I'll start by saying that I've never been a huge fan of "phantom of the opera" so I started this book with deep skepticism. While this isn't an exact retelling it's close, but unlike the original I feel this version actually has a bit of soul behind it and you can really feel the author's enthusiasm for the writing. I really appreciate that
"Christine" isn't portrayed as such a wet blanket in this because that's always been one of my peeves. As far as the story itself I'd probably give it more 3.5 stars but by no means a bad book so I was pleasantly surprised.

I wish I'd been able to sit and read this book in just a few hours like it so deserves. Due to life happening, I was only reading a couple of pages per day, but I couldn't stop thinking about Christine and her "Angel of Music". There was intrigue, and magic, mystery, romance, and awakening, coming into one's own. Highly recommend, especially if you're already a fan of the Phantom. Thank you to Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for including us in the tour.

Brava, brava, belissima...

I had been anxiously awaiting this book since Ms. Webb announced that she had written it and that it would be released. I'm a HUGE Phantom fan and so is the author, which made me excited. Phans tend to respect the source material--the book and the play--so I trusted Ms. Webb. This is a reimagined version yet I still sensed the respect and love for the original versions. Christine is a bit more assertive in this version and to that I say "hell yeah!" She's always been portrayed as this meek figure but I loved that she had a bit more spirit. By the end of the novel, she no longer allows for anyone to decide her fate but her.

In a shock to me, I was actually invested in Raoul and Christine's romance. It isn't a huge factor; this is not  romance novel. He comes off more as someone you root for, rather than a fop. As to our Phantom, I found he was more similar to Susan Kay's version; he is far more malevolent and threatening. This is to say, he was a bad ass and I loved him still. (I'd never want to be with him but I am a fangirl.)

The story itself is strong and it will stay with you, you'll find yourself thinking about it and that's a good thing. The characters are well developed--even the secondary ones. The scenery is richly described and it's easy to lose yourself whilst reading. Ms. Webb is a powerful writer and I daresay the 'Angel of Music' was on her shoulder as she wrote this. It was a wonderful read and I can't wait to read it again.

**I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

I love classics despite the fact that I've only read a few. There is something precious in those books that you just have to read them. Now, here's a retelling of a book I've only seen as a movie and apparently led me to rewatch it and boy, I seriously can't remember how many times I've replayed the song "Think of Me"!

<i>The Phantom's Apprentice</i> is a retelling of The Phantom of the Opera that was written in first person and narrated by Christine Daaé. Wanting to fulfill what her father hopes her to be, Christine became a part of the opera's chorus and pushed away what she wants to be: an illusionist. It wasn't long before her voice got recognized and she became the understudy of the Prima Donna, Carlotta. As she improved her music with the <i>Angel of Music</i> guiding her, greater things loom around the corner, things that will challenge her wit in decisions that needs deciding.

This is a story that closely resembles the original book with its own twists and I am torn on whether I should give this book a rating of two stars or three stars. The parts I enjoyed much were on the latter 20% of the book which puts the other 80% as uninteresting. I also feel that the synopsis was directed to that 20%. So I have no idea what to make of the other parts of the book. Also, the story was slow-paced, but I really didn't mind that.

The synopsis had mentioned the word <i>illusion</i>, which I found intriguing and wanted to read it. Actually, the title is appealing too, and so does the cover. I looked at it and thought, "wow, this looks like a good meal for my book-hungry mind". I love illusions and sleight of hands but there was little amount of it and I feel...depraved? Cheated? I don't know, but it wasn't what I hoped the story to be.

The few last chapters, though, was INCREDIBLE. I could say that those were the part that I felt unique in this retelling. The events during the masquerade ball was well done and I think that that was my favourite scene. I loved the twist that the author brought in over there! From that moment on, I enjoyed the rest of the story until the end.

While there was that so-near-yet-so-far romance, it was okay at times, but was mostly unappealing. It didn't click well with me.

Overall, it was a good story but for me, I think it could have been better. A book that I recommend to those who indulges in retelling (like I do) of classic stories, music lovers, readers interested in illusions (but don't expect much).

