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A review by postitsandpens
Phantom by Laura DeLuca
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!