leahreadsstuff 's review for:

The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

4.0

dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I loved the story, and the masterful mix of tension and comedy. I was absorbed and entertained. Leroux’ writing style is creative and atmospheric.

Raoul is a petulant, entitled, manipulative, asshole. We are supposed to root for him as readers, but I couldn’t bring myself to do anything more than loathe him. He completely ignores anything and everything Christine says, high handedly forces himself into her life with no regard for how it might affect her, and generally treats her like an object rather than an autonomous human being. 

Erik is obsessive and manipulative and terrifying, and the way he treats Christine is disturbingly possessive. But he is strangely tragic and empathetic in spite of it. Christine herself is naive, fragile, and easily led. And her attempts to assert herself are completely ignored by everyone around her. 

And I still had a great time reading the book. The quality of the writing wasn’t enough to make me forgive the characters’ behavior, but it kept me invested in spite of myself.