The Phantom of the Opera and other Gothic Tales

by Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolstoy, Arthur Machen, Bram Stoker

This classic collection features 25 tales shaped by gothic's mood of menace and the macabre.

In addition to the world-famous title novel, the anthology includes Horace Walpole's The Castle of Otranto, which launched the gothic novel craze, as well as stories by H. P. Lovecraft, Edgar Allan Poe, Mary Shelley, Arthur Machen, Louisa May Alcott, E.T.A. Hoffmann, J. Sheridan Le Fanu, and Vernon Lee.

Contents:
The Vampyre by John Polidori
The Transformation by Mary Shelley
The Sandman by E.T.A. Hoffman
Somnambulism: A Frgament by Charles Brockden Brown
The Castle of Otranto: A Gothic Story by Horace Walpole
Metzengerstein by Edgar Allan Poe
Rappaccini's Daughter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu
Olalla by Robert Louis Stevenson
The Withered Arm by Thomas Hardy
The Abbot's Ghost, or, Maurice Treherne's Temptation by Louisa May Alcott
Marsyas in Flanders by Vernon Lee
The Dead Smile by F. Marion Crawford
The De Grabrooke Monument by Mrs. J. H. Riddell
The Family of a Vourdalak by Aleksey Tolstoy
The Spider by Hanns Heinz Ewers
Execution by M.Y. Halidom
The Great God Pan by Arthur Machen
The House of Sounds by M.P. Shiel
The Secret of the Growing Gold by Bram Stoker
In the Court of the Dragon by Robert W. Chambers
Sister Maddelena by Ralph Adams Cram
The Ghost of Mohammed Din by Clark Ashton Smith
The Rats in the Walls by H.P. Lovecraft
The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

Genres: Classics, Horror, Gothic, Fiction, Short Stories, Romance, Historical

805 pages, Leather Bound

Published September 1, 2018

About the author

(Russian: Алексей Николаевич Толстой)

Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolstoy, nicknamed the Comrade Count, was a Russian writer who wrote in many genres but specialized in science fiction and historical novels.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleksey_...

Reviews

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a surprising collection of some of the best gothic tales I've come across. As so often, it seems, when perusing reviews for information on the contents of collected works, there is little information on the stories contained within. So, I have included a complete list of the authors and their stories below. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

The Vampyre by John Polidori
The Transformation by Mary Shelley
The Sandman by E. T. A. Hoffman
Somnambulism: A Frgament by Charles Brockden Brown
The Castle of Otranto: A Gothic Story by Horace Walpole
Metzengerstein by Edgar Allan Poe
Rappaccini's Daughter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu
Olalla by Robert Louis Stevenson
The Withered Arm by Thomas Hardy
The Abbot's Ghost, or, Maurice Treherne's Temptation by Louisa May Alcott
Marsyas in Flanders by Vernon Lee
The Dead Smile by F. Marion Crawford
The De Grabrooke Monument by Mrs. J. H. Riddell
The Family of a Vourdalak by Aleksey Tolstoy
The Spider by Hanns Heinz Ewers
Execution by M. Y. Halidom
The Great God Pan by Arthur Machen
The House of Sounds by M. P. Shiel
The Secret of the Growing Gold by Bram Stoker
In the Court of the Dragon by Robert W. Chambers
Sister Maddelena by Ralph Adams Cram
The Ghost of Mohammed Din by Clark Ashton Smith
The Rats in the Walls by H. P. Lovecraft
The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been using this book as my ''palate cleanser'' as I've called it; reading one story between every book I read, pretty much. So it took me 5 months to get through it!

There are many good stories in here; The Castle Of Otranto by Horace Walpole, The Sandman by E.T.A. Hoffmann, The Vampyre by John William Polidori, Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu, The Transformation by Mary Shelley, Rappaccini's Daughter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Withered Arm by Thomas Hardy, The Abbot's Ghost by A.M. Barnard, The Dead Smile by F. Marion Crawford, The Spider by Hanns Heinz Ewers and of course; The Phantom Of The Opera by Gaston Leroux.

There actually weren't many stories in here I had read before, so I really enjoyed expanding my horizon with both authors who were new to me, as well as ones I already knew.

Definitely recommend this collection if you are a fan of the victorian gothic!

[umrah : castiel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing read! Will probably read again.

