Review: "The Phantom of the Opera" by Gaston Leroux

All great Broadway musicals come from an idea. Some are based on movies (Legally Blonde, Newsies, Mary Poppins) while others are based on actual events or original ideas. Then there are some based off of books, such as one of the longest-running and most beloved shows of all time-The Phantom of the Opera.

"The Phantom of the Opera" tells the story of the Paris Opera House in the early 1800s. Newcomer Christine Daae is a young woman with an amazing voice who captures the heart of the young Count Raoul as well as the Opera Ghost, or rather, the Phantom of the Opera. When strange events begin occurring, including the capture of Christine, it is up to the Opera house staff to find the Opera Ghost and confront him.

Having seen the film before reading the book, I was able to understand it a little bit better than if I had just read the book. Plus, when I reached certain parts of the book certain songs from the musical popped into my head making the scene much easier to understand. The book is written in old English (like all of the Jane Austen novels and "Jane Eyre"). I believe it was translated from French so some words are hard to understand but it was still an enjoyable read.

If you have not read the book I recommend it. It is great for any age but it does have a few scary moments. I also recommend watching the 2004 film "The Phantom of the Opera" starring Emmy Rossum and Gerard Butler. It is not as good as th live Broadway version but still enjoyable. If you have the chance to see the stage show then definitely see it. I have heard nothing but amazing things about it.

This book does have a few violent moments but I still recommend it to anyone, especially those who love musical theater as much as I do. Young kids can read it, especially if they want to challenge themselves for reading.

Happy reading!