Amazon Prime Free Trial
FREE Delivery is available to Prime members. To join, select "Try Amazon Prime and start saving today with FREE Delivery" below the Add to Cart button and confirm your Prime free trial.
Amazon Prime members enjoy:- Cardmembers earn 5% Back at Amazon.com with a Prime Credit Card.
- Unlimited FREE Prime delivery
- Streaming of thousands of movies and TV shows with limited ads on Prime Video.
- A Kindle book to borrow for free each month - with no due dates
- Listen to over 2 million songs and hundreds of playlists
Important: Your credit card will NOT be charged when you start your free trial or if you cancel during the trial period. If you're happy with Amazon Prime, do nothing. At the end of the free trial, your membership will automatically upgrade to a monthly membership.
-33% $7.99$7.99
Ships from: Amazon.com Sold by: Amazon.com
$7.00$7.00
Ships from: Amazon Sold by: Swoosh Sales
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Audible sample
The Phantom of the Opera: The Original Novel Mass Market Paperback – December 30, 1987
Purchase options and add-ons
"The wildest and most fantastic of tales." - New York Times Book Review.
The novel from the early 20th century that inspired the Lon Chaney film and the hit musical. In the 1880s, in Paris, the Palais Garnier Opera House is believed haunted. One night, a young woman, Christine, is asked to sing in place of the Opera's leading soprano, who is ill; Christine's performance is a success, and she is recognized by the Vicomte Raoul, a childhood playmate and love. Raoul and the Phantom then battle for Christine's heart, as the Phantom demands more and more from her.
- Print length368 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherHarper Perennial
- Publication dateDecember 30, 1987
- Dimensions7.14 x 4.38 x 0.85 inches
- ISBN-100060809248
- ISBN-13978-0060809249
- Lexile measure910L
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.
Frequently bought together
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Editorial Reviews
From the Publisher
From the Back Cover
About the Author
Gaston Leroux was a French journalist, short-story writer, and novelist, and is most famous for his acclaimed novel, The Phantom of the Opera. A student of law, Leroux turned to journalism after spending his inheritance on a lavish lifestyle. Over a decade of work as a court reporter and theatre critic for the L’Écho de Paris served as inspiration for his series of successful detective novels featuring Joseph Rouletabille, an amateur sleuth, and Leroux’s contributions to the French detective genre are considered as significant as those of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Edgar Allan Poe. Leroux died in 1927.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
The Phantom of the Opera
By Gaston LeRouxHarper Perennial
Copyright © 1988 Gaston LeRouxAll right reserved.
ISBN: 9780060809249
Chapter One
1.
Is It the Ghost? It was the evening on which MM. Debienne and Poligny, the managers of the Opera, were giving a last gala performance to mark their retirement. Suddenly the dressing-room of La Sorelli, one of the principal dancers, was invaded by half-a-dozen young ladies of the ballet, who had come up from the stage after “dancing” Polyeucte. They rushed in amid great confusion, some giving vent to forced and unnatural laughter, others to cries of terror. Sorelli, who wished to be alone for a moment to “run through” the speech which she was to make to the resigning managers, looked around angrily at the mad and tumultuous crowd. It was little Jammes—the girl with the tip-tilted nose, the forget-me-not eyes, the rose-red cheeks and the lily-white neck and shoulders—who gave the explanation in a trembling voice:
“It’s the ghost!” And she locked the door.
Sorelli’s dressing-room was fitted up with official, commonplace elegance. A pier-glass, a sofa, a dressing-table and a cupboard or two provided the necessary furniture. On the walls hung a few engravings, relics of the mother, who had known the glories of the old Opera in the Rue le Peletier; portraits of Vestris, Gardel, Dupont, Bigottini. But the room seemed a palace to the brats of the corps de ballet, who were lodged in common dressing-rooms where they spent their time singing, quarreling, smacking the dressers and hair-dressers and buying one another glasses of cassis, beer, or even rhum, until the callboy’s bell rang.
Sorelli was very suspicious. She shuddered when she heard little Jammes speak of the ghost, called her a “silly little fool” and then, as she was the first to believe in ghosts in general, and the Opera ghost in particular, at once asked for details:
“Have you seen him?”
“As plainly as I see you now!” said little Jammes, whose legs were giving way beneath her, and she dropped with a moan into a chair.
Thereupon little Giry—the girl with eyes black as sloes, hair black as ink, a swarthy complexion and a poor little skin stretched over poor little bones—little Giry added:
“If that’s the ghost, he’s very ugly!”
“Oh, yes!” cried the chorus of ballet-girls.
And they all began to talk together. The ghost had appeared to them in the shape of a gentleman in dress-clothes, who had suddenly stood before them in the passage, without their knowing where he came from. He seemed to have come straight through the wall.
“Pooh!” said one of them, who had more or less kept her head. “You see the ghost everywhere!”
And it was true. For several months, there had been nothing discussed at the Opera but this ghost in dress-clothes who stalked about the building, from top to bottom, like a shadow, who spoke to nobody, to whom nobody dared speak and who vanished as soon as he was seen, no one knowing how or where. As became a real ghost, he made no noise in walking. People began by laughing and making fun of this specter dressed like a man of fashion or an undertaker; but the ghost legend soon swelled to enormous proportions among the corps de ballet. All the girls pretended to have met this supernatural being more or less often. And those who laughed the loudest were not the most at ease. When he did not show himself, he betrayed his presence or his passing by accident, comic or serious, for which the general superstition held him responsible. Had any one met with a fall, or suffered a practical joke at the hands of one of the other girls, or lost a powderpuff, it was at once the fault of the ghost, of the Opera ghost.
After all, who had seen him? You meet so many men in dress-clothes at the Opera who are not ghosts. But this dress-suit had a peculiarity of its own. It covered a skeleton. At least, so the ballet-girls said. And, of course, it had a death’s head.
Was all this serious? The truth is that the idea of the skeleton came from the description of the ghost given by Joseph Buquet, the chief scene-shifter, who had really seen the ghost. He had run up against the ghost on the little staircase, by the footlights, which leads to “the cellars.” He had seen him for a second—for the ghost had fled—and to any one who cared to listen to him he said:
“He is extraordinarily thin and his dress-coat hangs on a skeleton frame. His eyes are so deep that you can hardly see the fixed pupils. You just see two big black holes, as in a dead man’s skull. His skin, which is stretched across his bones like a drumhead, is not white, but a nasty yellow. His nose is so little worth talking about that you can’t see it side-face; and the absence of that nose is a horrible thing to look at. All the hair he has is three or four long dark locks on his forehead and behind his ears.”
This chief scene-shifter was a serious, sober, steady man, very slow at imagining things. His words were received with interest and amazement; and soon there were other people to say that they too had met a man in dress-clothes with a death’s head on his shoulders. Sensible men who had wind of the story began by saying that Joseph Buquet had been the victim of a joke played by one of his assistants. And then, one after the other, there came a series of incidents so curious and so inexplicable that the very shrewdest people began to feel uneasy.
For instance, a fireman is a brave fellow! He fears nothing, least of all fire! Well, the fireman in question, who had gone to make a round of inspection in the cellars and who, it seems, had ventured a little farther than usual, suddenly reappeared on the stage, pale, scared, trembling, with his eyes starting out of his head, and practically fainted in the arms of the proud mother of little Jammes.* And why? Because he had seen coming toward him, at the level of his head, but without a body attached to it, a head of fire! And, as I said, a fireman is not afraid of fire.
The fireman’s name was Pampin.
The corps de ballet was flung into consternation. At first sight, this fiery head in no way corresponded with Joseph Buquet’s description of the ghost. But the young ladies soon persuaded themselves that the ghost had several heads, which he changed about as he pleased. And, of course, they at once imagined that they were in the greatest danger. Once a fireman did not hesitate to faint, leaders and front-row and back-row girls alike had plenty of excuses for the fright that made them quicken their pace when passing some dark corner or ill-lighted corridor. Sorelli herself, on the day after the adventure of the fireman, placed a horse-shoe on the table in front of the stage-door-keeper’s box, which every one who entered the Opera otherwise than as a spectator must touch before setting foot on the first tread of the staircase. This horse-shoe was not invented by me—any more than any other part of this story, alas!—and may still be seen on the table in the passage outside the stage-door-keeper’s box, when you enter the Opera through the court known as the Cour de l’Administration.
To return to the evening in question.
“It’s the ghost!” little Jammes had cried.
An agonizing silence now reigned in the dressing-room. Nothing was heard but the hard breathing of the girls. At last, Jammes, flinging herself upon the farthest corner of the wall, with every mark of real terror on her face, whispered:
“Listen!”
*I have the anecdote, which is quite authentic, from M. Pedro Gailhard himself, the late manager of the Opera.
Everybody seemed to hear a rustling outside the door. There was no sound of footsteps. It was like light silk sliding over the panel. Then it stopped.
Sorelli tried to show more pluck than the others. She went up to the door and, in a quavering voice, asked:
“Who’s there?”
But nobody answered. Then feeling all eyes upon her, watching her last movement, she made an effort to show courage, and said very loudly:
“Is there any one behind the door?”
“Oh, yes, yes! Of course there is!” cried that little dried plum of a Meg Giry, heroically holding Sorelli back by her gauze skirt. “Whatever you do, don’t open the door! Oh, Lord, don’t open the door!”
But Sorelli, armed with a dagger that never left her, turned the key and drew back the door, while the ballet-girls retreated to the inner dressing-room and Meg Giry sighed:
“Mother! Mother!”
Sorelli looked into the passage bravely. It was empty; a gas-flame, in its glass prison, cast a red and suspicious light into the surrounding darkness, without succeeding in dispelling it. And the dancer slammed the door again, with a deep sigh.
“No,” she said, “there is no one there.”
“Still, we saw him!” Jammes declared, returning with timid little steps to her place beside Sorelli. “He must be somewhere prowling about. I shan’t go back to dress. We had better all go down to the foyer together, at once, for the ‘speech,’ and we will come up again together.”
Continues...
Excerpted from The Phantom of the Operaby Gaston LeRoux Copyright © 1988 by Gaston LeRoux. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Product details
- Publisher : Harper Perennial; Revised ed. edition (December 30, 1987)
- Language : English
- Mass Market Paperback : 368 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0060809248
- ISBN-13 : 978-0060809249
- Lexile measure : 910L
- Item Weight : 6.4 ounces
- Dimensions : 7.14 x 4.38 x 0.85 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,075,747 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #3,222 in Ghost Fiction
- #25,135 in Classic Literature & Fiction
- #50,360 in Literary Fiction (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the authors
Gaston Leroux (1868-1927) was a French writer best known for his novel The Phantom of the Opera. Born in Paris, Leroux initially worked as a critic and court reporter for the newspapers L'Écho de Paris and Le Matin. In 1918 he formed a film company called the Société des Cinéromans. After quitting journalism to focus on writing fiction, Leroux went on to publish dozens of novels. He died at his home in Nice, France.
Wendi Zwaduk is a multi-published, award-winning author of more than one-hundred short stories and novels. She’s been writing since 2008 and published since 2009. Her stories range from the contemporary and paranormal to BDSM and LGBTQ themes. No matter what the length, her works are always hot, but with a lot of heart. She enjoys giving her characters a second chance at love, no matter what the form. She’s been the runner up in the Kink Category at Love Romances Café as well as nominated at the LRC for best contemporary, best ménage and best anthology. Her books have made it to the bestseller lists on Amazon.com and other websites. She also writes under the name of Megan Slayer.
When she’s not writing, she spends time with her husband and son as well as three dogs and three cats. She enjoys art, music and racing, but football is her sport of choice. Find out more about Wendi at:
http://www.wendizwaduk.com/
https://wendizwaduk.wordpress.com/
www.facebook.com/wendizwaduk.meganslayer
https://twitter.com/WendiZwaduk
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/wendi-zwaduk
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3495446.Wendi_Zwaduk
http://www.amazon.com/Wendi-Zwaduk/e/B003KA589U
Leslie S. Klinger is considered to be one of the world's foremost authorities on those icons of the Victorian era, Sherlock Holmes, Dracula, and Frankenstein. He is the editor of the three-volume collection of the short stories and novels, THE NEW ANNOTATED SHERLOCK HOLMES, published by W. W. Norton in 2004 and 2005, winner of the Edgar Award for Best Critical/Biographical Work and nominated for every other major award in the mystery genre. THE NEW ANNOTATED DRACULA, published by W. W. Norton in 2008, offers a similar in-depth examination of Bram Stoker's haunting classic and its historical context. It received a starred review in Publishers' Weekly.
Since the 1960s, the study of the rich fantastic literature of the Victorian writers has been Klinger's consuming passion. He has written dozens of articles on Sherlockiana, published 20 books on Sherlock Holmes in addition to the Norton work, and regularly teaches UCLA Extension courses on "Sherlock Holmes and His World" and "Dracula and His World." Klinger's Sherlock Holmes Reference Library has been called by the Baker Street Journal "the standard text of reference for all serious Sherlockians." He contributed essays to Playboy Magazine and the Times of London on vampires and served as the technical adviser for Warner Bros. on the "Sherlock Holmes" films starring Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law.
Klinger has edited several anthologies of stories relating to Holmes, vampires, horror, and Victorian fiction, including "In the Shadow of Dracula" and "In the Shadow of Sherlock Holmes" for IDW Books and "In the Shadow of Edgar Allen Poe" for Pegasus Books. He has also co-edited with Laurie R. King four anthologies of new stories about Sherlock Holmes, "A Study in Sherlock," the Anthony-winning "In the Company of Sherlock Holmes," "Echoes of Sherlock Holmes," and "For the Sake of the Game." The four-volume "The Annotated Sandman" in collaboration with Neil Gaiman for DC Entertainment appeared in 2012-14, and his "Watchmen: Annotated Edition" was published by DC Entertainment in 2017. Also in 2017, his "New Annotated Frankenstein," published by W. W. Norton, was nominated for a World Fantasy Award. Klinger's "The New Annotated H. P. Lovecraft," shortlisted for the Bram Stoker Award, appeared in 2014, and a second volume, "New Annotated H. P. Lovecraft: Beyond the Mythos" will be published by Norton in 2019.
Klinger and co-editor Laura Caldwell just completed "ANATOMY OF INNOCENCE: TESTIMONIES OF THE WRONGFULLY CONVICTED," published by Liveright Publishing/W. W. Norton in 2017. This harrowing anthology pairs exonerees with major mystery/thriller writers to tell their tales of despair, hope, and courage. A nonprofit project, proceeds from the book benefit innocence projects.
In 2018, Klinger published "Classic American Crime Fiction of the 1920s," a massive annotated collection of five novels, including the first Charlie Chan mystery, the first Ellery Queen mystery, the first Philo Vance mystery, Dashiell Hammett's first novel, and "Little Caesar," the first gangster novel. The book was awarded the Edgar for Best Critical/Biographical and is nominated for several other awards.
Later in 2019, Neil Gaiman's "Annotated American Gods," edited with notes by Klinger, will appear from William Morrow.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Klinger received an AB in English from the University of California, Berkeley, followed by a JD from Boalt Hall (School of Law, U.C. Berkeley). Since then, he has lived in Los Angeles, pursuing a legal career in tax, estate, and business planning. Klinger is a member of the Baker Street Irregulars, the Horror Writers Association, and the Mystery Writers of America. He served for three years as the chapter president of the SoCal Chapter of MWA and on its National Board of Directors, and he is the Treasurer of the Horror Writers Association.
Eric J. Guignard has twice won the Bram Stoker Award (the highest literary award of horror fiction), won the Shirley Jackson Award, and been a finalist for the World Fantasy Award and International Thriller Writers Award for his works of dark and speculative fiction. He has over 100 stories appearing in publications internationally; has edited multiple anthologies (including his most recent, PROFESSOR CHARLATAN BARDOT’S TRAVEL ANTHOLOGY TO THE MOST (FICTIONAL) HAUNTED BUILDINGS IN THE WEIRD, WILD WORLD, and A WORLD OF HORROR, each a showcase of international horror short fiction. His next anthology is a Middle Grade-revisiting of classic literature tales, SCARING AND DARING ADVENTURES to be released 2025 by HarperCollins. He currently publishes the acclaimed series of author primers created to champion modern masters of the dark and macabre, EXPLORING DARK SHORT FICTION. He is also publisher and acquisitions editor for the renowned +HORROR LIBRARY+ anthology series. Formerly, he was curator of the series HAUNTED LIBRARY OF HORROR CLASSICS, through SourceBooks with co-editor Leslie S. Klinger. His latest books are LAST CASE AT A BAGGAGE AUCTION; DOORWAYS TO THE DEADEYE; and short story collection THAT WHICH GROWS WILD: 16 TALES OF DARK FICTION (Cemetery Dance). His second collection A GRAVESIDE GALLERY: TALES OF GHOSTS AND DARK MATTERS will be out in 2025 (Cemetery Dance). Visit Eric at his website, blog, or social media.