Being a big fan of The Phantom of the Opera musical, when I first heard about this book, I knew I had to read it. With a gorgeous setting (and that cover!), the retelling of this story is done beautifully by Heather Webb. This was a book that I read slowly to savor every detail and moment of Christine Daaé's story. The Phantom's Apprentice was as satisfying and magical as the musical and movie. Very well done!

I received an advance review copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I entered this story without any prejudices as I only know the general outline of the popular version, which was a nice way to approach Ms. Webb's version. Overall I felt the story was very good, although there were some places that didn't feel like they entirely made sense. I liked the idea of Christine wanting to be an illusionist, but I didn't always get the sense that it was as important to her as was implied. I also had a bit of trouble seeing why she was so committed to the Angel, as he came across as more of a malevolent figure than anything else. The connection between the two of them never felt quite real to me. In general, it was a good read, and would be an excellent choice for anyone whether they know the story or not.

Christine Daae is far more than just a simple girl with an incredible operatic voice, manipulated by the Angel of Music. In The Phantom's Apprentice, she is an orphaned young woman with a tragic past, and an undeniable appreciation for magic, though it is largely responsible for most of the great losses in her life. Christine has been taken in by a benefactress, a maid about her age her sole friend, but the elderly woman’s ailments and doctor’s bills are increasing. With the aid of an old family friend, Christine tries out for the Opera, and the home of the Phantom. Of course she obtains the part, though not, as it would seem, merely because of her own talents. More than one force has been at work in her life, unseen hands guiding decisions and leading her to this place, as each character seeks something they’ve lost. Then the enchanting childhood friend Raul appears and threatens to upend everyone’s plans, and only the clever, lock-picking, aspiringing magician Christine can unravel the secrets everyone has been hiding from her, and use her cleverness to escape the clutches of those who’ve been manipulating her. With all the fear and theatrics fans have long admired, and a new perspective on the Phantom’s secret, twisted path, this new Phantom is linked to Christine by a love of magic and all types of stage performing, as well as pieces of her own tragic past.

Fans of The Phantom of the Opera musical will be enthralled as they are drawn into The Phantom’s Apprentice by Heather Webb. Webb’s version takes a twist on the original story, and gives us insight into the background and hopes and desires of Christine Daae. Singing is not her passion. She desires to become a magician and enlists the help of her best friend in putting together a show. However, the Phantom has other ideas and blackmails her. Should she give up singing, it will cost her her family, friends, and love interest Raoul. At the theatre where she is forced to sing, other spectres lurk in the background as the body count increases. Many want to find the illusive Phantom whose lair is hidden within its walls. Some will use Christine in order to get to him. Webb intricately weaves the details of this story together, leading to an astonishing climax. This is a gripping novel that does justice to the original story and readers will not be disappointed!

In my younger years, I was such a fan of The Phantom of the Opera musical. I still remember seeing it on Broadway all those years ago, sitting up in the nosebleeds and being thoroughly entranced. My mom bought me the soundtrack on the way out, and I soon knew it by heart. I was surprised at how many of those lyrics came back to me as I was reading The Phantom's Apprentice. It's been a very long time since I saw the musical, and I've never read the book on which it's based, so I went into this without a solid attachment to the particulars of the story, my mind open to see how Ms. Webb would make this story her own.

While the bones of the story are pretty much the same--Christine Daae, a beautiful young woman with a beautiful voice, auditions for a role in the chorus of a Paris opera house. The opera house is haunted, and Christine catches the attention of the "phantom," who decides to help her hone her skills, coming to her in the guise of the "angel of music," and sets some dastardly events in motion in order to have Christine become the star of the show. But his plans to keep Christine to himself are spoiled by the reappearance of her childhood love, Raoul, who determines not to let her go again now that he's found her, and though Christine knows it angers the phantom, having fallen in love with Raoul all over again, she can't stay away from him. And so the stage is set for a showdown between the murderous phantom and the young lovers.

