Amazon.com: West Side Story: Irving Shulman: Books

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16 Reviews

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

Average Customer Review

4.1 out of 5 stars (16 customer reviews)

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13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The urban equivalent of Romeo and Juliet, August 13, 2000

By

CoffeeGurl - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER) (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)

This review is from: West Side Story (Mass Market Paperback)

West Side Story has always been one of my favorite musicals. The tragic love story of Tony and Maria touches me in many ways. I, too, have had a forbidden romance, which is why I marvel at the earnestness of the story. Set in New York City, it introduces two groups.

The Jets: an American gang.

The Sharks: a Puerto Rican gang.

The gangs attend a community dance in which they plan a fight. Things take an interesting twist when Tony -- the former leader of the Jets -- falls for Maria, Bernardo's sister. Bernardo happens to be the leader of the Sharks, and he doesn't want his sister involved with his rival.

This is, without a doubt, the urban equivalent of Romeo and Juliet. The stories are very similar, but West Side Story has an irresistible urban appeal, an appeal that has captured audiences and readers for many decades. I am so glad I have read the novelization of this popular musical. If you're in the mood for a timeless love story, read West Side Story. Satisfaction is guaranteed!

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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It will blow your mind!, June 4, 2002

By

Cassie (Marlborough) - See all my reviews

This review is from: West Side Story (Mass Market Paperback)

West Side Story by Irving Shulman is an excellent book about two rival street gangs in New York City. The Jets are the white gang; the Sharks are the Puerto Ricans. Barnardo, the leader of the Sharks, has a younger sister named Maria. Problems arise when Maria falls in love with Tony, a member of the Jets. I've seen the movie and read the book. I love them both.

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9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars West Side Story, April 21, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: West Side Story (Mass Market Paperback)

This is an excellent bok that you will never want to stop reading! It is about two gangs, the Sharks and the Jets. The Jets are Americans and the Sharks are Puerto Ricans. This novel takes place in New York City. Both of the gangs attend a commuity dance to plan a fight, and Tony, an American that used to lead the Jets, falls in love with Maria, a Puerto Rican. Maria's brother is Bernardo, who is the head of the Sharks and despises Tony. How will they solve this? This book is basically a modern version of Romeo and Juliet with changes in characters, and it is definitely something that you should read!

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
The book follows the events of the movie but has a lot more detail and it's a little longer. It's very well written and I'd recommend it to anyone who loves West Side Story like... Read more

Published 8 months ago by lcelinaoc

1.0 out of 5 stars West Side Story
This book sucked really bad.They used some bad words out through the whole book and SPOILER ALERT... Read more

Published on May 4, 2009 by Zuri Artsy

3.0 out of 5 stars A great story, but just cant match up to the musical
West Side Story is a classic musical. The dancing, the singing, the acting; everything is flawless. Read more

Published on January 11, 2009 by Hannah Montana

1.0 out of 5 stars This novel disregards the play in every way.
When I first saw that they had made a novelization of West Side Story, I was thrilled. West Side Story is my all-time favorite musical, and possibly my favorite movie. Read more

Published on January 9, 2007 by IrishEyes2490

4.0 out of 5 stars Jason's Review
I really liked West Side Story because I love books about gangs. Also most books you can tell what's going to happen in the end but this book was a huge surprise for me. Read more

Published on January 10, 2006

5.0 out of 5 stars I give it 5 stars
Personally I think that this is proboly the best book I have ever read. This Story tells a tale based on a modern day Romeo and Juliet. Read more

Published on May 20, 2003 by Luke Strain

5.0 out of 5 stars I ain't believin' this is still in print!!!
One big difference between a novel that is made into a movie and a novelization of an existing movie is that you can take the thing to work enjoy during lunch. Read more

Published on April 6, 2002 by R. L. MILLER

3.0 out of 5 stars Pretty Good...
West Side Story is a nice novel. Sometime's I got into it but then there were some boring parts. It was a play before it was novelized, that's kinda cool, I guess. Read more

Published on May 15, 2001 by Atif Ali

4.0 out of 5 stars West Side Story
West Side Story began as a Broadway play and is recognized asone of the most creative musicals in the twentieth century. Read more

Published on January 4, 2001 by Carmen Ward

5.0 out of 5 stars I have never read this book.
I am sure it is a good book. I will be in this play July 29th tothe 31st at bayonne high school. I play the role of Big Deal while my brother plays Gladhand and Doc. Read more

Published on July 27, 1999

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Inside This Book (learn more)
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First Sentence:
Riff Lorton looked at the wristwatch he had rolled off a drunk the week before, saw it was about nine o'clock, and groaned because most of the night was still ahead. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
prowl car, stink bomb

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Puerto Rico, Baby John, Puerto Rican, Tony Wyzek, Big Deal, West Side, Coffee Pot, Detective Schrank, Glad Hand, New York, Maria Nunez, Murray Benowitz, Black Orchid

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