[Sky · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW ok so that was WAY cooler than I thought it would be. So I enjoyed pretty much every short story in this one, they were all quick fun spoopy reads~ but OMG The Phantom Of The Opera though??? I, no lie, am pretty much 100% convinced that whole story is real now, which is just BOGLING my mind xD Thats both super cool and super sad if its true, but in that beautiful gothic way~ I now have a favorite ghost story HANDS DOWN! No spoilers but thats the best ending I've read in a while <3 Long Live O.G. and a BIG thank you to Gaston Laroux for the amazing story!

[Creighton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely recommend this, especially anyone who is "goth" like myself or likes Gothic literature. lots of good stories in here, definitely would reread this. this has been my gateway into branching out from just History into literature!

[Kate Ly Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually a pretty great story, too bad it's ruined forever by the damn musical

[Sarah Nodarse Owen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Credit Gaston Leroux with the original premise, but all praise goes to Andrew Lloyd Webber for maybe the greatest adaptation in history. I had forgotten that 50% of this book is Christine and Raoul arguing and the other 50% is boring white men being boring. It's almost like when you make the woman the protagonist instead of an infantilized woman with no agency things get so much better. Anyways, gonna go rewatch my fav movie now byeeee ✌🏼

[Femke Bouwens · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars because of course you can't like all the tales included. The ones I really enjoyed are:
- The Castle of Otranto
- Rappaccini's daughter
- The Withered Arm
- The Abbot's Ghost
- The Dead Smile
- The De Grabrooke Monument
- The Family of a Vourdalak
- The Spider
- Execution
- The Secret of the Growing Gold
- In the Court of the Dragon
- Sister Maddelena

And of course 'The Phantom of the Opera' itself :)

So overall I enjoyed 12 of the 25 tales in this book. The other ones usually weren't bad but just 'meh'.

[Alex Strang · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was super cool to have all those stories before you got to 'The Phantom of the Opera.' It was great I loved it!

[Michaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only rating the phantom of the opera- didn’t read the other short stories (yet)

[Ellie-Mae · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Vampyre
Interesting and refreshing description of a vampire. I wonder how old the young gentleman is to be left to his own devices. Lord ruthven must be the man from the beginning. Is a bit of a difficult read with the language being so different from what I’ve use to but I imagine it will be easier the more I read. Surprised the guardians care enough to advise him to leave his companion. Okay so he used the meeting of this young girl as his get away to leave the Lord, I suppose for this time it was very looked down on. I honestly love the descriptions of people that don’t really draw on specific characteristics so everyone can have different interpretations. Owe ianthe is going to be his proof. You know what I actually really enjoyed that. It was a different take on vampires in the sense it was about the madness of knowing and not being able to talk about it.

The Transformation
I will always love Mary Shelley’s writing. Three days for the treasure seems like an excellent trade but there will definitely be a price it can’t be that easy. Fantastic take on pride and greed.

The Sandman
Nathaniel To Lothaire
I like that this seems to be a letter format. This seems like an easier language format to read as well. Okay that is not the story of the sandman I remember. This Coppelius sounds like a horrible man either way. Revenge of his father won’t go down well.
Clara To Nathaniel
Ah so lothaire is Clara’s brother. She has a solid point/conclusion to his theory.
Nathaniel to Lothaire
I like that after his last letter it changes to dear reader. His mind is so obsessed with Coppelius he almost destroyed his marriage with a duel. Is he now switching his affections? So Olympia wasn’t real? Okay I got a little lost towards the end there. I’m guessing from a little research this is more to do with childhood trauma preceding delusion.

Somnambulism A Fragment
So I’m guessing this tale is about sleepwalking. He’s very worried about the dangers and perils of this journey. The anxiety in this gives me anxiety. She is the object of his desires of course. Owe that horrible to refer to him as a monster and probably not going to be his fault. Shouldn’t leave her alone. Talk about there being a slim line between love and hate.

