gwbooks77 's review for:

The Phantom Of The Opera by Gaston Leroux

4.0

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I recently finished “The Phantom of the Opera” on Cd audio, 2017 pub. The novel filled me with the desire to return to live Theatre. The novel was set in the Paris Opera House in late 1800's and I just loved all the description of the stage and other works dealing with the great Theatre. A rogue comment on by a goodread's reviewer describing the book as “Craptastic”. I didn't take this to heart, but I stopped reading reviews until I finished after that. It put the book on bad footing, but early on in taking in of the book I said to myself so far it is a 5. The book has been on my “to read shelf” for years. So thank the Lord for audio books I was able to finish it this year. I listened to it on my computer. When I was 1/2 through or 4 1/2 hours in I realized It's a marvelous book. It was to put all the movies I've seen to shame. What's a little sad is that I had not read it sooner. One disk and a portion to go and the action plot was building to a tremendous phantamorphic climax. Fortunately I've read Don Juan and many other classic tragedies so I knew what was driving Eric, the phantom of the Opera. His madness, his obsession were character driven. I finished the audio book and I encourage anyone to try listening to the audio book to enjoy this book. It's a cool way to experience a book without turning pages or wafting a kindle. This book was fantastic and more great drama then any movie. Now I want to see a stage production. Even if the ending is different than what I learned from watching the movies. I don't think seeing the movie first had any effect on my reading pleasure. The book revolved around a love triangle and hidden from view until the end was the phantom's penning of a great Opera that he intended to die with in his hands. The phantom had been working on it almost all his adult life. And that is similar to what my college dream is like. Only I'm not a demon. I believe the play the phantom was writing was in the book in the first place to offer a clue for the literate minded and was like the driving force behind his madness. Only as in Gothic fashion it is never mentioned in the main plot. We only saw the machinations of his demonic obsession. Everything he did was done to bring his masterpiece into fruition. The imaginary title of his master piece was Don Juan Triumphant. And by its description Don Juan is finally victorious in overcoming his short comings, “ but mostly he was laying tribute to the music that takes the listener through every detail of suffering of "the ugly man," as he took his female lead and the readers into the abyss of the wretched torment and misery Erik, the phantom, has experienced in his life through a representation of his music.” It was his statement to those who might of read Don Juan to the point that Erik was too a victim of destiny. The book was not a great book in it's self, but a fantastic read knowing of all the popularity of the musical and movies by that title, with all the clue ins about the hidden side of Drama’s dark works I was delighted.