Reviews - Фантома на операта

5.46k reviews for:

Фантома на операта

Gaston Leroux

3.77 AVERAGE

mldutoff's review against another edition

3.5

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

reverie_and_books's review against another edition

2.5

funny mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Rating: 2.5 - please choose another translation than I did (Mattos; Macmillan Collectors Library)

After reading this novel I should really go and watch an adaptation. I understand why a story about an opera ghost is best situated on an opera stage. Like books about books but with an opera in an opera. Enough of that.

Even though it’s short, it felt like a lengthy read; one I was happy to be done with. I feels a bit like a murder mystery, but with a twist I will not give away, even though it is the most fun part of this novel. It’s a wiiiild ride. One I was not ready for.

"Nothing was colder than his heart, nothing was half so dead: he had loved an angel and now he despised a woman!"

The opera in question is Opéra Garnier. I should have googled that before reading, it’s simply majestic and would have pushed my enjoyment forward a bit.

The same goes for the translation. I bought this copy on a whim (Macmillan Collectors Library) and found out later that it is not the best translation out there (but the oldest by Mattos; hence free for publishers to use).

Overall: I’m glad to have read it. I’m also glad to be done with it. I think translations are key and murder-mystery-like novels are generally not my fave. The story itself is fun and weird and worthwhile.

This Opera Ghost is not at all a ghost - even though he is very good at pretending. It’s man, a very unlucky and ugly, albeit smart man. A man no woman would look after. I bet he just could have taken a little bit more care for himself and this huge dilemma would have been prevented. It’s a bit hilarious, to be honest.