Review Detail

This edition brings a classic haunting tale to the next generation of readers, featuring a simple modern cover and a pretty large font to make for an accessible reading experience. It appears to be the full unabridged text, although no translator is credited and there are no notes on the edition. The good news - there's no time wasted flipping through introductions or notes, as every page is dedicated to the story.

I've little new to be said about this well-known tale, but I think some notes are worth repeating. First, the novel is quite distinct from the musical/movie adaptations. Fans of the latter will recognize Christine, Raoul, and others, but the nature of the Phantom and his influence on the opera is much more in the vein of macabre horror and oddity rather than romanticized obsession. Second, it is not the easiest book, as readers would be best equipped with some introductory facts (the meaning of M for Monsieur, for instance) and some interest in the historic period in which the novel takes place.

It's neat to see this packaged as a spooky story. For while there is love and beauty, there's also furtive whispers and ugly figures and desperate souls fleeing the terror of lurking shadows.

This edition is available as a standalone or as part of the matching Monstrous Classics box set.