Reviews tagging 'Murder'

The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

51 reviews

jobaji's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

I thought this book was pretty interesting! It was told in a cool way, with Leroux assuming the role of a historian or reporter. Some of Erik’s lines were truly spine-chilling, but the themes of nature vs. nurture and showing compassion to those whom most people would turn away from were definitely worthy of further thought. It’s a slow read at the start, but towards the middle the story starts to pick up.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death of parent, Stalking, Death, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Abandonment

alicearaujoms's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Kidnapping, and Murder

lleer's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping and Murder

Moderate: Suicide attempt and Suicide

fishbones's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, and Murder

Moderate: Suicide

linnylionheart's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Stalking, Emotional abuse, Torture, Confinement, Kidnapping, Death, Gaslighting, and Murder

Moderate: Bullying, Mental illness, Classism, Suicide attempt, and Suicide

Minor: Child abuse, Misogyny, Blood, and Death of parent

mengzhenreads's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

You can feel the emotion pouring from every crevice of this book. Definitely different from the musical, but just as original, moving, and dramatic.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Torture, Death, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Death of parent, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

smithreads's review

adventurous dark emotional funny informative reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Murder, Stalking, Violence, Death of parent, Body horror, Classism, Grief, Kidnapping, Torture, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Gun violence, and Racism

allylund9's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

At first I thought it very slow and also perhaps worse than I had expected it to be after seeing the movie and the musical. But now after I’ve finished it I can without a doubt say that I have not read a book this great in years. In one night I finished the ending because I could not tear myself away from it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping and Murder

toffishay's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense slow-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

3.0

I was a bit disappointed by this book. I found it to be very slow and the writing style made it hard to keep up at times. It gets really slow in the middle and then all the action is in the last 50 pages or so. I also think that the approach of writing it almost like an investigative journalist was a detriment to the story; without the perspective of our main characters, I found it a little hard to connect with them. Of course, there are some very unfortunate racial stereotypes in here particularly with the character of the "Persian" who is never named beyond that. And as much as Christine fits into the characterization of a female Gothic heroine, she lacks the agency that would make me feel like this is her story. She is pulled around by everyone else, with just enough of a hint of a real character to make it disappointing that we get so little of it. Not terrible, but not the best. I think Wuthering Heights does a lot of this style and themes better

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death and Murder

Minor: Racism and Sexism

sarasreading's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This was an enjoyable reread! I haven't read it since I was in high school, and I thoroughly enjoyed it then as well. I remember it was the first book that gave me a jump, but I couldn't tell you what that point was this time around. 

There was some meandering about, and a few chapters at the end that were too bloated in my opinion. But it was an easy and engaging classic for the spooky season!

p.s. there was a part where one of the managers was backing into his office, extremely butt first, and all I picture was him twerking his way back lol 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder, Stalking, and Kidnapping