I'm a big Phantom fan, but this book just didn't work for me.

Sorry for the delayed review. I have been working this year to catch up on my netgalley backlog. I appreciate the opportunity to read this story.

In this Phantom of the Opera retelling, you'll see Christine in a way you've never seen her before. She has a tough decision to make. She can either be a star of the Paris opera, as her Papa always wanted, or she can pursue her dream of becoming a master of illusion. To achieve her dream, she must, first, survive a world of treachery and murder, manage to steal the secrets of the enigmatic master who haunts her, and embrace love. If she succeeds, she will have risked her life in the grandest illusion of them all.

Phantom of the Opera has always been my favorite musical so I was excited about immersing myself in Heather Webb's retelling, to lose myself in the intrigue and glamour of the Paris opera. Webb has taken this much loved story and truly made it her own, filling it with romance and mystery, music and magic. She incorporates historical details into her suspenseful tale as she truly lets you live the story alongside her characters. This is truly a must read book.

DNF this book. Didn't work for me. Tried a number of times as Phantom is one of my favorite stories. Perhaps that's why?

I started reading this one but didn't hold my interest. I though the concept was good but I wish I could have connected with the characters more.

My apologies for not reviewing this book. I was unable to download it before the archive date. I would in the future really like to read it

Christine is thrilled when she's hired as an opera singer in Paris, but yet, she secretly longs to be a magician, an untoward profession for a female in the late 1870s. Additionally, the phantom of the opera, aka the Angel of Music, longs to claim her as his own, but what about the feelings she has for her childhood crush, Raoul? Can she have it all? Love and a career? Or, will the phantom control her forever?

"Didn't everyone hide behind a mask at one time or another?"

I found this altered version of The Phantom of the Opera to be dreamy, hazy, and enchanting just like the movie version. I enjoyed revisiting the characters from Christine's uniquely new perspective and watching her evolve from a sad girl mourning the loss of her parents into a strong, independent woman intent on seizing the day and following her dreams. I would definitely recommend this mystical and slightly gothic read for fans of the Phantom and/or historical fiction.

Location: 1877 Paris, France and 1891 NYC

I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Ever since I seen Phantom of the Opera on Broadway as a six grade trip decades ago my love of the story and musicals started. Surprisingly enough after all these years seeing the musicals and movies way too many times to count and I'd never even picked up the book! (Yea I know shame on me) For one it wasn't until early last year I got into reading classics and I was a bit worried that it would change my view on the story because of what it was based off of or how disappointing would it be if I didn't end up liking the book? I ended up listening to the audio book and I loved it! After that I went on a Phantom of the Opera kick getting hold of whatever retelling I could get my hands on. By then one after the other I read at least 3 or 4 retelling and this one was the last to get hold of and I burnt myself out by then and didn't end up picking this book up.

After reading this book I want to kick myself for doing that marathon because it sort of forced me into not being into reading this book. I just managed to notice this book and based off the description was curious what was in store for this book.

I can absolutely say that I loved this book! I loved the characters and what the author did in making them truly unique. This book could've easily fallen into being over played and this book was unique in almost every way. There are clear differences where the author drawn similarities stuck to the basic story line but I'm amazed how this book truly turned out. This book was magical in every way and stunning. That goes to say I loved it!.

I'm sorry to say that this is a book that failed to live up0 to my expectations. I was really looking forward to reading this book since Phantom of the Opera is a favorite book of mine. But, the changes, most noticeable to the characters didn't work for me. However, I did I find the book to be easy to read as the writing is good. I just didn't care for the story. I'm just not that thrilled to read books that change the characters so much from the original ones that you don't recognize them anymore.

The environment this book created was really haunting, I will say that, but other than that, at most of the times, this book felt like a drag to me.

This was fantastic, well-written and sensory experience that will appeal to fans of both the musical and Leroux's famous work.

Webb weaves a spell around those who love gothic romance, but creates her own world and steps firmly out the pastiche category by her distinctive voice and take on an oft-told tale.

Perhaps my favourite part of the novel is that by giving the voice (at least the narrative voice) to Christine, she is given agency and empathy. Whereas in the stage representation and the Leroux novel, she is very much a pawn to male whims, Webb succeeds in the difficult task of making her a well-rounded character.

