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I'm still going to give this book five stars, even if I found the last half of the book not as emotional or well written as the first half. I don't think anyone can top this retelling. It is beautifully written and truly captures the heart and soul of the Phantom, whom I've always been fascinated by but who has always remained only half formed in my mind, never fully developed. Susan brought him to life in this novel, and allowed the reader to follow him through his tragic life, from the time he was born, hideous and disfigured, to the end of his tale, when he meets Christine.
If not for the near instant devotion he gave to Christine, which didn't really make sense given the way Susan Kay portrayed his character, I would see no flaws in this book. But their relationship, and the Phantom's subsequent attachment to a girl who even Christine herself acknowledges as fickle and childish, made me enjoy the final chapters a bit less.
I wanted more depth in their relationship, like there was depth in the Phantom's relationships with his mother, and his teacher, and Nadir, his friend. I still bought their love story by the end, but I can't help but wondering if it was out of intense desire for this novel to be perfect to me. They definitely had a connection, but it was not grown slowly and beautifully. Instead it was immediate and almost made me resent Christine for not being an interesting enough character and being so easily able to win the Phantom's love.
Raoul was also annoying as hell in this adaption. Whenever I watch the Royal Albert Hall version of the play, I always have a certain fondness for Raoul. The way Hadley Frasier portrays him makes me actually believe he was a worthy rival for Christine's affections. When I watch the play, I can understand why near the end (when she finally finds out the Phantom is not her dad, which isn't a plot point in this book by the way, thank God) she is torn between them. In this book, I wanted Raoul to be killed off about as much as the Phantom did. He was such a sniveling, boy man, and since Christine was already plenty sniveling, she needed someone grown up, who could pull her up into the grown up world with him. And while the Phantom does remain a perpetual child in many respects(due to his trauma), he is a lot more grown up than either of them.
Regardless of my complaints, this really is a brilliant book. It's the story of man who above all else, wants to be loved, but can never admit it, and a faithless girl who finally does, after she gets the man she thought she wanted.
TW: Murder, torture, child abuse
If not for the near instant devotion he gave to Christine, which didn't really make sense given the way Susan Kay portrayed his character, I would see no flaws in this book. But their relationship, and the Phantom's subsequent attachment to a girl who even Christine herself acknowledges as fickle and childish, made me enjoy the final chapters a bit less.
I wanted more depth in their relationship, like there was depth in the Phantom's relationships with his mother, and his teacher, and Nadir, his friend. I still bought their love story by the end, but I can't help but wondering if it was out of intense desire for this novel to be perfect to me. They definitely had a connection, but it was not grown slowly and beautifully. Instead it was immediate and almost made me resent Christine for not being an interesting enough character and being so easily able to win the Phantom's love.
Raoul was also annoying as hell in this adaption. Whenever I watch the Royal Albert Hall version of the play, I always have a certain fondness for Raoul. The way Hadley Frasier portrays him makes me actually believe he was a worthy rival for Christine's affections. When I watch the play, I can understand why near the end (when she finally finds out the Phantom is not her dad, which isn't a plot point in this book by the way, thank God) she is torn between them. In this book, I wanted Raoul to be killed off about as much as the Phantom did. He was such a sniveling, boy man, and since Christine was already plenty sniveling, she needed someone grown up, who could pull her up into the grown up world with him. And while the Phantom does remain a perpetual child in many respects(due to his trauma), he is a lot more grown up than either of them.
Regardless of my complaints, this really is a brilliant book. It's the story of man who above all else, wants to be loved, but can never admit it, and a faithless girl who finally does, after she gets the man she thought she wanted.
TW: Murder, torture, child abuse