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thereaderofbooks89's review
4.0
I honestly have no idea how I found this book. I think it was when I was doing a search for Phantom.
I was intrigued when I saw that this was part of a series called Dark Musicals, as I am a fan of those types of musicals. Who says that musicals have to have a happy ending and be all sunshine and rainbows?
There are grammatical errors in the version I read that did annoy me to know end, I have no idea which one it was that I read, so perhaps some of them have been fixed since then.
Despite the errors, I still read the book and thought it was alright, despite the ending, which I won't spoil here. To me, the ending felt bland and forced, with the villain not really having any real importance, except for a few small parts here and there.
Some of the characters felt more developed than others, with some just feeling bland, even further on in the series.
The plot felt very rushed and slow at the same time, with some parts seeming rushed and other parts, perhaps ones not as important being dragged on and on.
However, I still enjoy this book and do find myself going back and rereading it from time to time. Because, as I said earlier, I love Dark Musicals. And this story (and the sequels) are just that: messy, chaotic, depressing. But in a very good way.
I was intrigued when I saw that this was part of a series called Dark Musicals, as I am a fan of those types of musicals. Who says that musicals have to have a happy ending and be all sunshine and rainbows?
There are grammatical errors in the version I read that did annoy me to know end, I have no idea which one it was that I read, so perhaps some of them have been fixed since then.
Despite the errors, I still read the book and thought it was alright, despite the ending, which I won't spoil here. To me, the ending felt bland and forced, with the villain not really having any real importance, except for a few small parts here and there.
Some of the characters felt more developed than others, with some just feeling bland, even further on in the series.
The plot felt very rushed and slow at the same time, with some parts seeming rushed and other parts, perhaps ones not as important being dragged on and on.
However, I still enjoy this book and do find myself going back and rereading it from time to time. Because, as I said earlier, I love Dark Musicals. And this story (and the sequels) are just that: messy, chaotic, depressing. But in a very good way.
booksbeaches's review
5.0
Wow! I am not a YA reader. I won this book recently in a giveaway and I truly enjoyed it. Laura DeLuca nailed how teenagers can be so easily swayed by the feelings of their piers. There's the outcast and the popular kids, all seasoned with suspicious death. And maybe a part of me liked being reminded when I loved goth guys. It was nice to hear someone swoon of black eyeliner and wallets on chains other than me. Will be looking into other books by this author.
eyreguide's review
5.0
I read that the author’s influences includes R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike, and I think this novel fits perfectly into that particular category of Young Adult thrillers. I used to devour those kinds of books when I was in high school, and I felt transported to that time while reading Phantom - totally caught up in the story and drama and suspense, and trying to figure out whodunit. Stories like these always seem to have a certain formula to them though, so quite a bit before the end of the book I guessed who the killer was, but I still didn’t understand why. The suspenseful romance in this book - which mirrors the love triangle in The Phantom of the Opera - also kept me turning pages, as it is so intense and mercurial. Although the love triangle reflects Christine's dilemma in the original book very well, I felt that in this novel it is much clearer who Rebecca should end up with so the suspense does not lie so much in that direction but in whether the two will be able to be together.
I was really impressed by how the author worked in aspects of the musical to reflect the action of the story and even how lyrics from the songs in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical were re-written to still reflect their lyric counterpart. An example - spinning off Music of the Night:
“Let the music touch your soul.
Let the darkness make you whole.
Do not fear what is unknown.
Your true path has now been shown.
Listen to the words I sing.
Embrace the peace that night will bring.”
There were nods to the original novel as well, making this book a fantastic tribute to The Phantom of the Opera.
Rebecca, thankfully, is a stronger character than the character she plays in the musical, although Rebecca can be pretty indecisive and does make her share of bad decisions which made me want to shake her. She can pull herself together when she needs to and the moments when she takes charge are some of the best in the book. Justyn is especially mesmerizing as the shunned, misunderstood new kid, with manners and wit and intelligence. I loved the scenes between him and Rebecca! The story is rounded out with a properly nail-biting conclusion and a few surprises. This is such a fast-paced, well-woven tale, every bit as beguiling as the Phantom himself!
