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The Phantom of the Opera
by Gaston Leroux - Even those who have never attended the Broadway show or seen an entire movie version have a general idea of how the story goes. I had never read the book, so I thought the latter part of October - and the October #collaboreads challenge - would be a good time to get it done. The novel is written as if a collection of eyewitness accounts and research by a crime historian. In fact, author Leroux was a French journalist and author of crime fiction before writing The Phantom of the Opera; and was even involved in an investigation and coverage of an opera house in Paris that later became a ballet house. The basement of that opera house had a cell that once held prisoners in the Paris Commune during the Franco-Prussian War.
The story features a young Swedish singer, Christine Daae. When her musician father died, he had promised her a protective Angel of Music to guide her, and from that time she lived in the Paris Opera House. Eventually she began hearing a voice which taught her to sing beautifully, and which she assumed to be the promised Angel. Later her childhood friend Raoul sees her on the opera stage, and they renew their friendship. The voice, which belongs to the deformed, murderous 'ghost' (Erik) of the opera house, grows extremely jealous. Erik's anger and violence escalates, until Christine disappears, and her fiance Raoul must partner with a mysterious Persian from Erik's past in an attempt to save her and the entire opera from the disaster planned by the 'opera ghost'.
by Gaston Leroux - Even those who have never attended the Broadway show or seen an entire movie version have a general idea of how the story goes. I had never read the book, so I thought the latter part of October - and the October #collaboreads challenge - would be a good time to get it done. The novel is written as if a collection of eyewitness accounts and research by a crime historian. In fact, author Leroux was a French journalist and author of crime fiction before writing The Phantom of the Opera; and was even involved in an investigation and coverage of an opera house in Paris that later became a ballet house. The basement of that opera house had a cell that once held prisoners in the Paris Commune during the Franco-Prussian War.The story features a young Swedish singer, Christine Daae. When her musician father died, he had promised her a protective Angel of Music to guide her, and from that time she lived in the Paris Opera House. Eventually she began hearing a voice which taught her to sing beautifully, and which she assumed to be the promised Angel. Later her childhood friend Raoul sees her on the opera stage, and they renew their friendship. The voice, which belongs to the deformed, murderous 'ghost' (Erik) of the opera house, grows extremely jealous. Erik's anger and violence escalates, until Christine disappears, and her fiance Raoul must partner with a mysterious Persian from Erik's past in an attempt to save her and the entire opera from the disaster planned by the 'opera ghost'.
Riveting. {What part of the book could you NOT get enough of?} I loved some of the dry humor, especially near the beginning. I would have liked to know more about the Persian. He seemed like a character deserving of his own novel.
Elements. {How did you relate to/care for the characters?} It actually surprised me how much I liked and cared about Christine and Raoul. Although under the threatening influence of Erik, Christine showed strength and courage. Once Raoul was convinced that Christine was not playing him false, he was admirably single-minded in his determination to protect her. And the Persian - he was fascinating, and I would have liked to know more about him and his background.
Associate. {What other books are like this one? Does it remind you of a TV show or movie with its themes and characters? Did it serendipitously line up with things going on in your life or in the news right now?} Of course I pictured the characters, especially Erik, as they were portrayed on stage and in film, in particular the Andrew Lloyd Weber musical.
Design. {You know you judged this book by the cover. What did you think of it? How did it relate to the contents of the novel?} I happened to read the generic cover version for Kindle, but again, I was usually picturing the cover based on the musical. This one. And I love this cover, although the mask shown in this cover tends to make Erik look more like a tragic hero character deserving of sympathy; whereas in my opinion the novel portrayed him as a much darker and a very evil character.
Stars. {How many out of five do you give this book? Would you recommend this book to a friend?} I'd give it four out of five stars. It's a classic example of Gothic horror, with fantastical suspense.
This review is linked at Rachel A. Dawson for #collaboreads (October's theme was Thriller or Horror published before 2010.)
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