The Phantom of the Opera (Paperback)

The writer, Leroux, spent much of his writing career as a journalist, and 'The Phantom of the Opera' is written in a style which suggests a real investigation and interview of the characters by the author (hence the continually resurfacing hope of phans that the Phantom truly existed). This style works exceedingly well, in my opinion, as it leaves plenty of mysteries for the reader to consider, reflecting the nature of the story. Debates about certain points and occurrences continue to this day!

This book truly is a must read, and as copies can be found cheaply most anywhere, you have no excuse for not reading it!

Reading through this story, one can start to think its a 'Ghost-story.' But the author, as it turns out, dedicated a part of his life to this 'Opera-Ghost,' wanting to be sure of his existence - or non-existence. He has sources, archives, spoken to the people of the time and he tells their story, and he tells it well! When I was reading this story, the possibility of this 'Phantom' of ever existing was totally ruled out in my book. What was this author thinking in seriously believing? How can one be in walls, have a bodiless voice, be here and there, be everywhere? Truth be told, the author has convinced me of his existence, that the Phantoms 'supernatural' behaviour wasn't so 'supernatural,' just a genius ahead of his time. And what a pitiful genius he was! This is one book that keeps you thinking long after you have read it.

If you know of Andrew Lloyd Webbers version, you will be impressed to learn that the book and the musical are very much different. Raoul in the musical seems brave and wise, in the book he strikes me as a pathetic love-sick puppy. A character which has no part in the musical has a dramatic effect on the real story; the Persian. Christine who seems to be a mad woman at the beginning turns into the pity stricken beauty towards the end as she is in the musical. Andre and Fermin are not so comical in the book as they are in the musical. The story is twisted and turned. So just because you have seen the musical, does not mean you know the story of the Phantom of the Opera!

This book is a very smooth, easy read, being written in the early nineteen-hundreds. Its possible to get mixed up with names, but the characters that you do get mixed up with are extremely unimportant to the plot, so it doesn't really matter. The narrative keeps you reading and you will curse whatever it is from every day life that pulls you away from it.

The character of the Phantom will stay with you forever, but also they're are two mysteries which I just can't figure out. According to the Persian there was someone in a cloak that brushed past himself and Raoul when down in the cellars. The author never comes to explain who this person is, as the Persian who told him about this, asked him not to. Also, there is a 'rat-catcher.' Fair enough. But it seems that his head is on fire and he has no body. The phantom's supernatural actions has been explained as physically possible...but this 'rat-catcher'?

Compelling stuff. I can't recommend this masterpiece enough.