I was really impressed by how the author worked in aspects of the musical to reflect the action of the story and even how lyrics from the songs in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical were re-written to still reflect their lyric counterpart. An example - spinning off Music of the Night:
“Let the music touch your soul.
Let the darkness make you whole.
Do not fear what is unknown.
Your true path has now been shown.
Listen to the words I sing.
Embrace the peace that night will bring.”
There were nods to the original novel as well, making this book a fantastic tribute to The Phantom of the Opera.
Rebecca, thankfully, is a stronger character than the character she plays in the musical, although Rebecca can be pretty indecisive and does make her share of bad decisions which made me want to shake her. She can pull herself together when she needs to and the moments when she takes charge are some of the best in the book. Justyn is especially mesmerizing as the shunned, misunderstood new kid, with manners and wit and intelligence. I loved the scenes between him and Rebecca! The story is rounded out with a properly nail-biting conclusion and a few surprises. This is such a fast-paced, well-woven tale, every bit as beguiling as the Phantom himself!
katiebookqueen's review
3.0
Phantom had me hooked from just reading the synopsis. I was completely drawn in by the idea of a modern twist on the story of The Phantom of the Opera.
Phantom follows Rebecca during her senior year. Throughout her high school life she has stayed in the shadows but when she discovers that the school play for the year will be Phantom of the Opera, she just has to audition. After the play is cast, all hell starts to break loose.
There are so many unpredictable twists throughout the book. The plot is seriously awesome – I actually couldn’t stop reading.
The characters are fabulous. Rebecca’s typical high school life before she gets the part in the play is very relatable. She is strong when she needs to be and is a very likable character.
Justyn, or should I say Lord Justyn, is totally awesome. I adored him and his lifestyle - he isn't your average teenage guy! He is a fascinating character to read about and I can totally understand why Rebecca is so taken by him. The building of the relationship between him and Rebecca is adorable.
I also liked Tom. He was sweet and I did feel sympathy towards him throughout the story. The three of them made a really entertaining love triangle and there were some funnier moments when Tom and Justyn were both fighting for Rebecca’s affections.
The ending was spectacular! I couldn’t see it coming from a mile off. It was such a spooky and heart-racing ending to everything.
Phantom was a great mysterious read and I definitely recommend it to anyone, especially lovers of a good mystery thriller! There are plenty of 'OMG!' moments to keep you entertained until the end.
Phantom follows Rebecca during her senior year. Throughout her high school life she has stayed in the shadows but when she discovers that the school play for the year will be Phantom of the Opera, she just has to audition. After the play is cast, all hell starts to break loose.
There are so many unpredictable twists throughout the book. The plot is seriously awesome – I actually couldn’t stop reading.
The characters are fabulous. Rebecca’s typical high school life before she gets the part in the play is very relatable. She is strong when she needs to be and is a very likable character.
Justyn, or should I say Lord Justyn, is totally awesome. I adored him and his lifestyle - he isn't your average teenage guy! He is a fascinating character to read about and I can totally understand why Rebecca is so taken by him. The building of the relationship between him and Rebecca is adorable.
I also liked Tom. He was sweet and I did feel sympathy towards him throughout the story. The three of them made a really entertaining love triangle and there were some funnier moments when Tom and Justyn were both fighting for Rebecca’s affections.
The ending was spectacular! I couldn’t see it coming from a mile off. It was such a spooky and heart-racing ending to everything.
Phantom was a great mysterious read and I definitely recommend it to anyone, especially lovers of a good mystery thriller! There are plenty of 'OMG!' moments to keep you entertained until the end.
postitsandpens's review
4.0
This review plus a link to a pretty awesome giveaway will be posted to my blog on 10/24/12. Please check it out!
***
When I first read the synopsis for this book, I was instantly intrigued; a retelling of Phantom of the Opera set in a modern-day high school? For that's really what this is; while the characters are performing the musical themselves, their lives take on a rather Phantom-ish edge. I wasn't expecting the darkness of this book - it reminded me quite a bit of one of those slasher films, because there was quite a bit of death and destruction - and I found myself eagerly devouring every single word, waiting to see how things would play out. One thing Mrs. DeLuca did well was set up the mood and atmosphere of this book; the reader goes between the happenings of play rehearsals through the characters' high school drama, but overlaying it all is this threat of darkness that definitely comes to affect everyone. I also loved how she changed the words of the famous Andrew Lloyd Webber songs to make them her own; the theme of the lyrics stayed the same, but was made to fit the plot of her book, and I find that super creative and give her major props!
Now I would be remiss if I failed to mention the one thing I was concerned about the most, and that is the love triangle. Yes, there IS a love triangle, and I know that for some that's probably a really off-putting element. BUT, you have to remember that this book mirrors the musical almost exactly, and there is a rather huge love triangle in the plot of the musical itself. And while it DID grate on me - seriously, the whole "two boys fighting over one girl" thing is not only annoying but also unrealistic, because I have NEVER seen this actually happen in reality - it worked really well with the entire plot of the book. Much of the love triangle actually has more to do with learning to see beneath the exterior that people present and having to let go of your preconceived notions and assumptions, and I think that's a pretty awesome thing to be teaching teens - and anyone else - who may read this book. So while I am not a fan of love triangles, this was one time when I was willing to set my distaste for the trope aside to see what the author had in mind for her readers. And honestly, she handled it really well, particularly with how she weaved the tale of Raoul, Christine and the Phantom together with the "real" lives of Becca, Tom and Justyn.
This book leaves the reader constantly guessing as to who the person is behind the threats to Becca and the others. And I am not ashamed to say that I actually had no idea who it was, and the reveal definitely had me raising my eyebrows in surprise; there is no heavy-handed foreshadowing here, and I LOVED that - for once - I wasn't able to guess anything. So kudos to the author for writing the mystery in a way that left me reeling! I can say with 100% honesty that I DEFINITELY didn't see it coming.
If you're interested in a book that will have you eagerly turning pages while wrapping you up in a truly suspenseful plot and some very real characters, I would highly recommend Phantom. I can safely say that this book has something for every reader!
A copy of this book was provided to me by YANR Blog Tours.
***
To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!
***
When I first read the synopsis for this book, I was instantly intrigued; a retelling of Phantom of the Opera set in a modern-day high school? For that's really what this is; while the characters are performing the musical themselves, their lives take on a rather Phantom-ish edge. I wasn't expecting the darkness of this book - it reminded me quite a bit of one of those slasher films, because there was quite a bit of death and destruction - and I found myself eagerly devouring every single word, waiting to see how things would play out. One thing Mrs. DeLuca did well was set up the mood and atmosphere of this book; the reader goes between the happenings of play rehearsals through the characters' high school drama, but overlaying it all is this threat of darkness that definitely comes to affect everyone. I also loved how she changed the words of the famous Andrew Lloyd Webber songs to make them her own; the theme of the lyrics stayed the same, but was made to fit the plot of her book, and I find that super creative and give her major props!
Now I would be remiss if I failed to mention the one thing I was concerned about the most, and that is the love triangle. Yes, there IS a love triangle, and I know that for some that's probably a really off-putting element. BUT, you have to remember that this book mirrors the musical almost exactly, and there is a rather huge love triangle in the plot of the musical itself. And while it DID grate on me - seriously, the whole "two boys fighting over one girl" thing is not only annoying but also unrealistic, because I have NEVER seen this actually happen in reality - it worked really well with the entire plot of the book. Much of the love triangle actually has more to do with learning to see beneath the exterior that people present and having to let go of your preconceived notions and assumptions, and I think that's a pretty awesome thing to be teaching teens - and anyone else - who may read this book. So while I am not a fan of love triangles, this was one time when I was willing to set my distaste for the trope aside to see what the author had in mind for her readers. And honestly, she handled it really well, particularly with how she weaved the tale of Raoul, Christine and the Phantom together with the "real" lives of Becca, Tom and Justyn.
