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A review by smileysunflower
The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
2.0
This book had good and interesting ideas, but it's executed very poorly. First of all, the writing style is all over the place. In general, I think this isn't well written but I'm willing to give the author the benefit of the doubt and say it was a bad translation or it just didn't sound as good in English. But there's more to it. The author writes this book in the point of view of an investigator of sorts who is compiling memoirs, interviews, etc., to solve the mystery of the Opera Phantom and Christine's disappearance. But he never properly commits to this idea and so a lot of the book, especially the first half, is told in 3rd person of what I guess the narrator thinks happened. I think this book would've been stronger if it was committed to being solely based on memoirs/newspapers/interviews OR if it was completely in 3rd person based on what the narrator thinks happened based on his findings. This halfway thing didn't really work out, at least to me. Or maybe it could've worked but the author just can't write.
I also want to say is that the first third was vaguely interesting, the second third was incredibly boring, and the last third was so absurd that it became amusing. The ending was also very anticlimactic in my opinion as well. I didn't need anything too big to happen but I also would've liked something better.
The themes weren't that good. The narrator tried to tell me that I should pity Erik and that he wasn't actually that bad but I'm like "hmm. I think the murderous incel is pretty bad, even if the world was injust to me. Surprisingly enough, people can be oppressed without becoming incels."
I'm harping on this book a lot but I do want to say I did enjoy it a lot when it wasn't being boring, but only because it was so stupid... is that a compliment? It was meant to be. It's just when it's trying to be funny it's dumb and when it's trying to be serious it's funny. Hm. Not as much of a compliment as I wanted it to be.
Credit where credit was due, the Persian wasn't that bad of a brown character in this older novel, even if the backstory involving Persia was kind of racist and the fact he is known solely as "The Persian" is kind of lame. My bar for racial diversity in older books are low, especially non-racist ones, but it managed not to completely hit the floor. In fact, I think the Persian was the only likable (and sane) character in the whole book. I'm not Persian but I am brown, and let me tell you I don't know any Opera Phantoms but I do know what it's like to be the only sane person in a room filled with crazy/stupid white people.
Raoul is the worst character though, you cannot change my mind. Erik was a worse person but Raoul was more annoying, especially since he was meant to be the main lead.
I think Lindsay Ellis said it best when she said this was a little nothing of a book. Yeah, if this book (not any of the movies/musicals, just the book) was forgotten by the sands of time we wouldn't have lost much. But hey, now I'm going to go listen to that musical.
I also want to say is that the first third was vaguely interesting, the second third was incredibly boring, and the last third was so absurd that it became amusing. The ending was also very anticlimactic in my opinion as well. I didn't need anything too big to happen but I also would've liked something better.
The themes weren't that good. The narrator tried to tell me that I should pity Erik and that he wasn't actually that bad but I'm like "hmm. I think the murderous incel is pretty bad, even if the world was injust to me. Surprisingly enough, people can be oppressed without becoming incels."
I'm harping on this book a lot but I do want to say I did enjoy it a lot when it wasn't being boring, but only because it was so stupid... is that a compliment? It was meant to be. It's just when it's trying to be funny it's dumb and when it's trying to be serious it's funny. Hm. Not as much of a compliment as I wanted it to be.
Credit where credit was due, the Persian wasn't that bad of a brown character in this older novel, even if the backstory involving Persia was kind of racist and the fact he is known solely as "The Persian" is kind of lame. My bar for racial diversity in older books are low, especially non-racist ones, but it managed not to completely hit the floor. In fact, I think the Persian was the only likable (and sane) character in the whole book. I'm not Persian but I am brown, and let me tell you I don't know any Opera Phantoms but I do know what it's like to be the only sane person in a room filled with crazy/stupid white people.
Raoul is the worst character though, you cannot change my mind. Erik was a worse person but Raoul was more annoying, especially since he was meant to be the main lead.
I think Lindsay Ellis said it best when she said this was a little nothing of a book. Yeah, if this book (not any of the movies/musicals, just the book) was forgotten by the sands of time we wouldn't have lost much. But hey, now I'm going to go listen to that musical.