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Shadows Over Eden: A Phantom of the Opera Inspired Tale
It is the year 2034. Unemployment is high, the streets are violent, and panic is growing. Brought to a cult-like religious community as a child, Christine Dachelet only knows that the mysterious Spirit keeps her safe from the madness on both the inside and the outside of her sect. When an old friend returns to her life, she’s finally forced to face reality regarding the Spirit. The more Christine learns, the harder it is to turn back. And the final truth may be more than her mind and heart can bear.
414 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 24, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 14, 2015
I have been a fan of L. M. Bird for years, ever since I first discovered her work back in 2012. I have read a lot of Phantom of the Opera stories, but hers are definitely my favorite. I'm glad that she chose to publish this one, since I certainly liked Shadow Government (the original title) the most out of all her works.
Bird does this amazing thing where she crafts the most unnerving, sympathetic, intriguing, "seductive" (personality-wise; Erik is no sex god :] ) Phantom that I don't find in many other Phantom stories. Bird has never been afraid to shy away from Erik's darkness, choosing to write of a more Leroux-Kay-based phantom, and she does it exceptionally well. While Christine is the protagonist, this is no doubt Erik's story. Bird's Erik made me frustrated, heartbroken, sympathetic, and enchanted. He is a deeply flawed character, yet he is also wonderful in so many ways. He is cruel yet caring, invincible yet vulnerable. With each page I fell more and more in love with this man, and saying goodbye once the book was over was quite difficult.
That's not to say that our leading lady wasn't sublime. Classic Christine is a fairly passive person, yet I found myself enjoying Bird's Christine grow from someone simple into someone strong. She is gentle of heart, and deeply cares for others. She isn't perfect; she has her moments of weakness. Despite this, she is always prepared to do what she thinks is necessary, what she thinks is right, and I find that incredibly refreshing. It takes someone of her strength and kindness to hold her own against Erik.
My favorite parts of the book are without a doubt the E/C interactions. They complement each other in a strange way, helping each other grow. Christine teaches Erik compassion, while Erik grants her liberation through knowledge. Their relationship is carefully nurtured, and with their unconventional relationship Bird somehow manages to make it feel natural and compelling. Kudos to you, Lady Bird (for you are amazing), for pulling something so unorthodox off so well. The ending nearly broke me with its poignancy. I just wanted them to be happy...
Raoul is a tough character for me to like. He often lacks complexity with these stories, and compared to Erik and Christine he falls a bit flat. I wasn't irritated with him the way I often am with other renditions, though, and he is not entirely two-dimensional. He wants to help people, and he is headstrong and willing to do whatever it takes for the good of others. I felt that he often got the short end of the stick, though, for he is not as strong as he needs to be to save himself and those around him.
With "Shadows Over Eden," she takes the characters out of 19th century Paris and into a futuristic America that is falling apart. While I enjoyed the setting immensely, I still had some trouble picturing it in my head. This broken world felt a bit typical, but as the story was largely character-driven, I didn't pay too much attention to such things. I would have liked a bit more on Cameron's establishment. By the end, I still didn't have a very clear picture of what sort of place it was.
I was very much intrigued by the plot. It was an interesting idea, although I wanted to smack Cameron so hard that his beard flew off. He made a somewhat lackluster villain, but since he is up against Erik, that is to be expected. I hated Cameron by the end, as he was a terrible person with terrible tendencies. The idea of a corrupt theocratic community, though, was certainly something I liked.
Overall, this book made me incredibly emotional. I got heavily invested in these characters, especially Erik (definitely an all-time favorite), and the plot was excellent. I cannot wait for Bird's next work!
"I never wanted to be me. I have always hated being me" (406)
-Erik
Bird does this amazing thing where she crafts the most unnerving, sympathetic, intriguing, "seductive" (personality-wise; Erik is no sex god :] ) Phantom that I don't find in many other Phantom stories. Bird has never been afraid to shy away from Erik's darkness, choosing to write of a more Leroux-Kay-based phantom, and she does it exceptionally well. While Christine is the protagonist, this is no doubt Erik's story. Bird's Erik made me frustrated, heartbroken, sympathetic, and enchanted. He is a deeply flawed character, yet he is also wonderful in so many ways. He is cruel yet caring, invincible yet vulnerable. With each page I fell more and more in love with this man, and saying goodbye once the book was over was quite difficult.
That's not to say that our leading lady wasn't sublime. Classic Christine is a fairly passive person, yet I found myself enjoying Bird's Christine grow from someone simple into someone strong. She is gentle of heart, and deeply cares for others. She isn't perfect; she has her moments of weakness. Despite this, she is always prepared to do what she thinks is necessary, what she thinks is right, and I find that incredibly refreshing. It takes someone of her strength and kindness to hold her own against Erik.
My favorite parts of the book are without a doubt the E/C interactions. They complement each other in a strange way, helping each other grow. Christine teaches Erik compassion, while Erik grants her liberation through knowledge. Their relationship is carefully nurtured, and with their unconventional relationship Bird somehow manages to make it feel natural and compelling. Kudos to you, Lady Bird (for you are amazing), for pulling something so unorthodox off so well. The ending nearly broke me with its poignancy. I just wanted them to be happy...
Raoul is a tough character for me to like. He often lacks complexity with these stories, and compared to Erik and Christine he falls a bit flat. I wasn't irritated with him the way I often am with other renditions, though, and he is not entirely two-dimensional. He wants to help people, and he is headstrong and willing to do whatever it takes for the good of others. I felt that he often got the short end of the stick, though, for he is not as strong as he needs to be to save himself and those around him.
With "Shadows Over Eden," she takes the characters out of 19th century Paris and into a futuristic America that is falling apart. While I enjoyed the setting immensely, I still had some trouble picturing it in my head. This broken world felt a bit typical, but as the story was largely character-driven, I didn't pay too much attention to such things. I would have liked a bit more on Cameron's establishment. By the end, I still didn't have a very clear picture of what sort of place it was.
I was very much intrigued by the plot. It was an interesting idea, although I wanted to smack Cameron so hard that his beard flew off. He made a somewhat lackluster villain, but since he is up against Erik, that is to be expected. I hated Cameron by the end, as he was a terrible person with terrible tendencies. The idea of a corrupt theocratic community, though, was certainly something I liked.
Overall, this book made me incredibly emotional. I got heavily invested in these characters, especially Erik (definitely an all-time favorite), and the plot was excellent. I cannot wait for Bird's next work!
November 29, 2018
Fascinating story
Erik and Christine crossed paths as he supported a Jim Jones type of cult. I loved all characters, especially Raul and Erik. As someone who got their start on Fan Fiction site, this author can easily be considered a professional writer now!
Erik and Christine crossed paths as he supported a Jim Jones type of cult. I loved all characters, especially Raul and Erik. As someone who got their start on Fan Fiction site, this author can easily be considered a professional writer now!
June 29, 2018
I loved it. I wished there was more romance but it was amazing. So worth the money.
November 11, 2015
Loved this the first time I read it on ff, and loved it this time too. The new parts were interesting, and integrated flawlessly into the novel-version. I missed some parts of the version on FF, but for the sake of novelizing, I could understand. Love this author - I expect great things from her in the future!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews