2024 the best phantom of the opera review

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Filled with the spectacle of the Paris Opera House in the nineteenth century, this classic work of suspense remains a riveting journey into the dark regions of the human heart.

The tale begins as an investigation into the strange stories of an “Opera ghost,” legendary for scaring performers as they sit alone in their dressing rooms or walk along the building’s labyrinthine corridors. Some even think they’ve seen the ghost in evening clothes moving in the shadows. But it isn’t until the triumphant performance of beautiful soprano Christine Daaé that the Phantom begins his attacks—striking terror in the hearts of everyone in the theater. A story that has captured the imagination for a century, The Phantom of the Opera continues to this day as an unparalleled work of sheer entertainment.
 
With an Introduction by Dr. John L. Flynn
and an Afterword by J.R. Ward

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Signet; Centennial ed. edition (October 5, 2010)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0451531876
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0451531872
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 18 years and up
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 910L
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.19 x 0.75 x 6.81 inches
Reviewer: Lizard Geek
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A Beautifully Crafted Book.. One You Will NOT Forget
Review: 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!"

Reviewer: Ryan
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Exceptional.
Review: This is the second time reading this book. I first read it after seeing Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical. It transports you to a different time, explaining Erik and Christine with far more depth than Broadway could ever do. The phantom was of course, more of a monster than the theatrical version. But the book did not disappoint.

Reviewer: Don Quixote
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Behind the Mask
Review: How ironic: I am reviewing a novel about a masked man who hides, at a time when wearing masks and staying indoors has become ordinary, even necessary. Gaston Leroux’s _The Phantom of the Opera_ (1910) had been in my mental list of books to read for years. I simplistically placed it in the Great French Novels category, thus setting myself up to compare it with such giants as Alexandre Dumas’ _The Count of Monte Cristo_ (1844) and Victor Hugo’s _Les Misérables_ (1862). It is not surprising, then, that my first reaction to Leroux’s novel was tepid at best. I needed to place myself in the proper context._The Phantom of the Opera_ is an incredibly simple story that focuses on a love triangle. At the center we have the singer Christine Daaé, who is loved by the aristocrat Raoul de Chagny and by a mysterious “ghost” commonly known as Erik who haunts the Paris Opera House. Erik’s motivation is a strong desire to be like everyone else. Because of his hideous appearance he must hide, but he figures he has everything he needs in his complex, labyrinthine dwelling in the underground levels of the Opera House, and all he needs is a wife. Can Christine develop feelings for him?At the most basic level, the novel will remind readers of “Beauty and the Beast,” as it deals with the possibility of love beyond physical appearance. We may, in addition, sympathize with the “villain,” as we understand his purpose even as we disapprove of his method. Under the surface, however, _The Phantom of the Opera_ is a completely different story. Leroux wrote it in three months, and his main narrative device is that of the cliffhanger, which should not come as a surprise when one considers that the novel was originally serialized. He begins by creating a mystery: who is this ghost, and how does he manage to appear and disappear so effectively? The story quickly goes from a mystery to a love story, with the appearance of Christine and Raoul. The next element is that of detective fiction, as crimes are investigated. The end of the story is narrated by a mysterious Persian who provides most of the answers concerning the ghost and his doings. By combining subgenres, Leroux varies the tone and the approach, and keeps us turning the pages.As I pointed out above, my initial reaction to the novel was quite lukewarm. I was not surprised to read that by the time the classic film (Rupert Julian, 1925) came out, the book was out of print. It had gone out of print yet again when, in the mid-eighties, Andrew Lloyd Webber decided to turn the story into a musical. I read Leroux’s novel primarily because I wanted to watch the original film, and I happen to be one of those people who must read the book first. Though not perfect, the film is a cinematic landmark the success of which inspired _Dracula_ (1931), _Frankenstein_ (1931), and countless other monster movies. The filmmakers changed the ending of the story, but the rest of the main elements are there. I have yet to hear the musical, but now that I’ve read the book I feel like that is the next logical step for me. To appreciate the novel, I reminded myself that Leroux was primarily a writer of entertainment fiction. Don’t look for explicit philosophical depth here. On the other hand, the writing is concise and engaging. _Les Misérables_ (please see my review in the appropriate place) is deep, stirring, and unforgettable, but it requires amounts of time and patience that not all readers have.To me, the central symbol here is Erik’s mask. So, what is the point of Erik hiding his face? His mask is simply more obvious than those worn by the other characters. Etymologically, the word “person” is of Etruscan origin and means “mask.” Ingmar Bergman plays with this idea in his masterpiece, _Persona_ (1966). (The great Swedish director, incidentally, once expressed the belief that cinema was primarily about the human face.) We think of a person as an individual, as “one,” but what the etymology of the word suggests is that one person wears different masks depending on the situation. Personality, in this sense, would be a multifaceted thing.We all literally wear masks now, but we wore them before too. Our current masks are frustrating because we cannot see much of the people we interact with, but also comfortable in the sense that they allow us to hide from others. I teach English at a local college, and under the current circumstances my classes meet in person only once a week. Students keep social distance and wear masks. I have never seen my students’ faces unless they have chosen to include a picture of themselves in our online platform. My classes used to be 100% interactive and collaborative; now students sit in the classroom looking straight ahead, and the vast majority of them do not participate. It has become very difficult to “read” them. On the positive side, the situation has forced me to do something I rarely did before, viz. to look people in the eyes when I talk to them. The eyes, they say, are the windows of the soul. Maybe by staring into them we can reveal the mystery. We have become, at least at the social level, “eyes without a face” (another highly recommended film). Where am I going with this? The moment in the 1925 film when Erik takes off his mask comes as a revelation and a shock. I believe the mask itself, any mask, is more terrifying than what is behind it. We are identified primarily by our facial features, and most of those are now hidden. We are now better prepared to understand Erik and see things from his perspective. Speaking of perspective, I cannot help but recall the “Eye of the Beholder” episode of The Twilight Zone, another excellent exploration of the importance of the human face.Had it not been for the film and the musical, _The Phantom of the Opera_ might well have disappeared from the shelves by now. There are many novels from the same time period that are more memorable and satisfying. This is, nevertheless, a quick, entertaining read that leaves you thinking about ever-relevant concepts such as beauty, individuality, shame, and the need for human connection. Bottom line: give it a try.Next on my list: _The Joy Luck Club_, by Amy Tan.Thanks for reading, and enjoy the book!

Reviewer: JB
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Front of book was slightly damaged but otherwise good purchase.

Reviewer: Cliente
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: 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.

Reviewer: Poushali Bhowmik
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Loved the writing and the world building in Opera. Erik's character is dark and tragic.

Reviewer: Prachtig
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Is een hele mooie boek alleen zijn de randjes ingedeukt tijdens de verzending

Reviewer: piertonto
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: E' un libro molto ben fatto.