What sets this story apart from the version I knew is the addition of illusions and magic. In this story, singing is Christine's second love, coming behind her love for the art of illusions, a love fostered by her mother before her untimely death. Christine figures out early on that the phantom is nothing more than a master illusionist, and while she continues to go along with his ploy in order to further her career, secretly she is bent on discovering the science behind his "haunting." This leads her into all sorts of danger as she explores the shadowy labyrinth beneath the opera house. She also has a very real benefactor in the form of Monsieur Delacroix, a man determined to unmask the phantom and make a name for himself in the scientific community. But as the phantom spirals out of control, Monsieur Delacroix's motives become more and more suspect, and eventually Christine is unsure who she can trust. Even Raoul seems to have secrets.

I have mixed feelings about The Phantom's Apprentice. On the one hand, Christine is a compelling heroine, one I was easily rooting for, and I admired the way she single-handedly orchestrated the climax of the novel; the descriptions of Paris, the opera house, and the society that surrounds it are vivid; and Raoul is a swoon-worthy hero. But on the other hand, I never truly bought into Christine's desire to be an illusionist, and I was often shaking my head at some of her decisions concerning the phantom. She rationalizes some pretty appalling behavior and has a habit for needlessly placing herself in danger. I also found it hard to sympathize with the phantom. While he certainly has not had it easy, and I did feel twinges of sympathy for him, his horrid behavior vastly outweighs the good. And, having read all of Ms. Webb's novels to date, I found the writing to lack the eloquence I know she's capable of. But the story was certainly entertaining, and I could not put it down as it raced to the exciting conclusion. I think it's worth a read for anyone who loves opera, particularly Phantom, but die-hard Phantom fans should proceed with an open mind and be prepared for a different journey.

I love the musical version The Phantom of the Opera. It is dramatic, intense and chock full of great songs but I have yet to read the book that it was based on by Gaston Leroux. Heather Webb has cleverly woven new life into the story by adding her own fresh twist.

In Webb’s version, Christine is a practiced illusionist and longs to perform magic rather than music but she gets embroiled in the melodramatic opera performances at the Paris Opera House. She becomes embroiled in murderous schemes and subterfuge without even realising it. As a reader you care constantly questioning who is the good guy and who am I supposed to champion. Even if you know the story to The Phantom of the Opera, Webb has made the mystery so compelling you begin to question everything.

Although it is only 350 pages long, you do feel like the story takes time to unravel. It is fast paced but it also gives you time to appreciate the mystery involved.

The Phantom’s Apprentice is a really unusual take on The Phantom of the Opera and it deals with much more complex issues than you would naturally assume – feminism, for example. All the while, maintaining the feel of a jolly good mystery.

The Phantom’s Apprentice by Heather Webb is available now.

For more information regarding Heather Webb (@msheatherwebb) please visit www.heatherwebb.net.

It’s not often I can say with complete confidence this early in the year that I’ve read a book I already know will be a favourite of the year, but The Phantom’s Apprentice is definitely going to be a favourite of 2018. I’ve read a few Phantom of the Opera reimaginings, but The Phantom’s Apprentice is hands down the best. Engrossing, suspenseful, and well crafted, this book absolutely blew my mind.

Full disclosure: I haven’t read the original Gaston Leroux Phantom story. I’ve been obsessed with the musical since I was a child, when I would play my parents’ Andrew Lloyd Webber cassette tape over and over. I never got to see the show in Toronto, and I’d hoped to see it in London a few years ago, but it was too expensive and we didn’t have enough time. I’m not sure how much backstory we get about Christine in the original story, but I thought Webb’s take on her history was brilliant. All the events, all the mishaps, all the misfortune that led her to the Paris Opera and the Phantom were so cleverly and intricately woven. I loved how seemingly small details ended up being important and added layers of suspense and depth to the story. All the twists and turns and unexpected occurrences kept me guessing throughout.

Christine started out like many heroines in historical fiction - helpless, reliant on others, unable to make decisions, and afraid to push boundaries. I enjoyed every moment of her journey and watching her grow into a character that was easy to cheer for. The side characters were fantastic too; I particularly liked Madame, Claudette, and Raoul.