This book leaves the reader constantly guessing as to who the person is behind the threats to Becca and the others. And I am not ashamed to say that I actually had no idea who it was, and the reveal definitely had me raising my eyebrows in surprise; there is no heavy-handed foreshadowing here, and I LOVED that - for once - I wasn't able to guess anything. So kudos to the author for writing the mystery in a way that left me reeling! I can say with 100% honesty that I DEFINITELY didn't see it coming.
If you're interested in a book that will have you eagerly turning pages while wrapping you up in a truly suspenseful plot and some very real characters, I would highly recommend Phantom. I can safely say that this book has something for every reader!
A copy of this book was provided to me by YANR Blog Tours.
***
To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!
danjvrobertson's review
4.0
A portion of my review for my blog, The Reader's Commute. Find the whole thing here: http://thereaderscommute.blogspot.com/2012/11/phantom-by-laura-deluca.html
Rebecca, with the singing voice of an angel, lands the role of Christine in her high school's production of The Phantom of the Opera. She falls into her own personal love triangle between Tom, the dashing athlete who plays Raoul, and Justyn, the mysterious Goth who plays the Phantom. I was never that lucky! However, the story that follows is not just a typical romance; there are darker things at work, too. As the actors rehearse for the show, tragedies happen onstage and off. Rebecca receives threatening notes and phone calls that tie in with the disasters that happen in The Phantom of the Opera story. As the story progresses these tragedies escalate.
As a reader, I had to suspend my disbelief when I read about each "accident" that occurred. The serious nature of these happenings, told with a level of detail that made them much more chilling, had me asking myself, "Really? Would the show really go on after this?" I at least wondered why a guidance counselor or a police officer didn't speak to the cast. DeLuca knows what she's doing, though, because this disbelief did not keep me from reading. Another thing that took me out of the story were the rewritten Phantom lyrics scattered throughout the book. I'm sure the actual Andrew Lloyd Webber lyrics couldn't be used for copyright reasons, but I felt as if some of them were a little forced and silly. I did, however, get the actual lyrics stuck in my head as a result! Really, I must drive my friends and family crazy.
The characters in Phantom are expertly-crafted. As I hungrily sped through the 262 pages, I really felt like I knew Rebecca, Tom, and Justyn (who prefers to be called Lord Justyn, which really tickled my funny bone...). I also felt just as confused as Becca as I tried to unravel the mystery of the culprit's identity. Who was the one causing all of the accidents? One chapter had me suspecting a certain character, while another chapter had me changing my mind completely. I was flip-flopping up until the end - and when the identity of the one responsible was revealed, I was taken by surprise! While Phantom may have been (pleasantly) predictable as far as the love story goes, DeLuca did a wonderful job of keeping me on my toes as far as the mystery aspect was concerned.
Rebecca, with the singing voice of an angel, lands the role of Christine in her high school's production of The Phantom of the Opera. She falls into her own personal love triangle between Tom, the dashing athlete who plays Raoul, and Justyn, the mysterious Goth who plays the Phantom. I was never that lucky! However, the story that follows is not just a typical romance; there are darker things at work, too. As the actors rehearse for the show, tragedies happen onstage and off. Rebecca receives threatening notes and phone calls that tie in with the disasters that happen in The Phantom of the Opera story. As the story progresses these tragedies escalate.
As a reader, I had to suspend my disbelief when I read about each "accident" that occurred. The serious nature of these happenings, told with a level of detail that made them much more chilling, had me asking myself, "Really? Would the show really go on after this?" I at least wondered why a guidance counselor or a police officer didn't speak to the cast. DeLuca knows what she's doing, though, because this disbelief did not keep me from reading. Another thing that took me out of the story were the rewritten Phantom lyrics scattered throughout the book. I'm sure the actual Andrew Lloyd Webber lyrics couldn't be used for copyright reasons, but I felt as if some of them were a little forced and silly. I did, however, get the actual lyrics stuck in my head as a result! Really, I must drive my friends and family crazy.
