Seeing Is Believing

by Ann Maggard

We all know the story of the masked, musical genius who lived beneath the Opera Garnier in Paris…or do we? What if his early life had been altered in one dramatic way? Or his meeting with Christine had come about differently? And what might happen when his past and present come crashing together in the most unexpected of ways? Join Erik as we follow him from childhood to adult, experiencing the joys and sorrows of his life as it all leads up to that perfect moment he meets his angel...Christine.

791 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 27, 2015

Reviews

[Stephanie Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

A really good take on the Phantom and Christine, full of love, family and hope. This one is s a keeper.

[Alexszollo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't really do romance. It's not, as they say, "my cup of tea." However, there are stories with strong romantic elements which can and do appeal to me, and one of these stories is the one first found in Gaston Leroux's Phantom of the Opera. Now, there's always been this idea that one shouldn't meddle with classic fiction. Well, I say this: if you're in love with it, as Ann Maggard obviously is, then, by all means, do it. And one more thing: this book is strong evidence in favor of the fact that fanfiction can be solid.
In Leroux's original, the Phantom is never fully fleshed out, and the reader is left with the descriptions of his grotesque facial disfigurement and his mysterious aura through the eyes of the other characters. Not the case here. This massive novel chronicles the life of the protagonist immortalized by Leroux and massively popularized by the musical of Andrew Lloyd Webber, from his harsh childhood under the iron heel of a domineering mother, to his days with the Gypsies who tormented him, his stint with the Shah of Persia as an assassin and illusionist and his fated encounter with Christine Daae.
For those of you who worry about the size of the book(this big, bold, beautiful brick is almost 800 pages), do not! The book is so heartwrenchingly and warmly written that you'll keep turning the pages and finish it before you know it. My heart was moved by the relationship between Erik and Anna, his nanny, whose connection with Christine you'll discover by reading the book. Oh, and I loved how Christine and Erik found each other(read this book to see one of the most surprising twists in the Phantom of the Opera story). Theirs is not by a long shot the typical romance, and I was thrilled to witness them learning how to adjust to one another, eventually forming a very strong bond. I loved how Erik's temper was no match for her, and I could feel his heart aching to please her. This is one of the best retellings of a classic work I've ever read, a timeless story of love, art, and acceptance that deserves its place on the shelf of everyone who has read and loved Leroux's novel or the musical. 10 outta 5 for this epic! Ms Maggard provided me with a copy, but the views herein are my own.