One of the things I loved most about the story was the addition of magic. I’ve always been fascinated by that time period in history, when so many people were obsessed with seances and illusions, and many people dedicated their lives to attempting to prove or disprove the existence of spirits, expose frauds, etc. Christine’s keen interest in conjuring added such a wonderfully unique element to the story. And of course the Phantom was an illusionist. Of course he was! It felt like Webb took a thread and pulled on it until it unraveled into something so wonderfully unique that still managed to fit perfectly with the original tale.

Webb seamlessly wove together music, magic, and mayhem in a way that was utterly brilliant. The Phantom’s Apprentice was rich in historical detail, romantic, and full of intrigue. I was captivated from beginning to end.

I approach The Phantom’s Apprentice possibly from a different angle than many readers do – I have no point of reference from The Phantom of the Opera to compare to: not movie, stage performance, nor book! So Webb’s treatment here is a completely fresh slate for me.

One thing that drew me to this novel was the exploration of the spiritualist movement sweeping the globe at this time. We still find magic and mysticism fascinating today, but it would be even more so at a point in time where technologies were blossoming and it was easier to pull magic on people, but also it was something that people were afraid of as well. So for me, I wasn’t drawn to Webb’s take on Christine or reimagining of the classic, but more so for the world that the story inhabited. Right from the start, we get thrown into the spiritualist movement and the clashes between those who believe in it and those who are either afraid or find it foolish; this dichotomy is even shown in the perspectives of Christine and her father. The other aspect that fascinated me was the world of the opera. I have only read one other novel that explored this profession, and that one was set States-side, so it was a very interesting perspective with all the intrigue that surrounds it.

From reading the Author’s Note I understand that Webb’s goal was to flesh out a more well-rounded and self-possessed Christine than that provided in the original context. It is always maddening to see a woman pushed to the sidelines of a novel and be wilting or one-dimensional. However, at the same time, I do like to see the characters represented in a way that would be true to societal norms of the time. I felt that Christine walked the line fairly well here and felt that I was able to dig into who she was and what made her tick.

I found the plot to be fun and fascinating. There were moments toward the beginning where it did feel a little bit slow, where Christine is sort of moping for quite some time about her life and not having a direction; however, it does pick up substantially with the introduction of the Phantom. From that point forward the plot barreled ahead and I literally read half of the book in one sitting as I just didn’t want to put it down and find out how it would all resolve itself. I was rather satisfied with the ending too.

While I can’t gauge the enjoyment of someone who is a huge Phantom fan, as someone with no preconceived notions, I did enjoy much about this novel.

Well, this book could not have come at a better time! Tomorrow I’m going to see the “sequel” to Phantom, “Love Never Dies” at the Boston Opera House.

I was never a HUGE fan of the original, and then the movie was just okay. So I was excited for this retelling of the story from the perspective of the manipulated woman, Christine Daae. This book makes her a strong character in her own right, just trying to honor her dead father’s memory by singing in the Paris Opera. She is fantastic at it, but she longs to do something more with her life. Her mother taught her illusions from a young age, and she was fascinated by mechanical objects. She loves being on stage, but wants to become an illusionist in her own right.

The story follows the plot of the musical. She starts to be tutored by the Paris Opera Ghost, “the Phantom”. He becomes increasingly more unhinged and takes to kidnapping her. We as readers find out more about how/why he became increasingly dangerous, and why he was so obsessed with Christine. I love that she uses her smarts to try and break free from his increasingly tight stranglehold.

For fans of the musical, this book takes a deep dive into a character we don’t really know about. I enjoyed it and I think it’ll be interesting to see how the show goes tomorrow. The end of this book opens the door for more in the lives of Christine and the Phantom.

This book has been on my radar since I finished Webb’s cowritten novel, THE LAST CHRISTMAS IN PARIS. I loved that book and was eager to read more by her. Plus throw in that Phantom of the Opera is indeed one of my favorite films/operas and you have a reader who was EXTRA eager to read this book.

This book is told from Christine’s perspective which intrigued me. I have never read the original Phantom of the Opera novel by Gaston Leroux, but I’m curious about how much of the original influenced this retelling.