Brilliantly rendered history and page-turning romance! I loved it.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. There have been so many Phantom versions that it was actually fantastic to have a new book that takes the Gaston Leroux original as its inspiration rather than so many of the copies out there. It was really well researched and I felt really captured a sense of time and place. A really strong piece of historical fiction.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to read this book before the release date. I will buy the book as soon as I can and review it then. Sorry!

Experience the magic of music--and the music of magic!--in Heather Webb's latest novel, THE PHANTOM'S APPRENTICE (Sonnet Press). With the finesse and skill of a master conjuror, Webb transmutes the familiar substance of the Phantom of the Opera tradition into a haunting tale of love, loss, and rebirth. Combining newly-imagined elements of magic and hidden family secrets with a substrate that draws from both Gaston Leroux's original 1910 novel and Andrew Lloyd Webber's famed 1986 Broadway musical, Webb reinvigorates familiar Phantom tradition with an edgy novelty that will appeal to devoted Phantom fans and unschooled initiates alike.

Webb's version focuses on the transformational journey of protagonist Christine Daaé, victim of circumstance and obedient pawn in the hands of powerful men, to full agency in determining her own fate. The orphaned daughter of an itinerant musician, Christine wins a coveted spot in the chorus of the Nouvel Opéra in Paris through the kindness of a benefactor's friend. At the Opéra, the beautiful, gifted singer snares the attention of the mysterious "Opera Ghost," who trains her voice and, through means that range from coercion to murder, positions her to displace the reigning diva. As Christine's emotions waver between gratefulness and fear towards this demanding ghost so devoted to her advancement, she becomes reacquainted with her childhood sweetheart, the Vicomte de Chagny. Raoul revives not only Christine's dormant heart but her interest in illusions, which she had set aside following her father's death. As Christine rededicates herself to mastering illusion in the hope of performing magic onstage, she uncovers secrets that involve her deceased parents in the ghost's shady past. Determined to slip the Phantom's obsessive grasp once and for all, she sets into motion an elaborate plan to flee the opera house. Only by outwitting and outperforming her accomplished adversary--a Master Conjuror himself--can Christine hope to fulfill her dreams and embrace a new life with Raoul.

Webb's deft weaving of innovative material within the framework of a familiar, revered narrative speaks to her skills as a storyteller. The tale moves at a brisk pace, with Christine's confidence and courage growing in equal measure. Interconnected backstories, slowly revealed, enrich the plot and deepen character development. Webb's firm grip on the culture of Belle Époque Paris, developed during the writing of her earlier novel RODIN'S LOVER (2015), displays itself in her luscious descriptions of the opulent Palais Garnier and its glamorous visitors, as well as in her portrayals of the daily grind of its performer's rehearsals and aspirations. Of particular strength is the novel's immersion in the spiritualist movement of the time. Eager to believe the spirits of her dead parents ever with her, even as she learns the tricks conjurors use to dupe the bereaved, Christine becomes the unwilling link between the conjuror and the scientist bent on exposing him. Her individual story of loss and enlightenment enacts on a personal level the struggles of a society caught in the death throes of superstition.

A thoroughly entertaining foray into a glamorous world of magic and music, where dreams bloom with thrill and transience of illusion, THE PHANTOM'S APPRENTICE proves there is more to the story of Christine and the Phantom than meets the eye.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC ecopy for my Kindle.
I enjoy reading historical fiction and was intrigued by the title. Was it like "Phatom of the Opera?- yes and no.
A good suspense novel with a touch of goth. Loved the main Catherine and how she grew to be a strong willed woman in the story. She's also multi-talented and overcome all odds.
In all, a good book!

As a fan of the original Phantom, Michael Crawford (or perhaps I should say the OG OG), and the movie Phantom, Gerard Butler, I enjoyed this retelling. It presents a more complex, resourceful Christine than in the Leroux book or Andrew Lloyd Webber musical and does a good job of depicting Christine's conflicted feelings for the Phantom—is he "angel or demon"? A great combination of music and magic that held my interest all the way through.

