Who in the World is Carmen Sandiego by Rebecca Tinker
You have no idea how excited I was when I heard that they were creating a Netflix series starring the most famous fictional art thief. In the 1990s, I was only about to learn geography by playing this game due to my ADHD. Right! So, I tend to focus and learn things a lot easier when I’m hands-on and turning it into a game. Even still, I got the privilege of reading this Audible Original that came out around the same time as the series.
This Audible Original served as an origin story for the titular character. First time for it all, too. See, when I was younger, games and tv shows revolving around the thief didn’t have to create a backstory because, frankly, we didn’t care. I mean…why create a backstory for a game show when it’s the main focus on testing the kids on their geography knowledge? Exactly, it makes no sense. But now…its time for an origin story and, boy, they didn’t disappoint.
As the beginning goes, Carmen was without a real name or any form of identity. Just a nickname and a desire to be apart of V.I.L.E. and all of its glory. But, of course, she’s a lot more than what she bargained for, especially after making many friends and enemies. Strike that! Let me rephrase that: One real friend and a host of enemies. Well? A host of friends turned enemies after the truth has been revealed to her. And how was the truth revealed?
Ever heard the saying “Ignorance is bliss”? Yeah, if Carmen was so nosy and headstrong, she wouldn’t have found out what V.I.L.E. was truly about and witness her thief friends kill someone in cold blood. Safe to say that they are no longer friends. Good call, really. But bad for being the most wanted traitor among people of the same training as you. Still, the story explained a lot about Carmen’s personality, demeanor, and outlook in the Netflix series.
I don’t want to give out too much information as it does tie into series. This Audible Original gets an A+ for originality, storytelling, and character development.