Christine Daaé sings with her violinist father in salons all over Paris, but she longs to practice her favorite pastime—illusions. When her beloved Papa dies during a conjurer’s show, she abandons her magic and surrenders to grief and guilt. Life as a female illusionist seems too dangerous, and she must honor her father’s memory.

Concerned for her welfare, family friend Professor Delacroix secures an audition for her at the Opéra de Paris—the most illustrious stage in Europe. Yet Christine soon discovers the darker side of Paris opera. Rumors of murder float through the halls, and she is quickly trapped between a scheming diva and a mysterious phantom. The Angel of Music.

But is the Angel truly a spirit, or a man obsessed, stalking Christine for mysterious reasons tangled in her past?

As Christine’s fears mount, she returns to her magical arts with the encouragement of her childhood friend, Raoul. Newfound hope and romance abounds…until one fateful night at the masquerade ball. Those she cares for—Delacroix, the Angel, and even Raoul—aren’t as they seem. Now she must decide whom she trusts and which is her rightful path: singer or illusionist.

To succeed, she will risk her life in the grandest illusion of all (summary from Goodreads).

It is almost impossible to review this book without comparing it to the Andrew Lloyd Webber version. For me in the Andrew Lloyd Webber version of Phantom, I was never really a fan of Christine. She is so innocent and impressionable that it bordered on ridiculous. I mean come on…..creepy mysterious masked man visits young girl in her bedroom and basically stalks her and she’s more or less ok with that?! Strange. But as a fan I am willing to go on a little bit of faith and see that Christine was young and desperate for companionship.

What did it for me was Raoul and the Phantom himself. Raoul is everything a well structured hero should be. Dashing, handsome, free thinking, brave, protective, and titled. He can give Christine everything she wants and needs. But the Phantom understands her in a way that no one else can. The love he feels for Christine isn’t something beautiful and idealistic, but dark, twisted and messy—romantic. Horribly romantic.

So with that in mind this book was very interesting to me and yet left me conflicted. I think Webb did a great job at showing the side of the characters that we don’t really see in the ALW version of this story. Again I haven’t read the original novel, so keep that in mind as you read this review. The Christine we meet in this book is clearly very trusting and idealistic, much like how she is portrayed in the ALW version. But in this novel she comes into her own as the novel builds. I personally had a hard time with her character in this book.

I am not sure what exactly didn’t work other than at times she seemed a little wishy washy. I had a hard time believing that she was so conflicted about Raoul and the Phantom AKA Erik. She seemed to flip flop between innocent/scared and confident/brave. I wanted to see more of a steady change in her and I actually would have liked her better had she been a little more brazen. Not totally like Carlotta but channeled a little more of her spirit throughout the novel rather than just at the end.

The magician perspective was interesting. I liked how it worked into the Phantom’s plot and back story. I am not sure that I liked it for Christine though. For me it seemed off, perhaps because when I think of Christine, I think of the ALW version where singing was her life and she lived to perform. This was an interesting take on her character that I wasn’t entirely sure worked.

What I did like was how Raoul was portrayed. In the ALW version, he’s this clean cut, quintessential hero. In this book, Webb makes him a little more edgy and I like how that plays out. I wish she had milked that a little longer though. I would have liked to see a little more torment over that between him and Christine. For me this added a lot to the story and characters.

I also liked how the Phantom’s story took on a life of its own. The story of Erik is tragic, dark, and intriguing and here Webb really utilizes that and makes it even more sensational that it already is. I liked how she used magic, conjuring, and illusion to help add depth to his narrative. For me this is what really worked well in the novel. He is the most sympathetic character throughout the story in my opinion.

What I would have liked to have seen more of was romance. Toward the end we get a little romance but for a story well known for it’s tormented romance and sensualism, I didn’t get that in this book. I don’t think it needed to be all bodice ripper-ish, but something more than what we got toward the end would have been nice.

Over all I think this was a good book, I liked it but I didn’t love it in the way that I hoped. It’s still a 4 star review for me because I really do love the concept of an alternative chain of events than traditional Phantom cannon, but I think more could have been done for Christine. For me the Phantom stole the show which perhaps isn’t a surprise.