The characters in Phantom are expertly-crafted. As I hungrily sped through the 262 pages, I really felt like I knew Rebecca, Tom, and Justyn (who prefers to be called Lord Justyn, which really tickled my funny bone...). I also felt just as confused as Becca as I tried to unravel the mystery of the culprit's identity. Who was the one causing all of the accidents? One chapter had me suspecting a certain character, while another chapter had me changing my mind completely. I was flip-flopping up until the end - and when the identity of the one responsible was revealed, I was taken by surprise! While Phantom may have been (pleasantly) predictable as far as the love story goes, DeLuca did a wonderful job of keeping me on my toes as far as the mystery aspect was concerned.
nannyf's review
5.0
Rebecca Hope has always loved Phantom of the Opera, so when she discovers that it is the play her high school are putting on she decides to try for a part.
She finds herself in the lead role of Christine playing opposite Justyn Patko, as Erik, and Tom Rittenhouse, as Raoul. Rebecca has always had a crush on Tom but he has never even noticed her, as far as she knows. Justyn is a Goth who attracts the wrong kind of attention, but Rebecca gets to know him more and finds she likes him also.
Their story starts to mirror that of the play as Rebecca struggles with her feelings for both Tom and Justyn.
Alongside the romance there is also a darker side to this story. Accidents start happening, Rebecca receives threats, and people start to get hurt. Everyone suspects Justyn is behind it all, is he being set up or is he, in fact, hiding the real Justyn very well?
When the final scenes begin to unfold I was totally thrown. I didn't see it coming at all, which is a good thing for me! The story is very well written, with more than a few red herrings thrown in to send the reader in the wrong direction totally.
The story reminds me very much of the film series Scream. In the book, as in the films, you think you know what is coming but when the truth finally comes out it shocks you. This is the first book in a trilogy and I can't wait to read the next book.
She finds herself in the lead role of Christine playing opposite Justyn Patko, as Erik, and Tom Rittenhouse, as Raoul. Rebecca has always had a crush on Tom but he has never even noticed her, as far as she knows. Justyn is a Goth who attracts the wrong kind of attention, but Rebecca gets to know him more and finds she likes him also.
Their story starts to mirror that of the play as Rebecca struggles with her feelings for both Tom and Justyn.
Alongside the romance there is also a darker side to this story. Accidents start happening, Rebecca receives threats, and people start to get hurt. Everyone suspects Justyn is behind it all, is he being set up or is he, in fact, hiding the real Justyn very well?
When the final scenes begin to unfold I was totally thrown. I didn't see it coming at all, which is a good thing for me! The story is very well written, with more than a few red herrings thrown in to send the reader in the wrong direction totally.
The story reminds me very much of the film series Scream. In the book, as in the films, you think you know what is coming but when the truth finally comes out it shocks you. This is the first book in a trilogy and I can't wait to read the next book.
nicklelove's review
4.0
Originally posted in Night Owl Reads
The first time I heard about Phantom of the Opera was when the movie came out in 2004, and I wasn't interested in it thinking that it was too serious or just wasn't my type. Four years later, I decided to watch it and ended up loving it! I was singing the songs from the movie for months, and even now I would still belt out to it from time to time. I know it doesn't compare much to seeing it in live theatre or reading the original novel, but still, I loved it! That's why I signed up for this tour.
It starts off like a typical high school story, Rebecca is a shy girl who tries out for the school play instead of playing in the orchestra like she usually does, and ends up bagging the lead role. Everything changed when she snags the role of Christine. Suddenly, like in the story of Phantom, she finds herself in the middle of a love triangle between the cool surfer dude and the wiccan goth who resembles the Phantom himself.
What seems to be a harmless high school affair turns dark when a mysterious stalker sends threatening notes to Rebecca and accidents keep on happening on stage, someone even ended up dead. The mystery behind the stalker kept me guessing and the revelation totally came as a surprise. Although I guessed it right, I was clueless as to what the motives of this person was. I was not expecting it to end that way, but it did feel like watching a slasher film from the 90s.
As for choosing sides, well, I didn't really like Tom in the first place. He only noticed Rebecca when he heard her sing, his attraction is superficial, in my opinion. I'm team Lord Justyn all the way, even if he is, as they say, creepy vampire freak.
