The Phantom of the Opera Paperback – April 8, 2014

For 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!"

This 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.

Front of book was slightly damaged but otherwise good purchase.

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.

Obra clássica, ambientada em Paris e sucesso na Broadway. Recomendado para quem gosta de histórias que misturam ficção com locações reais.

Is een hele mooie boek alleen zijn de randjes ingedeukt tijdens de verzending

E' un libro molto ben fatto.