5.41k reviews for:

Το φάντασμα της όπερας

Gaston Leroux

3.77 AVERAGE

marmaireadsbooks's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

jahlapenos's review against another edition

4.0

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I think I probably enjoyed this more reading it now than I did whenever I read it in high school or junior high when I was too enthralled by Lloyd Webber's Phantom to let Leroux's stand on its own. Granted it was difficult to read without Lloyd Webber's music playing in the background and juxtaposing what I knew of it (i.e. characters, costumes, vocal inflections) onto what Leroux wrote, but there is so much more here. The Phantom isn't just the ugly father-figure in love with his pupil-daughter: he appears to be all things that frighten a staunch middle class, even extending to gender (e.g. in at least two points he is the siren that attempts to lead men to a watery grave).

Leroux's writing can at times be quite pulpy, but I'm sure this made it even more popular at the time and more readable now. It brought not only a horrific story but a look into the world of Parisian Opera; at times, it seemed that Leroux point in writing had less to do with the Phantom, Christine, and Raoul but more with the Opera building itself: the catwalks, the cellars, the stage, and the horror story itself was just dressing...the opera being performed on stage, so that we could see the performance from our box, the spine tingling chill of sitting in Box Five, which to some degree, that is what the book is - the vicarious thrill of the opera, the play, something we can experience from the safety of an enclosed space.

elefg_666's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

hanyaz13's review against another edition

5.0

funny mysterious

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surprisingly very easy to read and very funny. poor unfortunate erik (he's an asshole tho). 5 stars bcs i liked the vibe

boastybooks's review against another edition

3.0

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

storyteller_45's review against another edition

2.0

dark funny slow-paced

pem's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional funny sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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erik, i loooveeee yooouuu……

natcatsbookishcafe's review against another edition

3.5

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I can't decide if the fact that I'm a fan of the opera/movie version of this book is working in its favor or against it.

This book didn't quite give me what I was looking for; I was hoping for a love story to the world of opera with beautiful descriptions and the vibes of a romantic suspense, but I mostly just got a mystery with a telenovela amount of drama and crying. I felt the characters were all wimpier versions of their movie selves and sometimes the drama got too much, were if felt a bit silly. 

I don't read books like this very often, so I'm sure its just not my style. I will say that I think the translator did a great job since I though the story as a whole had a good flow. I did have fun during many parts of this book, but overall it just wasn't what I was hoping for.

nathalia_watkins's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

j_augustlarson's review against another edition

5.0

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I have read The Phantom of the Opera eight times, and it never fails to let me fall in love with it over and over again. Gaston Leroux's writing style is extraordinarily unique and gives us something that isn't what would be expected of a tragic love story (especially if you're a fan of the musical or any of the film adaptations). Much like Christine Daaé's singing, this novel is a triumph in every sense of the word, and I imagine it will remain my favorite book for a very, very long time.