I enjoyed reading this book and it made me want to watch The Phantom of the Opera again. Maybe I'll read the book one of these days too (I wish I had time for it). I found a copy of the performance at the Royal Albert Hall in 2011 and I can't wait to see that version.
I also like the idea of a popular story reflecting what's happening in your life. We are all fans of something and at some point we dream of being part of a fictional world. If you could choose a story, (be it a movie, a book, or a tv show), to happen/reflect in your life, what would it be?
The first time I heard about Phantom of the Opera was when the movie came out in 2004, and I wasn't interested in it thinking that it was too serious or just wasn't my type. Four years later, I decided to watch it and ended up loving it! I was singing the songs from the movie for months, and even now I would still belt out to it from time to time. I know it doesn't compare much to seeing it in live theatre or reading the original novel, but still, I loved it! That's why I signed up for this tour.
It starts off like a typical high school story, Rebecca is a shy girl who tries out for the school play instead of playing in the orchestra like she usually does, and ends up bagging the lead role. Everything changed when she snags the role of Christine. Suddenly, like in the story of Phantom, she finds herself in the middle of a love triangle between the cool surfer dude and the wiccan goth who resembles the Phantom himself.
What seems to be a harmless high school affair turns dark when a mysterious stalker sends threatening notes to Rebecca and accidents keep on happening on stage, someone even ended up dead. The mystery behind the stalker kept me guessing and the revelation totally came as a surprise. Although I guessed it right, I was clueless as to what the motives of this person was. I was not expecting it to end that way, but it did feel like watching a slasher film from the 90s.
As for choosing sides, well, I didn't really like Tom in the first place. He only noticed Rebecca when he heard her sing, his attraction is superficial, in my opinion. I'm team Lord Justyn all the way, even if he is, as they say, creepy vampire freak.
I enjoyed reading this book and it made me want to watch The Phantom of the Opera again. Maybe I'll read the book one of these days too (I wish I had time for it). I found a copy of the performance at the Royal Albert Hall in 2011 and I can't wait to see that version.
I also like the idea of a popular story reflecting what's happening in your life. We are all fans of something and at some point we dream of being part of a fictional world. If you could choose a story, (be it a movie, a book, or a tv show), to happen/reflect in your life, what would it be?
somarostam's review
4.0
I have never read The Phantom Of The Opera, many of my friends said it was good, but I never gave it the chance. After reading this book, I am definitely going to read The Phantom of The Opera. I cannot begin to describe this book, it's a mix between horribly beautiful and magically creative.
Rebecca's obsession was always the musical "Phantom of The Opera", when her high school chooses the Phantom as their annual production, she jumps at the chance. With her exotic voice, she gets to play the role of the heroine, Christine, who is caught between the darkly seductive Phantom and the rich lord who are both in love with her.
What Rebecca didn't know is that her life was about to mirror the famous play. She is caught between the two boys, the mysterious, seductive, Gothic Justyn and the All-American jock,Tom. What's more? Someone is turning the scenes from Phantom into reality, and is using verses from the musical to threaten Rebecca. It could have been a joke but people are ending up dead in Phantom style.
Can Rebecca stop the series of deaths? Can she find out who is threatening her? And who willl che choose: Tom or Justyn? Find out much more when you read this terrifying, ground-breaking read, Phantom...
I liked this book very much! Laura Deluca took the original idea of the play. She twisted and turned the idea like an elastic band to produce this electrifying version of The Phantom. I have to say that the characters are all very typical, some of them are even one-dimensional. Like, I don't know anything about Rebecca's life outside the school. She doesn't speak about her parents, her house nor anything else outside of the play and the rehearsals and her two love interests.
The story is unique and the writing style of the author is organized, I liked it! This book is really terrifying and horrible, in a good way. The end is really scary and the phantom will end up being someone you haven't expected AT ALL! Although this book won't make it to my top favorite books, it is still a wonderful addition to my reading list, you better try this or you're missing out!
neenor's review
3.0
Now I'm a bit at odds with this novel. On one hand I want to rave about how amazing the last fifty or so pages were, as in literally the personification (booksonification?) of un-put-downable; it felt like it was glued to my fingertips. But then on the other hand, I want to rant about how disappointing I found it. Well, not exactly disappointing, it was definitely good - but I think my expectations were too high, and that's why I feel like it was a bit anticlimactic. But let me explain.