“He was bound to love you when, he heard you sing.” These words are from the lyrics to the song All I Ask of You, written by Andrew Lloyd Webber for the Broadway musical Phantom of the Opera. And all I can think of as I write this review is that I was bound to love this book the minute I heard it was about Phantom of the Opera!

I have always been a fan of Phantom of the Opera. I read the original book, written by Gaston Leroux. I’ve seen the Broadway musical multiple times, memorized the music from the show, and even saw a few movie adaptations of the story over the years. Furthermore, my husband proposed to me on one of the nights that we saw Phantom together on Broadway, and we selected All I Ask of You as one of our wedding songs. So you could say that I am intimately familiar with, and a fan of, Phantom on all levels.

So I was both thrilled, and yet a bit weary, of reading this book. I was excited about the subject matter, but was hoping that it didn’t taint my view of Phantom in any way.

I absolutely loved this book! It stayed true to the original tone and essence of Phantom and the characters, while cleverly and creatively reimagining parts of the story. Is completely told from the perspective of Christine Daae, which already makes it unique. I loved imagining things from her perspective, and seeing her as not as a damsel in distress, but an independent, strong woman who is figuring out her way in the world.

If you love opera, Paris, historical fiction, Phantom, or fan fiction, you will absolutely love this novel. I happen to be a big fan of authors that grab onto fictional characters and then re-tell a story from their perspective. It is so unbelievably creative. And this particular retelling delivers in every way.

As a huge fan of The Phantom of the Opera, I was intrigued by Heather Webb's reimagining of the story in her book The Phantom's Apprentice. The story tells the tale from Christine Daaé's point of view, which fits perfectly in the context of the opera. You can feel the struggle Christine is facing when trying decide whether to trust the Angel of Music or whether to fear him. Christine's grief and anguish is palpable, as is her fear and her determination to figure out who she wants to be. Heather Webb has expanded on a classic tale in such a way that for me, this story has become part of the canon of the Phantom of the Opera. I will no longer think of one without the other.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book held so much promise for me, but man, did it let me down in the end. The cover’s so gorgeous, too. Why must the pretty ones do us so dirty?

I’m a big fan of The Phantom of the Opera. I think the only major retelling I’ve yet to experience is Susan Kay’s Phantom (it’s on my to-read list) and that godawful The Phantom of Manhattan that Love Never Dies is based on (hard pass on both of those). The Joel Schumacher film with Emmy Rossum and Gerard Butler was my first exposure, followed by the Gaston Leroux novel and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s stage production. And the fanfiction! Don’t get me started on the fanfiction…

Each time I’ve visited the Paris Opera House, I’ve felt more and more enamored with this gothic tale, of the characters, the pageantry, the music, and, of course, the haunted, doomed relationship between Christine Daaé and her Angel of Music.

The Phantom’s Apprentice by Heather Webb promised another magical take on the classic tale, one where Christine Daaé does not remain passive and allow all these men who have asserted themselves into her life to control her. A Christine who is a talented soprano, yes, but whose passion lies elsewhere: in illusions and conjurations. At last, this was a Christine with some agency, who could face the Phantom, Raoul, and everyone else and say, “No. This is who I am. Take me or leave me.”

After reading the novel in full, I can say that we do get that Christine–eventually. Once she stops believing everything anyone tells her and stops being so slow on the uptake. Once she stops flip-flopping worse than a politician running for office, thinking firmly on doing one thing but then physically doing the exact opposite. But you know what? It’s okay for a female character to be naive and contradictory if she learns from her mistakes and grows as a character. Christine does, and I would have been fine with that if it hadn’t been at the cost of the characterizations of nearly every other POTO character fans are familiar with.

Meg Giry is reduced to being a gossip and therefore becomes a rarely seen character in Christine’s life. Meg’s friendship with Christine is replaced by one featuring Christine’s Irish maid, Claudette. Madame Giry is mostly referenced and I hated the ending she got. It was bizarre. And then there’s Erik.

