Book Review: “Virtuosity”

By Jessica Martinez
Simon Pulse, 2011

Reviewed by Monika Velkova, 19
Bulgaria

Virtuosity tells the story of a girl with dreams, desires, and hopes. To many of us, this will sound familiar, and Jessica Martinez's book is about that exact desire to succeed that so many of us share. Carmen is 17 years old and a talented violinist. She is so talented, in fact, that she has already won a Grammy award, and now she has a new goal—to win the prestigious Guarneri competition. Carmen’s mother, Diana, was an opera singer until she had to have surgery on her throat, and sometimes, she doesn’t act like the parent Carmen needs.
Carmen’s entire life is about music, about winning, about being the best and then he comes into the picture: Jeremy. Another contestant in the competition, Jeremy is arrogant, ambitious, and attractive. He wants to win the award too, and has what it takes. As the Guarneri competition gets closer, Carmen’s life is heading in the wrong direction. Carmen has a secret: she's been taking drugs to help herself on stage, but it’s become an addiction. Eventually, she grows tired of doing what she is told; she wants to make decisions on her own.
Virtuosity is a book that touches on many aspects of a girl's life: the ambition for success, the things that have to be done to stay on the top, family struggles, and love.  A girl’s life is not easy, and thanks to Jessica Martinez, we can all see that. I like the way the book is written–in a great, easy-to-relate style. I highly recommend it to all girls who ask themselves “Why me?”

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