The Phantom of the Opera

"The phantom of the opera is here, inside my mind..."

Every night the velvet seats of the Palais Garnier are packed with figures eagerly anticipating that evening's theatrical performance, and still one box is kept free. Every day brings fresh sightings of a mysterious figure who traverses the backstage hallways and strikes fear in the hearts of those who dare travel there alone.

This mystery is the theatre ghost. He makes demands and expects to see them carried through. Those who test his patience dare not do so again, once he has exacted his vengeance. Those who dare defy his rule, as king of this creative empire, may find his consequences are not so easy to ever recover from.

I have long been in love with the Phantom of the Opera musical theatre production and 2004's movie adaptation so have no idea why it took me so long to experience the magic of the original. I was impressed with how accessible this translation was to a modern reader, and so full credit is due to Nancy Holder for a wonderful translation.

The rising goose-flesh upon my arms and my growing fear of shadows, whilst reading, all require utmost praise and respect directed at Leroux, however. More than a century later and his dark and obsessive love story is continuing to entrance and ensnare its readers. He is the phantom who still continues to haunt us and I would willingly become his Christine, to channel his sublime artistic mastery.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Gaston Leroux, the translator, Nancy Holder, and the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, for this opportunity.

I'm a huge fan of musicals and Phantom Of The Opera is one of my favourites. I've watched the show twice and I am (still) craving for more. Reading the book brought back so many fond memories. I'm so happy to see different editions of this book. The cover for this print is gorgeous! I want to collect them all.
The Phantom Of The Opera is truly one of the best Gothic masterpieces ever written.
Thank you, Poisoned Pen Press & Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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A wonderful new edition of a classic tale.

Despite the fact that this is a reissue, I was excited to read it. While I am familiar with the story and have seen Andrew Lloyd Weber’s musician adaptation of Phantom, I had never actually read the book until I received this copy,

I now feel comfortable saying that the play, while not without its merits, does not do justice to the text. Of course, when does a stage/screen adaptation *ever* truly compare to the book? Still, I found the contrast to be particularly glaring in this instance.

The character development, both of Christine and the Phantom, is so much more nuanced in the book and makes them both more interesting, the Phantom in particular. The stage version also lacks the delicious gothic buIld of horror and tension that Leroux conveys so masterfully in the text.

As a huge fan of gothic horror, this story was an easy sell for me, but I couldn’t help but be impressed by the quality of writing and atmosphere displayed.

A timeless classic and one I’ll most definitely read again in the future.