The Castle Of Otranto: A Gothic Story
Preface To The First Edition
Cannot believe how long ago the origin was.
I
So the son has been killed by a large helmet? Jesus the poor peasant was probably just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Bit too late to say you don’t want a daughter. I knew he was gonna do that! Who is the helpful stranger? God it takes them ages to get round to say anything. A giant?
II
Sounds like Bianca’s been dreaming of her prince not Matilda’s. God this castles full of tragedies. So Bianca thinks the magician loves Isabella and killed Conrad because of it. Manfred gives me Henry 8th vibes! Theodore is the holy man’s son. Hmm what will the holy man do? What will manfred do?
III
Surprised he granted his life. How had hippolita died? Where has Isabella gone? Why is he bullshitting right now. Manfred and hippolita are related? Why is Theodore so okay with dying it seems to be all he says. He’s totally bumped into Isabella again. Now her dad’s died. Everything happens all at once but in slow motion.
IV
Okay so hippolita isn’t dead, I needed confirmation of her back in the story before I believed it. Feel a little love triangle between Matilda Isabella and Theodore. Isabella you spiteful bitch. Well I guess he’s out of the equation now.
V
So we’re back to the giant they never discovered earlier. Who’s this creepy geezer now? Even the ghosts don’t want him marrying Matilda. Haha I am slain. Sorry Matilda. I wouldn’t forgive him. That’s love wanting to marry her before she died. The fact all this happens in 3 days is crazy. So Isabella got what she wants.

Metzangerstein
Okay so this is about a feud between two families. So the horse is the revenge of the rival family? Was it fate from the prophecy that led to both family deaths?

Rappaccini’s Daughter
Okay so rappaccini is a famous daughter and we have a young moorish man called giovanni. This story is a little easier to read. So we’re comparing him and the garden to Adam and Eden. Do we have a mad scientist on our hands. Is she killing living things just by having them around her? Is lisabetta in on the experiment? Why would she tell him about the secret entrance? He’s turning poisonous too. Oo that was good I liked that.

Carmilla
I
Got a feeling the karnstein family will be important. Defo saw an apparition.
II
So they’ve got a guest staying with them now. Bit strange the mother just left her there.
III
Yeah I’d cry too if my mum left me with strangers for three months. Why the secrecy of who they are? So she has the same face as the apparition?
IV
Trust me but know nothing about me. Okay so ten years later this story is being told. Are they lesbians? Carmilla definitely has something to do with the deaths, strange they’re all women. Can it be her if she’s purchased something to keep it away? She suffered this same illness?
V
Interesting they have a picture of her from years ago. Okay confirmed, they have quite a cute romance. Her fatigue moments are strange.
VI
Oo she’s thinking of leaving. Okay so she is going to tell her story at some point. Okay that was strange, can’t be a dream.
VII
This feeling has got to come from the amulet. Is someone trying to warn her in her dreams. Where is Carmilla?
VIII
Well I don’t believe that at all. And I don’t believe sleep walking is the response.
IX
Why can’t she be alone?
X
What does the general know that we don’t? Karnsteins estate must be significant.
XI
I don’t understand how this night and the mystery women lead up to the death of his ward.
XII
Okay so their stories are matching up is millarca Carmilla considering it’s an anagram. These people are so trusting to be taking these young women in knowing nothing about them.
XIII
Will Laura die as well then as she is having the same sensation as the generals daughter. Vampires! I’ve been waiting for confirmation of what the monster is. Millarcas body is missing because it’s Carmilla.
XIV
Confirmed she is the same person!
XV
I was expecting a little more fight back before the execution.
XVI
Ooo did Carmilla never die if she has started seeing her and hearing her steps?

Olalla
Okay so we have an injured soldier who has been prescribed fresh air and being taken in by a family. The family was rich but seems to have fallen with the mother being wild and the father is dead but no one knows how. Yellow eyes ay. Love the story of the kelpie. Filipe seems a bit simple and a bit shady. Oop he thinks in breeding is going on. Weird they’re all so affected by the weather. A lot of insta love in these tales. Not the first words he was hoping for. Why does she want him to go so badly? Are they all vampires? That’s an interesting thought about ancestors whether you love the person or the people who came before. So she’s vowed to never have children so the curse ends with her. Not really how I thought it would end but I like the sentiment.

The Withered Arm
I
So the milkmaid has a son with the man who I presume is higher status but he is married to someone younger.
II
The mother’s a bit obsessed with the new wife’s appearance. And strange she doesn’t want to see her for herself.
III
They always start with these weird dreams. Well she sounds very nice if she’s giving people free things but there will be something more. So she woke with bruises and the milkmaid is called a witch. Is my suspicion with the wrong person?
IV
So others believe she has been touch by a witch or devil as well. Will it be told that the milkmaid is the cause?
V
Did it not work does she not know it was rhoda or is she keeping quiet? They moved?
VI
Now she’s turning witchy. Ew that’s a gross and weird way to get rid of it.
VII
I can’t believe she’s actually doing this and not told anyone.
VIII
Well at least the hangman is going to help. I feel like the mention of his daughter might be important.
IX
Oh no it was rhodas son who died. Oh bloody hell and Gertrude died.

