Carmen

Carmen is the most famous novella of French author Prosper Merimee - it formed the basis of the composer Bizet's acclaimed opera of the same name.

The titular Carmen is a Romani woman of astounding beauty, attracting many would-be suitors and romantic partners with both her physical charms and intense knowledge of fortune telling. The fast-paced and high-blooded drama combines lustful romance with tragedy, whereby jealousy and anger combine to form three episodes fitfully cascading with tension. 

The final part of the book is a non-fictional account of the Romani people, with whom Merimee held a fascination. It was through study of the customs and practices of the Romani that he wrote this book, which itself became a scholarly source as well as the inspiration for Bizet's world famous operatic composition.