jackiebus 's review for:

The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

4.0

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I adored the more recent film adaptation when I was a teenager, which inspired me to read the book. I recently re-read it after 10 years, which gave me a bit of a new perspective. I found the introduction and textual notes in the Barnes & Noble collection edition helpful and interesting. Learning about Leroux’s history as a journalist and arts writer added something new to the second reading, especially as a journalist myself. His devotion to detail and accuracy regarding the setting of the Paris opera house is wonderful and makes me want to visit! The handful of mixed reviews from the era when the book was published also let the reader decide for themselves whether or not Leroux’s treatment of the Phantom is suitably scary, or not scary enough. The interludes featuring the opera managers are delightfully hilarious; I don’t think I appreciated them enough on my first read-through because they were in the way of the love story, so I thought.