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A review by kamrynkoble
Phantom by Susan Kay
4.0
This novel seems to flawlessly set up every mysterious bit of The Phantom of the Opera, only to then proceed to fix every "mistake" of the story. At first I was baffled by how diligently Kay wove the tapestry of Erik's only life to scream "screw you!" at Leroux directly after.
I'll be the first to admit it - I have never finished the original novel; however, I do consider myself a connoisseur of the stage show, and know enough of the work it's based upon to realize just how many liberties Kay decided to take with the classic work.
If you read Phantom with no prior knowledge of the story it's paying homage to, it would still be a good novel with character development and plot and good pacing. But what amazed me as a fan and Team Erik member for five years was the new depth that Kay managed to give to Christine and the Phantom. She royally ignored every other character such as Giry, Meg, and Raoul; although, the work done with those such as Erik's mother and the ones involved early in his life - the ones who shaped him into the twisted man we see when the show begins - makes it okay in the end.
Questions I have had burning on my mind have been answered. Even if they aren't "official," they still bring light to the situations left as mysteries, along with giving motive to what seems as pure madness in previous tellings.
Along with that, I've talked with many people who wonder why in the world Erik loves Christine. She comes across as a pretty bimbo with no personality or emotions or depth. And yet, Kay tackled this problem head on. We see her through a lens in Erik's mind that actually makes sense, but then again, Kay did alter major plot points, so who knows?
One issue for me personally was Erik's child narration occasionally reading too much like an adult, making it hard to stay invested in what was happening in the story. He is a prodigy, but I do feel as if he could have sounded more like a highly intelligent boy rather than a man. Pushing aside the voice, his childhood was interesting and well planned.
All in all, I think this is a good read for any Phantom fan. Reading this work, it feels as is Kay enjoyed the ideas, people, and themes of the work but reconstructed what happened to her own liking. It bites its thumb at the original, yes, but the added dimensions to the characters doesn't make this seem like too much of a loss.
I'll be the first to admit it - I have never finished the original novel; however, I do consider myself a connoisseur of the stage show, and know enough of the work it's based upon to realize just how many liberties Kay decided to take with the classic work.
If you read Phantom with no prior knowledge of the story it's paying homage to, it would still be a good novel with character development and plot and good pacing. But what amazed me as a fan and Team Erik member for five years was the new depth that Kay managed to give to Christine and the Phantom. She royally ignored every other character such as Giry, Meg, and Raoul; although, the work done with those such as Erik's mother and the ones involved early in his life - the ones who shaped him into the twisted man we see when the show begins - makes it okay in the end.
Questions I have had burning on my mind have been answered. Even if they aren't "official," they still bring light to the situations left as mysteries, along with giving motive to what seems as pure madness in previous tellings.
Along with that, I've talked with many people who wonder why in the world Erik loves Christine. She comes across as a pretty bimbo with no personality or emotions or depth. And yet, Kay tackled this problem head on. We see her through a lens in Erik's mind that actually makes sense, but then again, Kay did alter major plot points, so who knows?
One issue for me personally was Erik's child narration occasionally reading too much like an adult, making it hard to stay invested in what was happening in the story. He is a prodigy, but I do feel as if he could have sounded more like a highly intelligent boy rather than a man. Pushing aside the voice, his childhood was interesting and well planned.
All in all, I think this is a good read for any Phantom fan. Reading this work, it feels as is Kay enjoyed the ideas, people, and themes of the work but reconstructed what happened to her own liking. It bites its thumb at the original, yes, but the added dimensions to the characters doesn't make this seem like too much of a loss.