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After seeing the Broadway Show three times and watching two different movies about THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, I decided to read the book that started it all.
Keep in mind Gaston Leroux wrote this book over one hundred years ago. Back then he was already well known for his unorthodox writing style. As well, back then books were written with a very different feel and a much higher level of education is reflected. Look at what we have today. Harry Potter, written for children. The Da Vinci Code, hardly a tome that jogs your memory of flowery vocabulary. Plus, Leroux was a Frenchman writing PURPOSELY in English. Indeed, I must admit that I had to reread the first chapters a couple times just to get used to the style as well and the abbreviations since they are not consistent with modern day English of United States.
The book is written in an investigatory fashion, somewhat like a detailed detective's report. Also, it actually STARTS with the ending, and the story has to then unfold to explain it.
This is when I typically run into a wall with my reviews. How much information will I divulge? I think this book is very worthwhile to read, so I won't tell much but maybe some clues. If you saw the musical versions you probably wonder what was with the nooses. You may wonder how Eric, The Opera Ghost, came to have a home beneath the Paris Opera House. How old is Eric? Where had he been and what had he done his entire life before meeting Miss Daae? Also, once you've read those pages you'll know what the author truly had in mind regarding the Opera Ghost's afflictions. Verily, the closest image to how Leroux described Eric was on the cover of the edition of the book I read, and it's above in this very review.
So, you may gather, by now that I will not go into any details from the book in this review. It's worth the time you invest by reading it. It's delightfully written, and charming. You can be cheerful one moment and utterly disgusted the next by the descriptions and writings within this tome. I suggest reading it very slowly and savoring it like a fine wine over a vacation.
In conclusion, I suggest reading this book. There are many editions out there readily available.
And if you were interested in learning more about Gaston Leroux, check out some info about him on Answers.com:
http://www.answers.com/topic/gaston-leroux
Keep in mind Gaston Leroux wrote this book over one hundred years ago. Back then he was already well known for his unorthodox writing style. As well, back then books were written with a very different feel and a much higher level of education is reflected. Look at what we have today. Harry Potter, written for children. The Da Vinci Code, hardly a tome that jogs your memory of flowery vocabulary. Plus, Leroux was a Frenchman writing PURPOSELY in English. Indeed, I must admit that I had to reread the first chapters a couple times just to get used to the style as well and the abbreviations since they are not consistent with modern day English of United States.
The book is written in an investigatory fashion, somewhat like a detailed detective's report. Also, it actually STARTS with the ending, and the story has to then unfold to explain it.
This is when I typically run into a wall with my reviews. How much information will I divulge? I think this book is very worthwhile to read, so I won't tell much but maybe some clues. If you saw the musical versions you probably wonder what was with the nooses. You may wonder how Eric, The Opera Ghost, came to have a home beneath the Paris Opera House. How old is Eric? Where had he been and what had he done his entire life before meeting Miss Daae? Also, once you've read those pages you'll know what the author truly had in mind regarding the Opera Ghost's afflictions. Verily, the closest image to how Leroux described Eric was on the cover of the edition of the book I read, and it's above in this very review.
So, you may gather, by now that I will not go into any details from the book in this review. It's worth the time you invest by reading it. It's delightfully written, and charming. You can be cheerful one moment and utterly disgusted the next by the descriptions and writings within this tome. I suggest reading it very slowly and savoring it like a fine wine over a vacation.
In conclusion, I suggest reading this book. There are many editions out there readily available.
And if you were interested in learning more about Gaston Leroux, check out some info about him on Answers.com:
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