Paper Mill Press is proud to present a timeless collection of unabridged literary classics to a twenty-first century audience. Each original master work is reimagined into a sophisticated yet modern format with custom suede-like metallic foiled covers.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book easy to read and engaging. They praise the fantastic story with a satisfying conclusion. Readers love the characters, especially the deep-felt ones. The music adds another layer to the story and is appreciated by many. The artwork is described as stunning and charming. Overall, customers describe the book as an interesting and stimulating read that makes them think.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers enjoy the book's readability. They find it an interesting and powerful read with a rich, human story. The author is skilled at setting and description, making the book an unforgettable tour de force that doesn't disappoint. Readers recommend it as a great Halloween read or a late night story.
"...With an ingenious story, tied together with beautiful descriptions, often witty dialogue, and sympathetic characters...." Read more
"...Les Misérables_ (please see my review in the appropriate place) is deep, stirring, and unforgettable, but it requires amounts of time and patience..." Read more
"...The style is of an expose newpaper writer, sharing the scandalous tale while citing references and trying to remain detached. Romance?..." Read more
"...But the book did not disappoint." Read more
Customers enjoy the story's quality. They find it engaging with dramatic characters and a satisfying conclusion. The plot is well-developed, with drama and suspense. Readers are emotionally invested in the novel, which they describe as a must-read for drama and romance fans.
"...All in all, Leroux's novel is, I would say, a masterpiece. With an ingenious story, tied together with beautiful descriptions, often witty dialogue,..." Read more
"...The Phantom of the Opera_ is an incredibly simple story that focuses on a love triangle...." Read more
"...'s not agreeable to his plan to wed. And yet... There's still a touch of sweetness, of desperate pleas to just be like other men, to just be happy..." Read more
"...The epilogue brings a satisfying conclusion to the story, as it is here that many loose ends are tied up and things about Erik are explained: where..." Read more
Customers enjoy the well-developed characters and detailed setting of the Paris Opera. They appreciate the inclusion of characters not included in the musical that add depth to the story. The interviews provide insight into the art of radio acting and shed light on the real statue at the top of the opera house.
"...with beautiful descriptions, often witty dialogue, and sympathetic characters...." Read more
"...These interviews not only provide insight into the art of radio acting, but they also shed light on the actors thoughts about the characters they..." Read more
"...The statue L’Harmonie on top of the opera house is a real statue. The opera house itself is real. It’s the Palais Garnier in Paris...." Read more
"...It also really fleshes out the main characters so that you can simultaneously pity and hate every single character...." Read more
Customers enjoy the musical quality of the book. They find it enhances the story and is different from the well-known musical. Readers appreciate Andrew Lloyd Webber's music and the novel's use of music as symbolism.
"...my favorite thing about the novel, however, is Leroux's use of music as symbolism...." Read more
"...The musical is just as good as the book (a rare occurrence in this world), but the book is more... descriptive. In a violent way...." Read more
"This is the classic novel on which the famous musical was based...." Read more
"...The final thing I will say is that the music incorporated into the story is breathtaking...." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's visual quality. They appreciate the stunning artwork that brings the story to life. The characters, story, and charming allure are praised for their depth. The fresh imagery and colorful tone capture a very vivid picture of the story.
"..."mystery" of it all, and more in his beautiful language and imagery...." Read more
"...Despite this, the style hints of the past, which it takes place in (1875ish)...." Read more
"...If you like this artist, though, it is worth having for the pictures alone." Read more
"...the most complete of the French editions and manages to capture a very colorful, readable tone in his work...." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's engaging story. They find it stimulating and easy to immerse themselves in. The book captures human nature and how people perceive the world. It keeps readers wanting more, with a wonderful combination of first-hand observation and imagination.
"...concepts such as beauty, individuality, shame, and the need for human connection. Bottom line: give it a try...." Read more
"...It transports you to a different time, explaining Erik and Christine with far more depth than Broadway could ever do...." Read more
"...really plays up the “this is real” aspect of the story, using multiple points of view and “sources” to tell the story, which I love...." Read more
"...The language is beautiful, and there is so much that can be analyzed and discussed. I look forward to teaching it every year!..." Read more
Customers have different views on the pacing of the book. Some find it fast-paced and descriptive, with descriptive chapters that quickly get you where you want to go. Others say it's slow at the start but picks up speed towards the end. The writing moves slowly and is described as French.