Phantom is basically a modern rendition of Gaston Leroux's Phantom of the Opera (or Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical adaptation, whichever you prefer), where the students of a high school are putting on the play. Things seem to be going well, until a love triangle begins between the three main cast members, and Rebecca, who is playing the lead role of Christine, starts to get threatening messages from an unknown phantom...
Now I thought the premise was amazing. It sounded like the book would be interesting, full of suspense, and just an overall unique read. And it was. But it also had the dodgy love triangle going on, as well as a main character who is a direct cross between Twilight's Bella Swan, and Fifty Shade's Anastasia - a combination that nobody wants to see.
Let me first explain the characters. Justyn I absolutely adored - he was individual, witty, charming, and just overall a lovely guy. He's one of those main characters that you can't help but love. Tom was a bit irritating, but your typical high school jock, so tolerable. I also liked Carmen and her hot-headedness - she seemed to be one of the only characters that wasn't seemingly oblivious to Rebecca's annoying personality. And then we get on to Rebecca herself - the one thing that I think made this book a disappointment for me. I did go through a stage where I could only read one chapter at a time, because the character made me so furious. She's supposed to be this timid violinist who is invisible and ugly - then suddenly she gets the main role in a play and BOOM the popular guy loves her, everyone wants to be her, she's got people fighting for her left-right-and-center, and she's suddenly gorgeous. Anyone that has been following my reviews for quite a while will know that I detest weak female characters like this, and she was basically the personification of all my hate. That was the only thing that I really didn't like about this novel - yeah, I will complain about the love triangle, but I could have put up with that. It was just Rebecca I couldn't deal with. A few people may reply saying that perhaps Christine is just as equally annoying, and so therefore DeLuca's representation of this character was quite accurate. Yes, Christine can be a bit irritating at times - but with her, her attraction to the Phantom and her security with Raoul are so realistic that you just can't find it anything but beautiful. Phantom of the Opera, for me, shows the story of a girl torn between her heart and her head. I think DeLuca tried to portray this, and whilst she mostly did it brilliantly, this whole deal with Rebecca for me just didn't work out. It's a small aspect of the novel, but because the story is told from her point of view, it did ruin it a bit for me.
Now onto the love triangle. As I said, Rebecca was supposedly this invisible ugly girl, yet she gets the part and she may as well be a celebrity. Tom, the high school hottie who never paid attention to her but who she's been in love with for years, suddenly decides he has a desperate crush on her, and makes an utter fool of himself. In my experience, getting the main character in a high school musical is not something that makes you popular - so why the heck would some guy who's never noticed this "invisible" creature before suddenly be interested? Beats me. And then you have Justyn, a new guy who is a stereotypical goth, who is also falling for invisible Rebecca. I think if DeLuca had made it a bit more realistic - you know, giving Rebecca and Tom a bit of history, and not making Rebecca out to be, at first, the most unpopular girl to walk on the face of Earth, because that just again made me think of Twilight and how that love triangle was forced on us. That's all there is to it - the love triangle here was forced, which I thought was a shame, because in the actual novel and production, it is such a natural and beautiful thing. It wasn't the worst thing in the world, but it did grate on my nerves. All I can say is thank goodness DeLuca wrote Carmen in - she seemed to vent my frustration at Rebecca and the triangle out for me.
I don't want this to be a bad review, because I genuinely enjoyed the novel, especially towards the end. The ending was absolutely breathtaking - it had all the suspense and fantastic structure that I had been hoping would be making an appearance throughout the entire book. But in this case, I think it's better late than never. I think is you are a fan of Phantom of the Opera, you should definitely give this book a try - it is a great take on the famous production and book, and with such a high standard to live up to, DeLuca did really well. It was a shame that I didn't gel with Rebecca, but I still raise my hat off to Laura for writing a really good novel. I do recommend it, and I am looking forward to the next installment into the Dark Musicals trilogy, which will be Demon, an adaptation of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
Phantom is basically a modern rendition of Gaston Leroux's Phantom of the Opera (or Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical adaptation, whichever you prefer), where the students of a high school are putting on the play. Things seem to be going well, until a love triangle begins between the three main cast members, and Rebecca, who is playing the lead role of Christine, starts to get threatening messages from an unknown phantom...