I know Erik is incurably extra and dramatic all the time, but he was all over the place in this novel. I barely recognized him at times. The author emphasized his obsession and “tortured soul” to the point where every action he did became not only unsympathetic but also irredeemable. And that thing with Christine’s mother? Ugh, no. Mm-mm. It’s a no from me.

While I like and agree with the message that Erik himself, not Christine, is the person in charge of fixing his own brokenness, the fact that Webb made him so abhorrent to the reader in so many ways betrays how little she thinks of his character. Erik does terrible things, yes. He’s grotesque to behold and erratic, but he also draws you in. He captivates you, and despite everything he does, you always have that tiny bit of sympathy and compassion for him because so much of him is still human. He still craves love and acceptance like the rest of us, and he chooses to do the right thing in the end where it counts. The complexity of his being is what makes the relationships he does have–with the Persian, Madame Giry, Christine–so fascinating.

Those vital aspects of his character are missing in this book. It doesn’t matter how many times I’m told that Christine feels sympathy for him because her actions never reflected it. Not even when she decides not to go to the police about him (something she thinks about doing constantly but never does) because she decides she needs to protect him. For some reason. Even though he’s a monster. I’m not making this up; this is her actual thought process about him. Her thoughts are always mired in horror and revulsion of him, and she never actually shows any sympathy to him without having an ulterior motive first.

I thought this novel was going to be the one that finally made me like Raoul, but thankfully that was not the case. He’s still the same pretty boy taking up space and the source of insta-love for Christine he’s always been. Only this time, he’s also brainless, willing to give up his money, titles, everything for Christine, so she can be a conjurer. Hm, sure, Jan. That’s totally what would go down.

“But they’ve loved each other since childhood!” you cry. Please. They knew each other for one summer when they were, what, ten, and then never see each other all throughout their transformative teenage and young adult years. That’s a big jump, wouldn’t you say? I could understand if they had grown up together for much longer than that, always being in each other’s social circles, but they haven’t been. When they meet up again in their twenties, they are essentially different people–at least one would hope so–because life has its way like that. They’re also in two different social classes.

Yet when they lock eyes for the first time in over a decade, they decide they love each other then and there; you can’t ask me to take that seriously. You can’t ask me to accept that they actually love each other for who they are as adults when really what they love are those kids they once were and their own nostalgia. I guess it helps, too, that both of them grew up to be super attractive; it’s hard to think rationally around hot people, I guess.

Carlotta I had hope for. She was the same vain diva we know her as, yet she seemed to take Christine under her wing a little bit, for like a second, in a backhanded way, and that was a fascinating change. But the longer I read, the more she became a rival for Christine’s happiness with Raoul, causing a ridiculously overdramatic affair that I was honestly rolling my eyes at the entire time.

What I could not forgive, however, was that Webb also dared to reference the Persian, and I thought, Oh, finally! More scenes with him and Erik, maybe even some with Christine, oh, won’t this be a delight!

Not once does he speak. Not once do we see him up close. The author even kills him, the only POC in the entire novel, at the end, for absolutely no reason. That’s not even a spoiler, I feel, because he had no baring on the novel whatsoever other than to be collateral damage, and honestly? I’m mad about it. What a waste.

Don’t get me wrong. I love the changes Christine went through in this novel. I love watching her wrestle with upholding her promise to her father to be a famous singer while secretly desiring to be a conjurer instead. I love her journey and how she eventually reconciles the two. I love the strength and self-worth she discovers within herself and that she begins to stick up for what she wants.

But she still decides that her happiness is with Raoul. That she can’t have it without him. Conjuring, singing, none of that matters if she’s not married to Raoul.

There went the character growth! Oh, we were so close!

Indeed, the novel grossly suffers from trying to follow both the Leroux novel and the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical to give readers familiar cues while also attempting to do its own narration. This made the book read like a half-baked rehash at times, dragging through familiar scenes like Carlotta croaking on stage, the chandelier fall, Christine’s visit to her father’s grave, and the infamous masquerade ball scene. But still trying to squeeze this conjuring thing into it to justify it, not to mention all the spiritualism.

Oh, the spiritualism. This was done almost singularly to give Professor Delacroix, a Webb original character, a purpose for being in this book to begin with, and it was honestly unnecessary. All his screen time should’ve been the Persian’s.

