March of Books - Phantom of the Opera

SCENE ONE:

It all started a long time ago. With a piano CD mom got. It had All I Ask of You on it in a beautiful arrangement. When I found out it was from Phantom of the Opera I listened to the real song.

I decided that I loved Phantom of the Opera.

SCENE TWO:


A movie was coming out. Phantom of the Opera. I thought it would be cool. I watched the trailer. The darkness of it kinda creeped me out. And it seemed so... wrong. Sensual.

I decided that I was adamantly opposed to all things Phantom.

SCENE THREE:


The thrift store. I couldn't find any books. Any clothes. Any anything that interested me. My mom? A cartload of stuff to try on. What was I to do? I picked up a book. I actually felt guilty even looking at it. Even the book looked dark and foreboding. [I love the word foreboding! Anyhow...]

I fell in love with it. I checked it out at the library to finish it. And I ended up with my own copy to read and re-read.

Erik, or the OG (Opera Ghost), or The Phantom, or whatever you want to call him, is one of those characters like Edward Fairfax Rochester. They are SO wrong... but you absolutely love them and feel for them.

Here is a quick summary that I stole... BORROWED from allreaders.com:

""The Phantom of the Opera" is a hideously deformed musical genius who hides in shadow, living beneath the Paris Opera house (which he himself designed some years earlier). Forced to live this way due to the fact that he has become a killer, his motives in life are changed when he falls in love with a young prima donna named Christine, a girl he has secrety been giving singing lessons.
But when a young man named Raoul DeChagny vies for the love of Christine, a deadly rivalry ensues- which will determine the fate of not only Christine, but of the entire Paris Opera House."

Someday I hope to be able to see a performance of Phantom. I now completely understand it's status as a classic. It has everything I love in a book. Strong characters, some historical value, love, mystery.

Conclusion? I should have gone with my first impressions on hearing All I Ask of You. Phantom is one book that'll be on my shelf through every renovation.


http://ylcf.org/2011/03/march-of-books-2011/