The Abbot’s Ghost, Or, Maurice Treherne’s Temptation
I
Straight away we enter a love triangle. Okay not so much a love triangle. Annon likes Octavia, she hates him. Maurice likes Octavia, but she’s his cousin and pities him. So Maurice and the generals wife know each other when she said she didn’t? Wonder what caused his accident.
II
And her mother doesn’t want her to be with Maurice but Annon. I need to know more between Maurice and Mrs snowdon. Ahh so the boys rejected Mrs snowdon. Oo she put a note under the vase!
III
So Maurice and Mrs snowdon are now in cahoots, why does she need to see him alone? Octavia is the one to be careful of?
IV
There’s a lot of people who love others and have to be content with watching them be happy with someone else. Mrs snowdon is like a detective, I also want to know.
V
So now there’s a ghost. Octavia has said no to annons proposal. The general overheard the servants saying there was no ghost and it was Mrs snowdon and jasper but I feel like there might be a plan there. The sisters are trying to marry rich. Was expecting that.
VI
Maurice is a gambler with no money? Oh okay I think she’s just using it to find out why he left. Wait is Mrs snowdon actually up to something with jasper? What has she found out? She and Octavia are now friends and she wants to be a good wife.
VII
Creepy ghost stories. Hahaha I like roses. She told the story of what happened but what are the real ghosts?
VIII
Okay so there is a real ghost. Does this mean jasper will die? Oh that was quite a sad death actually.

Marsyas In Flanders
I
What strange things have happened at this church?
II
Bit too religious for my liking. Bored reading about crosses. How many times will it break. Love a good witch trial. Little satanic church really. I think they’re all mad.
III
Well with that one I think it was the wind and they were crazy.

The Dead Smile
I
Why can’t they lie in a coffin? Why can’t they be married yet?
II
Why would the window banshee look like Evelyn. Why don’t they know who Evelyn’s father is and why wait till he’s dying. Creepy smile.
III
Why do they have this need to go to the vault?
IV
Don’t think you should go down there. Ew did the head just roll to him. Oh this is creepy. His smile is broken because he knows the truth. Least they can rest peacefully.

The De Grafbrooke Monument
I
Don’t like the thought of being locked in a cathedral overnight.
II
Little ghostie meeting. Oop a meeting to kick out a ghostly traitor by a man.
III
Why can’t lily marry him. Did Edwin kill clement? Okay strange end, seemed to be cut rather short.

The Family Of A Vourdalak
Back to story telling again. Okay so vourdalak is basically Dracula but older. With a mix of beetlejuice not being able to refer to them or they shall appear. Dogs always know. How rude to shoot the dog. Gorcha is defo drinking this kids blood. So all of them were turned apart from zdenka. Zdenka is definitely one as well. Yeah I liked that, good story.

The Spider
Something freaky going on in room 7. Obviously this is going to be about spiders but I’ll have to see how I get on I don’t want nightmares. Well at least they’ve set things up for him to get help quick. Weird they’re just staring at each other. Why is she copying him? But how is he now copying her? Of course it’s her telling them to do it but why? Was she a ghost? A spider?

Execution
Sounds like university now. Don’t like storms. I wouldn’t really want to speak to someone either at 12am, who woke me up asking for shelter and food. Strange to be bound by law for the job. I want to know more of the lodger. Hahaha it’s a poltergeist. Omg the head is a football isn’t it! Oo executioner is dead. Okay not dead but soon to be by his son. I don’t think it’s right not to tell him. Poor gustav. Bloody hell there was a domino effect of deaths.

The Great God Pan
The Experiment
So there’s two scientists who by the sounds are going to experiment on Mary and I believe it will be something with the brain. Quick procedure. So it didn’t work?
Mr. Clarke’s Memoirs
I was enjoying that story, don’t appreciate it being cut off. I want to know the end.
The City Of Resurrections
Oo so this guy married Helen but went broke. And now there’s a murder linked to them.
The Discovery In Paul Street
So Mary is Helen? So the plot thickens.
The Letter Of Advice
Okay that’s a strange letter from Clarke. Strange she’s linking everything together even the death of the artist but still unknown as to how it links.
The Suicides
He’s not going to have committed suicide is he. Is Mrs Beaumont another alias for Helen? Why are all these men committing suicide?
The Encounter In Soho
I knew Mrs Beaumont would be Helen! So she has even more aliases. I don’t understand how the god pan fits into this. He’s gonna make her hang herself?
The Fragments
The marriage beneath the shade could that be when Helen was spotted with the man? Ah so Mary was her mother. I can’t lie the ending confused me a little.

