Carmen

Prosper Mérimée's *Carmen*, a novella first published serially in 1845, has achieved 112,176 downloads, making it a highly popular classic. Despite being the shortest text in this top ten list and the only novella, its enduring appeal is largely due to its adaptation into Georges Bizet's globally renowned 1875 opera of the same name. The story, inspired by an 1830 murder case in Spain, delves into the tragic obsession of Don José with the free-spirited Romani woman, Carmen. Mérimée's original novella, known for its lean and colder narrative compared to the opera, offers a compelling exploration of passion and fate, capturing the 19th-century European fascination with exotic locales and cultures. Its lasting circulation, more than a century after its initial publication, attests to its powerful narrative and iconic characters.