"...There were times it seemed slightly slow. However a lot of the confusion was addressed by the authors the story proceeded...." Read more
"...The show/movie is solidly based off the book, but does NOT follow it...." Read more
"This is a good story. It took me a while to read...." Read more
"I enjoyed reading it, but after a while the spine of the book began to rip and the paper over the edge cardboard cover started to thin out." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the book's emotional content. Some find it heartwarming and beautiful, bringing characters and feelings to life. Others feel compassion for the Phantom and find the story more heartbreaking than the play or movie. The book is described as sad and violent, with melodrama at times.
""The Phantom of the Opera" is an unforgettable tour de force: an emotional story that probes the mind of a disturbed individual who, nevertheless,..." Read more
"...Movie/show (as bad as it gets): People die in violent manners (two hangings), a gun, The Phantom with his disfigured face, mild sexual content, not-..." Read more
"...typical penny-dreadful sort of tale at first glance, but there are subtle themes that are not apparent on the first read...." Read more
"...Gaston Leroux did the unimaginable, he created the first loveable psychopath...." Read more
Reviews with images
My Love for Eric
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2017This was far from being my first experience with Leroux's story, but it WAS my first time reading an unabridged English translation. For anyone unaware, the standard English translation (which is usually published without a translator's name) is abridged, but not labeled as such. That translation was what I was previously familiar with, but having been a fan of PotO for nearing a decade, I thought it was high time I read a different translation...
And honestly, I'm not sure how good this one is. Given that Ribière is French herself, I assumed that her translation would be most faithful, but there were several points in the text where I found glaring errors (most notably in the epilogue, where a translation mishap sent the Samarkand merchant to fetch Erik from the fair, instead of the Daroga). But, as I'm not perfectly fluent in French (and don't have a copy of the French text handy to compare them, anyway), I can't speak adequately on the accuracy of this translation.
I may be in the minority, but I have always vastly preferred Leroux to Lloyd-Webber's musical. The novel's atmosphere can't be matched, in my opinion. Written as detective fiction, Leroux's speaker is investigating (years after the events of the novel) the legend of the "Phantom of the Opera," a mysterious specter that wreaked havoc at the Palais Garnier in years past. During his investigation, he begins to suspect that there are ties between the Phantom, the murder of Count Philippe de Chagny, and the disappearances of his younger brother, Raoul, and an opera singer called Christine Daaé.
Thus, Leroux takes the reader on a journey into the past, often referencing interviews with, and written documents by, several prominent figures at the opera at the time of the "de Chagny affair." Most of the fantastic tale is seen from the perspective of Raoul de Chagny, whose love for his childhood friend, Christine, seems to be thwarted by an unseen rival - a disembodied voice which has convinced the pious Christine that it belongs to the Angel of Music. Raoul and Christine soon find themselves trapped in a nightmare, as the love-sick "Angel" has no intentions of letting his beloved wed another.
The narrative often shifts to the perspective of the opera's directors, who are at their wits' end with the Phantom's outrageous demands. Most of the latter section of the novel is told from the point-of-view of the Persian, a figure from the Phantom's past who is often left out of film and stage adaptations.
In this day and age, most readers already know the plot to the story, so the strength in Leroux's writing lies less in the "mystery" of it all, and more in his beautiful language and imagery. It is all too easy to imagine the graveyard at Perros-Guirec, laden with snow and blood-red roses, littered with skulls, eerily silent under the full moon. The reader can understand Raoul's terror when he comes face-to-face with the "Death's head" in such a setting. Leroux's detailed descriptions of the opera house, too, lend a sense of realism to the story that leaves the reader wondering if the fantastic tale might not be, as Leroux claimed until his death, grounded in fact.
Perhaps my favorite thing about the novel, however, is Leroux's use of music as symbolism. Every piece of music mentioned by name in the novel is symbolic of something in the plot. Gounod's Faust, which underscores the entire story, tells the tale of a man who sells his soul to the devil for the love of a beautiful woman - certainly a parallel to the doomed love the Phantom holds for Christine Daaé. Other musical selections act as foreshadow. For example, "Danse Macabre (Dance of Death)," played at the gala in the second chapter, seems to herald the arrival of the Red Death at the masquerade ball.
All in all, Leroux's novel is, I would say, a masterpiece. With an ingenious story, tied together with beautiful descriptions, often witty dialogue, and sympathetic characters. It is perhaps one of the only "classic" novels I know which contains a morally grey antagonist whose victims pity, rather than despise, him. While "Le fantôme de l'opéra" didn't sell well upon publication and was, in fact, out of print for several years, the popularity of the story speaks to the brilliance of Leroux's vision. I would advise everyone, particularly fans of the musical, to give this novel a try.
- Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2014For those who don't know, the famous musical "The Phantom of the Opera" is based off of this book. I can tell you first-hand that that musical is a lifetime experience. The performance has been made into a movie, even.
It does not matter in what order you read this book, see the show live or watch the movie. You don't have to do them all, but each gives a different perspective.
The book "The Phantom of the Opera" is a classic love story, but far more complex than just that. The writing style is slightly awkward in this day and age, and the translations from the original (in French, I believe) are above average. Despite this, the style hints of the past, which it takes place in (1875ish). Also, there are no obvious spelling errors or any peculiar phrases that you can find in books of this day and age today.
In an Opera Populaire, there are rumors and fears of a ghost, Opera Ghost, or O.G. He is said to be everywhere but found nowhere. This ghost causes no disturbance as long as his demands are met--a salary, Box 5 left empty, and Christine Daae to sing onstage every now and then.
But of course, the owners won't have any of it. They don't believe in the supernatural..
And neither does Christine's lover ("boyfriend"), Raoul. Until, of course, Christine herself tells him.
But what she actually tells him is what the story's about.
The Phantom, as he's known in the movie, loves Christine. He has been the one teaching her to sing after her gifted violinist father died. Christine, however, has never seen the Opera Ghost until he kidnaps her, wanting to be with her forever. He wears a mask to cover his disfigured face, and because of his malformations his own mother feared him. The Phantom has never known compassion, and doesn't know how to express himself to Christine. He has only ever known violence, and this is evident as he meanwhile threatens and murders, and brings down a chandelier during a performance.
Christine's heart, however, is to Raoul instead. Raoul seeks killing the Phantom, who would do anything for Christine.
Now, let me draw the line here between the show and movie, and the book. The show/movie is solidly based off the book, but does NOT follow it. The musical is just as good as the book (a rare occurrence in this world), but the book is more... descriptive. In a violent way. Both are definitely without a doubt PG 13+, but the more gruesome screens and dark moods lie in the book instead.
Book (as violent as it gets): People die, bodies are found (no solid description of them), there's a Torture Chamber which drives a few people to insanity, a gun, gruesome descriptions of The Phantom, a few people almost drown, kidnapping, supernatural power-y stuff. There is no sexual content beyond a PG 13 level. A very creepy tone, not recommended for ages below 15.
Movie/show (as bad as it gets): People die in violent manners (two hangings), a gun, The Phantom with his disfigured face, mild sexual content, not-so-much-kidnapping-but-still-there, supernatural power-y stuff, and that's really about it. More of a life lesson story, has a lighter and more inspiring tone to it. To be honest here, there's no specific age level I'd recommend, instead I'd simply say the show/movie is for the mature only. A few lyrics are opera too, and hard to understand, so factor that as well.
Movie is about 2 hours, plus another 40 minutes if you watch Andrew Lloyd Webber give a speech and all the original cast sing. The book is just under 200 pages. The show: plan on 4 total there. If not more.
I am greatly obsessed with The Phantom of the Opera and immensely enjoyed the book and movie. Today, it's THE best musical you can see, better than Wicked, Camelot, etc.
Now, whenever something happens in my house,
"He's there, the Phantom of the Operaaaaaaaaa!"
Top reviews from other countries
- JBReviewed in Canada on September 1, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Very nice product
Front of book was slightly damaged but otherwise good purchase.
-
ClienteReviewed in Mexico on July 6, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Buena calidad del libro
Llegó en buen estado y es muy linda la portada. Lo compré como regalo pero le dí una hojeada y se ve de buena calidad la edición.
-
Esmée BoldermanReviewed in the Netherlands on December 21, 2024
4.0 out of 5 stars Blijft een geweldig verhaal
Het blijft een mooi en meeslepend verhaal
- Poushali BhowmikReviewed in India on October 31, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Good Thriller
Loved the writing and the world building in Opera. Erik's character is dark and tragic.
-
Daniel Tadeu de Carvalho RibeiroReviewed in Brazil on August 11, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars Um Clássico Imperdível
Obra clássica, ambientada em Paris e sucesso na Broadway. Recomendado para quem gosta de histórias que misturam ficção com locações reais.