The House Of Sounds
Okay so I wasn’t really sure what was going on in this other than madness and dread.

The Secret Of The Growing Gold
Love a scandal. Strange they’re all arguing but leaving at the same time. Oop she’s dead. New wife already. And she’s returned as a ghost, not a ghost. Someone has defo been murdered by those sounds. What has he done with two lime bags? Oh she’s definitely dead now. Yeah that was cool.

In The Court Of The Dragon
So this was about an evil organist that caused him dread until he heard the king in yellow?

Sister Maddelena
Okay so the place is haunted and will receive a visit from a nun. Funny how influential the courts are for them both to think the other dead. These people are evil. Beautifully tragic love story. Find the body to set her free!

The Ghost Of Mohammed Din
Don’t think I’d stay there even if it wasn’t haunted. Don’t start believing in ghosts till you actually experience one. Ghosts always have unfinished business.

The Rats In The Walls
Orgies in a temple ayy. And cults I like it. Voodoo priest. This family was into all sorts. Do not like the cat’s name! Don’t think I’d live in this house even if it was my ancestors. Ghost rats. Omg he ate capt norrys. Just went completely mad.

The Phantom Of The Opera
Prologue
You don’t need to convince me I already know he’s real. I like that this is going to be an evidence case story.
I
Lots of superstitions within performances. To this description, he sounds as though he could be a burns victim not a skeleton but an actual man who has had an accident. I like that they think he has more than one head. Why doesn’t the ghost like to be talked about? Doesn’t surprise me he’s dead after going through all that. Okay maybe not because of that reason.
II
A mystery on how she suddenly became good at singing. I never realised there was such an age gap between the brothers. He is like a love sick puppy. Love triangle.
III
Love how he’s just sat there. What was the secret confided? So bad things happen if the demands of the ghost aren’t met. Well he asks for a big allowance. Hahaha arrest a ghost.
IV
I love the stroppy letters he writes. I can see why the managers are getting so frustrated with this. They just need to listen to all the warnings. Love that he asks for a footstool. A footstool for his lady. Nice that he tips.
V
I like getting the backstory of Christine and raoul. Story of the angel is cool. Don’t know why he’s confused she clearly is with someone else. So she believes the angel of music to be the voice that spoke to her. She just seems mental dancing around to unknown music in the snow but strange what happened to him.
VI
It would drive me mad going through this if I was a manager. They’re gonna get a scare.
VII
Oo one of the horses has been stolen by the ghost. And now he’s threatening the singers. Both of their lives depend on not speaking to each other? Oh bloody hell the chandeliers come crashing down.
VIII
Christine has gone missing. Okay so she’s with the angel of music. And she can’t marry because of this angel. Raouls side is sad for his pining. Why can’t he be recognised at the ball?
IX
So the opera shots must be this fellow in red. And is also the angel of music. Raoul was a bit harsh. Who is Erik?
X
She is a strong independent woman. Why would someone give her a wedding ring as a present if she will not marry? What is the big horror behind Erik?
XI
So they will be secretly engaged, she is very hot and cold with him. Everything underground belongs to Erik? Well this is confusing she loves raoul but the doesn’t and isn’t scared of Erik but then is. Why couldn’t I remember his name was Erik?
XII
She is a wanted woman. And so the horse was with him all along. I honestly have no words for his taking her and that he would commit murder for her. I like Erik. How do you take a name by accident? Okay maybe Erik is a bit weird, sinking her fingers in his face. You know what I do kinda feel sorry for Erik listening and seeing that.
XIII
Erik is a very mysterious man. Well she’s asking for it now losing the ring. Oop he’s shot him. Well Erik isn’t going to be happy seeing that in the news. Has he stolen her again?
XIV
What is going on with the managers? Why has Mrs giry been locked away?
XV
So the police are involved now. Why does the Persian know so much about Erik?
XVI
Okay so this makes sense as to why the managers were acting weird. Ah so Mrs Giry is doing all this work for the ghost for her daughter. Why would the ghost tell her to do that?
XVII
Ahh so that is why they locked her away and that is why the managers were acting strange. They’re turning on each other. Okay and that’s why he wanted a safety pin. How did the notes go?
XVIII
Tbf you would sound insane saying all this to a police officer. I don’t think his brother did take her but either way they’re wasting time. Tell us who you are!
XIX - The Viscount And The Persian
So the Persian is going to help raoul but I still want to know how he knows so much.
XX
Who is dead and why did the ghost kill them? Ah okay it’s the gas man and team so he could cut the lights. Okay cool not dead just passed out. I like the information given at the bottom of the pages. The shade is mysterious. So the flaming head wasn’t made up! So it was the rat catcher. Weird their shoes were never discovered. The torture chamber?!
XXI
So the Persian saved Erik’s life?! So he was the chief of police and knew Erik before. I feel kind of sad that he’s so convinced that she loves him. Oh so it was the Persian watching them on the roof. Wow his backstory. Makes sense why he wanted his arm at eye-line. Oh and he was a contractor of the opera!
XXII
He just wants to be normal it is a little sad. Sad that she also tried to kill herself. Who has he killed?
XXIII
He’s gone completely mad. What has he done?!
XXIV
I can’t lie I was expecting a bit more out of the torture chamber other than mirrors and heat. This is tense. Is it really better to go through an unknown trap door. Oh bloody hell.
XXV
Oh god they only have five minutes. But if the gunpowder is soaked won’t raoul and the Persian drown? Oh god.
XXV
So she married him? Owe he killed his brother. And raoul is missing. Not missing but locked away in another part of the opera cellar. That is such a sad ending for him, he just wanted to be happy and loved.
Epilogue
At least he give the money back. His house is never to be discovered along with his music. I like how all the tricks are explained. Awh so that’s how he saved him. God that was heartbreaking.