While I had the soundtrack of "Phantom of the Opera" running through my mind as I read Heather Webb's latest book, knowledge of the musical is absolutely not needed to enjoy this novel. What is needed is an appreciation for strong female characters and the desire to lose yourself in a beautiful setting and captivating story. I loved seeing Christine Daae get a starring role in this clever reimagining of the beloved classic tale.

The Phantom’s Apprentice is a retelling of The Phantom of the Opera. Christine Daae has been singing in the salons of Paris with her father. However, she has always been fascinated with magic tricks and becoming a magician herself. When her father dies, Christine enters the Paris Opera House and becomes the understudy to the prima donna, Carlotta. She soon takes music lessons from a mysterious being known as the Angel of Music. When she learns that the Angel of Music has been terrorizing the Opera House in hopes to make her a star, Christine tries to break free of his hold and pursue a life of her own making.

Being a huge Phantom of the Opera fan, I was really excited to read this book, especially because the narrator is Christine Daae. Christine Daae has mostly been portrayed in popular culture as a passive, naive teenager. She is seen as a damsel in distress and is overshadowed by Raoul and the Phantom. Mrs. Webb’s novel promises a more assertive Christine who saves herself. However, after reading this, I came away feeling a little bit underwhelmed. Mrs. Webb’s Christine was not the Christine that was promised.

Christine in this novel is still a bland and passive character. As I came away from this novel, I found her to be a bit distant. Christine still turns out to be a Mary Sue character. She does not have any flaws. She is still a superficial character. She is beautiful, intelligent, a good singer, and a good magician. She is not a fully fleshed out character. Therefore, there was not much of a personality to Christine. She was not an engaging character, and was very passive for the majority of the novel.

Overall, this was not a bad retelling of Phantom of the Opera. It just did not meet my expectations. This is both because of the premise and the fact that Heather Webb is one of my favorite authors. The characters are very stereotypical and not fully fleshed out. The pace of this story was slow for most of the novel. However, the climax was so rushed that if you weren’t paying attention, you’d miss it in the blink of an eye. Still, the writing was very evocative and lyrical. The setting of the Opera House was very atmospheric. Retellings are very hard to write, and Mrs. Webb just couldn’t pull it off. I recommend this for fans of Heather Webb and of historical fiction, but fans of Phantom of the Opera will come away feeling a little disappointed and would rather have wished to re-read the original novel instead.

I liked this book and it held true to the original story (or at least what I know of it) overall. I really appreciated the ending. It didn't hold my attention quite as much as I expected it to, but I was sufficiently concerned for the characters etc. Really enjoyed the book overall and if you are a fan of the original, you should add this to your list to read soon.

This was a nice debut book for this author and I hope to read more Phantom stories in the future.

My Thoughts


Let me start by saying ... I love ALL things Phantom Of The Opera - books, musicals, score, movie - you name it! I feel it in my bones and know every word of every song. So of course I immediately had to read this book and can glady state that Heather Webb has presented a fabulous take on this much loved classic.

‘What had happened to the poor man to make him hate everyone—and himself—so much?’

In this version Christine is an illusionist as well as an opera singer and the Phantom is someone with whom she may have crossed paths in the past (not to give away any spoilers). So be warned - this is not the romantic love story we all know and love - this is a completely new and satisfying approach.

The tale may start out a little slowly but once Christine joins the Paris Opera Company, the pace certainly increases. I also very much appreciated the authentic detail Webb went to in presenting the magic and illusions - it was new and fitted in very well with the theme - I mean the Phantom was the Master of illusions! Learning more about this Phantom’s back story is also new and well presented. I liked it.

I really enjoyed this book! Heather Webb does a fine job of paying respect to the original whilst simultaneously delivering new and creative reimaginings on certain plots within the overall tale. It was refreshing to learn of things solely from Christine’s viewpoint and have her character demonstrating so much more strength and independence.

‘This ghost would show himself—now—and explain his motives! If he didn’t, I would expose him to the directors. The charade was over, like it or not.’

Full of magic and atmosphere, rich in historical detail, with a fresh but still reassuringly comforting enough retelling for avid fans, you will quickly turn the pages of this suspense filled tale. Enchanting, delightful and thoroughly engaging for both original devotee’s and newcomers alike.



This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release