Now I thought the premise was amazing. It sounded like the book would be interesting, full of suspense, and just an overall unique read. And it was. But it also had the dodgy love triangle going on, as well as a main character who is a direct cross between Twilight's Bella Swan, and Fifty Shade's Anastasia - a combination that nobody wants to see.
Let me first explain the characters. Justyn I absolutely adored - he was individual, witty, charming, and just overall a lovely guy. He's one of those main characters that you can't help but love. Tom was a bit irritating, but your typical high school jock, so tolerable. I also liked Carmen and her hot-headedness - she seemed to be one of the only characters that wasn't seemingly oblivious to Rebecca's annoying personality. And then we get on to Rebecca herself - the one thing that I think made this book a disappointment for me. I did go through a stage where I could only read one chapter at a time, because the character made me so furious. She's supposed to be this timid violinist who is invisible and ugly - then suddenly she gets the main role in a play and BOOM the popular guy loves her, everyone wants to be her, she's got people fighting for her left-right-and-center, and she's suddenly gorgeous. Anyone that has been following my reviews for quite a while will know that I detest weak female characters like this, and she was basically the personification of all my hate. That was the only thing that I really didn't like about this novel - yeah, I will complain about the love triangle, but I could have put up with that. It was just Rebecca I couldn't deal with. A few people may reply saying that perhaps Christine is just as equally annoying, and so therefore DeLuca's representation of this character was quite accurate. Yes, Christine can be a bit irritating at times - but with her, her attraction to the Phantom and her security with Raoul are so realistic that you just can't find it anything but beautiful. Phantom of the Opera, for me, shows the story of a girl torn between her heart and her head. I think DeLuca tried to portray this, and whilst she mostly did it brilliantly, this whole deal with Rebecca for me just didn't work out. It's a small aspect of the novel, but because the story is told from her point of view, it did ruin it a bit for me.
Now onto the love triangle. As I said, Rebecca was supposedly this invisible ugly girl, yet she gets the part and she may as well be a celebrity. Tom, the high school hottie who never paid attention to her but who she's been in love with for years, suddenly decides he has a desperate crush on her, and makes an utter fool of himself. In my experience, getting the main character in a high school musical is not something that makes you popular - so why the heck would some guy who's never noticed this "invisible" creature before suddenly be interested? Beats me. And then you have Justyn, a new guy who is a stereotypical goth, who is also falling for invisible Rebecca. I think if DeLuca had made it a bit more realistic - you know, giving Rebecca and Tom a bit of history, and not making Rebecca out to be, at first, the most unpopular girl to walk on the face of Earth, because that just again made me think of Twilight and how that love triangle was forced on us. That's all there is to it - the love triangle here was forced, which I thought was a shame, because in the actual novel and production, it is such a natural and beautiful thing. It wasn't the worst thing in the world, but it did grate on my nerves. All I can say is thank goodness DeLuca wrote Carmen in - she seemed to vent my frustration at Rebecca and the triangle out for me.
I don't want this to be a bad review, because I genuinely enjoyed the novel, especially towards the end. The ending was absolutely breathtaking - it had all the suspense and fantastic structure that I had been hoping would be making an appearance throughout the entire book. But in this case, I think it's better late than never. I think is you are a fan of Phantom of the Opera, you should definitely give this book a try - it is a great take on the famous production and book, and with such a high standard to live up to, DeLuca did really well. It was a shame that I didn't gel with Rebecca, but I still raise my hat off to Laura for writing a really good novel. I do recommend it, and I am looking forward to the next installment into the Dark Musicals trilogy, which will be Demon, an adaptation of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.