It’s a shame because all the new scenes within the book were intriguing. I got to see Carlotta’s apartment and spend more time with the diva, experience Christine’s strange relationship with the obviously untrustworthy Delacroix, and watch Christine’s growing fascination with conjuring. If Christine had been allowed to develop that skill instead of being forced to conform too much to the classic scenes from Phantom of the Opera, this novel might have been something truly special.

For instance, the title, The Phantom’s Apprentice, carries a lot of expectation. We know Christine is Erik’s singing apprentice, but we all know about his love for trickery and illusion. Webb giving Christine that same gift and interest seemed to imply that Christine would become his apprentice in another fashion.

I was looking forward to seeing her and Erik forge a working relationship, even a friendship and maybe something more, beyond his obsession with her beauty and her singing voice. (The novel gives another reason, the “true” reason, for his obsession, and nah.) I was looking forward to Erik delighting in teaching Christine something new, honing a talent she’s possessed all along, for her to not just succeed him but best him at it.

Instead, Erik focuses almost predominately on her singing and his production of Don Juan Triumphant. They have one little conversation where they actually talk about the finer points of conjuring, many of which Christine already knew from being self-taught, and then it was over.

There were so many good ideas here, and by the 66% mark, I was willing to give this novel four stars, but it tanked after that. The writing got sloppier, turning more and more YA-like even though this was supposed to be a historical fiction novel. (That’s not an insult to YA novels, which I love, but sometimes the writing can be juvenile, and that’s what started happening here.) The characters became overdramatic caricatures of who they’d been up to that point, and all the play and Leroux callbacks were just too much. In the end, the execution did not live up to the synopsis and my expectations, which weren’t extremely high to begin with.

Christine just needs to do Christine, and leave these foolish men behind. I really wish the novel had gone that route, truly setting Christine free once and for all.

And yes, I admit it. I wanted a scene where the Persian and Christine gossiped about Erik knowing full well he’s somewhere listening, and I didn’t get it, and I am an endless salt mine when it comes to things like this.

To quote my friend Victoria who thought she was quoting Gandhi that one time, “It is from our expectations that we derive our greatest sorrows.”

I love reading historical fiction off the beaten track, something unique and entertaining. I am not a big connoisseur of The Phantom of the Opera, 20 years ago I saw the musical and enjoyed it (even though the person sitting beside me huffed and puffed and obviously didn’t). My desire to read this one stands not just from the author but my interest in hearing from Christine.

The Phantom's Apprentice is a book of illusions and manipulation. Told from Christine‘s point of view, it was interesting to see her character change as the story progresses. A young 16 year old at the beginning it's 3 years later that she begins to take control of her life, the guilt of her fathers death still haunting her.

More a mystery with its drama, intrigue and a cast of characters I wasn’t sure whom to trust (a couple I didn’t even like). The Phantom's Apprentice has an almost enchanting setting with its eerie Opera Ghost, secret underground passages, magical illusions and more. Sure to be a hit with not just Phantom of the Opera fans but those that like a good mystical mystery.

I wasn't entirely satisfied with the direction the plot took, but I do appreciate having a re-imagining of Phantom of The Opera that contains a Christine I can sympathize with and even respect. The Phantom's Apprentice certainly gives her character more depth and doesn't romanticize the sometimes cruel ways in which she is treated by others in her life - particularly men. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and appreciate the opportunity to have gotten an early look inside its pages - figuratively speaking.

What I really appreciated with this novel was how Christine was a more complex character. The author also took the threads of the original story and wove them into her own version, which was very nice.

What I didn't like is how Erik was portrayed. There was nothing lovable or redeemable in his character. He wasn't "my" Erik. I'm trying not to hold that against the author, because he is "her" Erik, but this did hamper my enjoyment of the novel as a whole.

The last 10% or so of the novel didn't work for me. I didn't care for the climax, and the shocking reveal about Christine's past felt a bit too over the top.

I think readers with passing interest in Phantom type stories would like this, and it isn't bad example of a historical novel with a stronger female lead.