read "Carmen" and listen to the 1915 recording of the opera that was recently released, it will make you re-think this particular warhorse.

Brilliant short stories cobbled together by the author from research and travelers' tales. Most explore the 19th century duality of civilization vs. primitivism. The later ones delve a bit into the fantastic as they retell ethnic tales of transformation.

A likable woman who doesn't know she is a fallen one. Selfish, yet determined, Carmen attracts men like nectar attracts bees. And she knows the power she wields. A good read.

all of these stories are slightly disturbing...but in a good way