Apr
17
Last night I finished reading Phantom of the Opera and I must say that I did really enjoy it. It was a bit different than some of the lighter stuff that I usually read. I’ve seen the stage play/musical several times and we own the movie so I was already familiar with the story. It is a horror/mystery romance that takes place in the late 1800’s in the Paris Opera House. The phantom is a deformed musical genius who lives a life of seclusion on the underground lake below the Opera house and takes on Christine Daae as a protegee. He tells her that the spirit of her dead father sent him to her as the “Angel of Music”. He gives her lessons and she achieves sudden fame on the stage. Her childhood sweetheart Raoul, the Vicomte de Chagny sees her again on stage and falls in love with her and the Phantom becomes very jealous. Thus begins the rivalry and battle for the heart and hand of Christine.
I found a few differences between the musical version and the book, not too surprising I suppose. It might have been more helpful to me if I had read this before I ever saw the play the first time! For some reason I’ve never picked up before that the Phantom had a name, Erik. “Poor unhappy Erik.” You find out so much more of his background in the book. Another thing is that I think in the book his character is a lot more evil than how he is portrayed on stage; the torture scene toward the end of the book is an example of that (and that wasn’t in the play). A character in the book who I thought was a major one, the Persian, was totally left out of the stage version……I suppose that Madame Giry would be the one that filled that role. The Persian and his narrative takes up a good portion of the end of the book and is the one who goes to the Phantom’s lair with Raoul.
Also I thought that Raoul and maybe Christine seemed more young and immature in the book; you get the sense that they are young in the musical versions but it seemed more so to me reading it. Raoul seemed more impetuous, less strong than how I’ve always thought of him in the musical but maybe it’s been too long since I’ve seen it. I had a hard time in the beginning getting into reading it but I’m glad that I stuck with it. It’s a good read, a tragic love story.
Hard to say which I’d like better, book or musical. I loved the stage version and the music is fantastic, the show is very grand and sweeping and beautiful and sad! I enjoyed knowing more of the details that I got in the book. I wonder sometimes if it depends on which you do first, read the book or see the stage play, as to what you’ll like better.
In this case I say do BOTH! Read the book and definitely see the stage version, outstanding!
April 17th, 2007 at 3:50 pm
Thanks! I’ll give it some consideration when I want some deep reading material.
April 17th, 2007 at 4:02 pm
Very interesting, Gail. I’ve got the opera on CD, a gift from my sister Bev, and I’ve seen movie renditions, but I’ve never read the book. It sounds like it would be very deep reading. I think I just might give this a go since I almost always like a book better than a movie. Thanks for the review!
April 17th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
Hmmm, I doubt I will ever see the play/musical in my lifetime. Just not our thing. We’d go to football games 10 times out of 10 and skip musicals, you know us.
However, maybe I need to borrow the movie from you sometime in the distant future. 🙂
Great review Gail, very well written and insightful!
April 17th, 2007 at 6:37 pm
Glad you ended up enjoying it! I really did like that book and it gave me a greater love for the music, play and movie. I need to read it again now 🙂
April 17th, 2007 at 7:05 pm
Gail, I’ve started the book, but had to put it aside for a couple of days – a new library book just came in and I want to get that one finished and returned.
Glad that you liked Phantom. I’ve seen the play and the movie and loved them both. Looking forward to finding out more about Erik.
April 17th, 2007 at 8:23 pm
I didn’t even realize it was a book–I thought it was only a play/movie! I have to admit that B. and I stopped watching the movie halfway through. We just couldn’t get into and the music drove us crazy! Sorry! I think I would like it better on stage.
April 17th, 2007 at 9:33 pm
Can you believe I’ve never seen the movie or the play? Maybe I’ll have to read the books one of these days. I’ve got too many on the to be read pile for a while, but it sounds good.
April 17th, 2007 at 9:38 pm
“Close your eyes, for your eyes will only tell the truth, and the truth isn’t what you want to see…” I LOVE THIS SONG! When we saw POTO in Atlanta (many years ago) the guy playing the phantom was Craig Schulman. He is the only person (at least at that time) to have played BOTH phantam and Jean val Jean from Les Miserables. OH, he was so good. When he finished this song, I was just speechless…I wanted to rewind the musical and listen to him again. I may have to pick this one up after all my tests are over…sounds like one I’d enjoy.
April 17th, 2007 at 10:12 pm
Well color me out of it, but I had no idea this was a book. I might have to give it a try.
Also to answer your question at my site about the beef and barley, yest it is cooked in the crock. If you want to email me, I’ll forward you the recipe. It was easy and a nice change.
April 18th, 2007 at 5:32 am
I read the book long before I saw the musical in Toronto. Both were good but as you say, different. I’ll have to watch that one again on DVD. I could be in a mood for that music!
April 18th, 2007 at 6:23 am
Geez…I am so uncultured! I have neither read it or seen it. Suppose I ought to do something about that one of these days.
April 18th, 2007 at 10:49 am
“Phantom” is hands down my favorite show *ever*. the music in that show just blows me away.
i haven’t read this Phantom book, but i did read the book “Phantom” by Susan Kay. it was dark but really good. it is literally Erik’s entire life, including the part that the show covers at the Opera House. you meet his parents, before he is even conceived. you follow him as a child. and then to his stay with Gypsies. to Italy. and Persia. and Russia. finally to France where the familiar part of his story takes place.
he does seem far more sinister in the book version. i thought he was more despairing in the show than anything else. as dark as the book was though, it was very good — speaking for the one i read anyway. i may have to pick up this one & see if they are similar to one another.