Skip to main content

So much to say about...

The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux. Wow! I don't even know where to start. What an amazing book!

I started reading it on Wednesday night and finished it this morning. I seriously didn't get out of bed til after noon because I wanted to finish it so bad. I just couldn't put it down (in between my work shifts and sleep of course). I didn't want to put it down. I actually fell asleep reading last night. I don't even remember falling asleep or turning the light off apparently. But I just remember reading one minute and waking up the next.

It was such a good book. It far exceeded my expectations. I have seen (and absolutely love!) the movie based on Andrew Lloyd Webber's broadway musical. The one starring Gerard Butler. Yup. That one. And I love it. It was one of the first things that got me interested in opera at about the same time that I started taking voice lessons from a girl in my church who sings opera... legitimately. Her degree is in musical performance, focus in opera. She is amazing. ANYWAY. The book is amazing. I was worried that since I love the movie I would hate the book. But in all reality, I may love the book more than the movie now.

Gaston Leroux's characters may not have a lot of definition and come off as being very shallow in every way possible. The one character he did incredible with was the Opera Ghost. He put so much into creating the shady character of Erik (or Opera Ghost or Phantom... whichever you prefer) that it really defined and shaped the book itself. Along with the character of Erik, he put incredible detail in describing the opera house and it very much did become the main stage for everything that happened in the book. Every chapter left something hanging. Whether it was the voice. Or the music. Or just the descriptions of the surroundings which Erik was so familiar with and left others completely lost, scared or confused. There was always something left hanging until the next chapter (or sometimes even a few chapters). Erik was this mysterious person who seemed to be a ghost, yet flesh and blood. He obviously had some mental issues, but at the same time one's heart just aches for him, his humanity and his desire to be loved.

Christine, Raoul and the other characters were sadly very shallow. That is one thing that the movie did much better on. But at the same time if they had had more depth then the story would have changed and shifted drastically. It wouldn't have been about the Opera Ghost nearly as much I think. And since the book is titled The Phantom of the Opera it makes sense that Gaston Leroux wouldn't have put as much depth into the other characters.

I was so pleased with the book. Leroux's writing was definitely entertaining and was good enough to keep me hooked. And that's saying quite a lot since I tend to be very particular with the types of writing styles I like. But nonetheless... The Phantom of the Opera was a fantastic classic read. It wasn't super long. The copy I read was only 280 pages. And it was so worth the time.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Am I afraid of a certain Classic?

I haven't written here much at all. Mostly because I have been blogging over at my other site and just haven't had much to write in regards to books and reading here. But this month's discussion question for Classic Club members is one I just couldn't pass by:  What classic piece of literature most intimidates you, and why? Or, are you intimidated by the classics, and why? And has your view changed at all since you joined our club? I think the two major pieces of classic literature that I am most intimidated by are the works of William Shakespeare and Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. I am usually not intimidated by the Classics. In fact, I lov e reading C lassics and have begun quite the collection on my shelves. B ut those t wo men and their writings stare me in the face like a brick wall that I'll never be able to climb over.  I have read Victor Hugo's Th e Hunchback of Notre Dame and absolutely hated it . There were sections in the book where it ...

Dickens in December

What is your favorite memory of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol? Have you ever read it? If not, will you? Why should others read it rather than relying on the film adaptions? So, I have to be completely honest and make a confession... I have never in my almost 24 years of life and 20ish years of reading ever actually finished a book by Charles Dickens. I own all of his books (whether in hard copy or on my Nook), but I have never actually finished one of his works. I attempted to read Oliver Twist and David Copperfield back when I was in junior high and maybe high school. But I gave up not long after starting them. I have seen the movies, in fact they are two of my favorite movies of all time, but sadly I have failed in reading the books. And honestly, I have no idea why. I think back when I first tried to read them they were just a little too hard for me. The older English grammar. The more detailed and intricate story-lines. They just made it hard for me to get through. With tha...

Top Ten Tuesday: Summer Reads

It's "Top Ten Tuesday" from The Broke and the Bookish and this week's topic is about what books am I looking forward to reading this summer. So here's my list! 1. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien. This is a re-read for me, but I am excited to do it as a group-read/event. 2. Candide by Voltaire. I am actually starting this one today and looking forward to it since it sounds so intriguing and tackles a tough topic. 3.. The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett. I have seen the movie countless times, but I never read the book. It's already sitting on my shelf and just waiting to be opened. 4. Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. I have been wanting to read this book since it came out. But never got the chance. So, I am going to make time for it this summer. 5. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. I just finished her sister's Jane Eyre and can't wait to be introduced into Emily's writing style. 6. Mixed Signals by Liz Curti...