Helpful Score: 2
I think pretty much everyone knows this story. I'll just say that if all you know of it is from either seeing the show on Broadway or from watching the movie, there is a LOT more to it. Great book, but you're in for a surprise if not prepared for lots of changes.
Helpful Score: 2
I love the musical but had never read this book before. So I downloaded it to my Kindle for free. The formatting was okay on the Kindle version but all of the color plates were missing with an insert stating (color plate here). Overall the story itself was wonderful and really added to my understanding of the musical.
I think just about everyone should be familiar with this story. It is the story of an Opera Ghost who is mentoring Christine Daae to become a great opera singer. Of course when the Opera Ghost's wishes are not met by the new managers who run the opera house a series of disasters befall the opera company. Christine becomes increasingly entangled with the Opera Ghost and her childhood sweetheart, Raoul, tries his best to save her.
The book starts out a bit slow. It is told from the point of view of an investigator who is trying to piece together the whole story behind the Phantom of the Opera. Things really pick up as the Opera Ghost starts to torment people and Christine and Raoul start their false engagement.
My favorite part was the last third of the book when Raoul and the Persian are trying to navigate the area beneath the theater.
This book fills out some major parts of the story that you don't get in the musical. There is a lot more background on Raoul and Christine's childhood. More time is spent explaining the past of the Opera Ghost, Eric, and what made him the way he is. At the very end the investigator details how all of the ghostly things that happened in the story were done. Also the scenes under the opera house are much more vicious, involving a incredibly unique torture chamber, threats to flatten a few blocks of Paris, and more.
I was surprised at how engaging the writing style was. This was not a tough book to read at all, it was incredibly engaging and easy to read. There is a sly sense of humor in parts of the book and I found myself laughing out loud a couple times. I really enjoyed it.
My only complaint (and my husband's complaint) is that I kept humming parts of the musical as I read the book! If you are a fan of The Phantom and the Opera musical definitely check out this book; it makes parts of the musical make a lot more sense. It is much more interesting and creative and engaging than the musical too! The first third of the book is kind of slow but if you can make it though that, the rest of the book is definitely worth it!
I think just about everyone should be familiar with this story. It is the story of an Opera Ghost who is mentoring Christine Daae to become a great opera singer. Of course when the Opera Ghost's wishes are not met by the new managers who run the opera house a series of disasters befall the opera company. Christine becomes increasingly entangled with the Opera Ghost and her childhood sweetheart, Raoul, tries his best to save her.
The book starts out a bit slow. It is told from the point of view of an investigator who is trying to piece together the whole story behind the Phantom of the Opera. Things really pick up as the Opera Ghost starts to torment people and Christine and Raoul start their false engagement.
My favorite part was the last third of the book when Raoul and the Persian are trying to navigate the area beneath the theater.
This book fills out some major parts of the story that you don't get in the musical. There is a lot more background on Raoul and Christine's childhood. More time is spent explaining the past of the Opera Ghost, Eric, and what made him the way he is. At the very end the investigator details how all of the ghostly things that happened in the story were done. Also the scenes under the opera house are much more vicious, involving a incredibly unique torture chamber, threats to flatten a few blocks of Paris, and more.
I was surprised at how engaging the writing style was. This was not a tough book to read at all, it was incredibly engaging and easy to read. There is a sly sense of humor in parts of the book and I found myself laughing out loud a couple times. I really enjoyed it.
My only complaint (and my husband's complaint) is that I kept humming parts of the musical as I read the book! If you are a fan of The Phantom and the Opera musical definitely check out this book; it makes parts of the musical make a lot more sense. It is much more interesting and creative and engaging than the musical too! The first third of the book is kind of slow but if you can make it though that, the rest of the book is definitely worth it!
Helpful Score: 2
Completely different from what you expect from the movies and plays, but really good story.
Helpful Score: 1
I loved this book it was so much better than the movie.
Helpful Score: 1
I really liked how the story was written - as Mr. Leroux reporting the facts with interviews with the people who actually lived the events. I thought the tale of the Opera Ghost was most interesting and I'm still deciding whether I am terrified or pity the ghost.
Helpful Score: 1
Loved it!!
Helpful Score: 1
Webber took the premise of Phantom and made a beautiful musical but there is much more to the story and it's quite different. If you love the musical, the book is a must read.
Helpful Score: 1
One of the best books I've evr read! It was romantic, suspenseful and well written. The things that Erik did were so magnificent that it's sad that if he looked like a normal human being he would have been a modern genius. I only wish I could of heard Erik's masterpeice before it was destroyed.
Helpful Score: 1
So awsome!!! :)
Barnes & Noble black-background, gold-lettered hardcover edition. Very classy dustjacket with a small picture of a gargoyle on front, with gold bordering. Beautiful on the bookshelf! Excellent book, well-written, mysterious, definitely deserves to be a classic.
Translated from the French version, the author tells how he became convinced that the opera ghost really existed.
The original novel that inspired the Broadway musical.
I am huge fan of the musical, which is the reason I read this book. It really made me appreciate the show even more, because it let me see how well the story translated into a a musical production, and gave me insight as to how and why the composer and directors chose which parts of the story to tell in song form, which parts to change, and how to represent the characters. For instance, one of my favorite scenes in the musical is the first appearance of the phantom behind Christine's mirror, when he seduces her into following him. Reading this scene in the book, I very much enjoyed Leroux's descriptions of the phantom's overpowering and astoundingly beautiful voice, which compels Christine to obey him. It really makes you appreciate how the actors have to transmit this idea of a voice so mysterious and alluring to the audience.
Even if you aren't reading it for a better appreciation of the musical, it's still a great story. I found the descriptions of the backstage of the opera house very interesting, and the characters are well-developed. It's even better if you're willing to put effort into analyzing it; if you read into it enough, you really do get a glimpse of the dark recesses of Erik's obsessions.
Even if you aren't reading it for a better appreciation of the musical, it's still a great story. I found the descriptions of the backstage of the opera house very interesting, and the characters are well-developed. It's even better if you're willing to put effort into analyzing it; if you read into it enough, you really do get a glimpse of the dark recesses of Erik's obsessions.
This book was much better than the musical. The plot is different than both the musical and the movie, but it was very enjoyable and an easy read.
Very Very good. I read this in 8th grade, and I still remember it being a good book.
The beautiful story behind the Phantom of the Opera. If you are a Phantom fan this is a book well worth reading.
This was a great book! I really enjoyed it! I had a few questions from the musical/movie, so I read the book and they were answered!
I can definaely relate to the humming the tunes from the movie. I watched the movie a couple of weeks ago and I still have the songs stuck in my head.....
I can definaely relate to the humming the tunes from the movie. I watched the movie a couple of weeks ago and I still have the songs stuck in my head.....