[Valerie Kollar · Rating 3 out of 5]

I skipped the “& Other Gothic Tales” and went right to the Phantom (I bought this edition purely because it was prettier than the others, so I didn’t really have much care for the other stories included.) This was a bit of a let down. I read it in middle school and was enamored of it, particularly with how impressive Erik is portrayed as an inventor. I think it must have been a classic case of things seeming much more wonderful in youth than they do in adulthood- I was not too impressed this time around. I think I’ll keep my allegiance to the Broadway version ;)

[Mandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not every story in here was 5 stars, but compilations are almost always fun to read-especially the horror/gothic ones.

[Akbar Hasan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great collection of stories, had a blast going through these gothic tales I would never have come across. Mentioning a few of them with a slight blurb/review to each:

Carmilla - Incredibly well-written, cinematic in someways, and immersive. The relationship between the main character and Carmilla is intense and the way Carmilla fixates at her is incredible to read. And the horror in this story is really disturbing and gets under your skin.

The Dead Smile - Haunting, disturbing, and incredibly tragic. It's also incredibly visual and the way the smile is described conjures up dark images. A really fun gothic story to read.

The Family of a Vourdalak - So good. Interesting premise -- people telling horror stories and the events that transpire are memorable and fun to follow. Loved the Serbian influence in this.

The Spider - One of my favorites. So fucking creepy and I love the way it's told through the diary entries.

The Great God Pan - This one actually feels like some Pagan shit happened. It's messed up and I can see why so many horror writers take inspiration from it.

Sister Maddelena - I liked this one. Simple, interesting, and it's got a bit of Poe to it.

Phantom of the Opera - They certainly did save the best for last. It was such a joy to read this, so refreshing with its humour and comedy, and characters that behave straight out of a cartoon show (the managers). The romance and mystery in this is top notch and addicting to read. The only let-down for me was the final act of the book, it kind of didn't stick the landing to where this story was going. That being said, I love this story nonetheless.

[George Bastedo IV · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book basically has two parts: The Phantom of the Opera itself and a collection of short stories that were selected to go with it.

I would give the short stories overall a 2.5/5. A few of them were quite good, but I would say my most frequent impression was that a story would have an intriguing setup and a somewhat underwhelming ending. When all was said and done, I kind of got the impression they were just tacked on in order to justify making a really nicely designed cover and binding for The Phantom of the Opera (which only takes up about 25% of the book).

Regarding Phantom itself, I would give it a solid 3/5. Most people are familiar with the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical; you will recognize many elements in the book that made their way into the musical, but the story is presented rather differently. For example, in the book I would say Raoul has more claim to be the protagonist than either the Phantom or Christine (who are both larger characters than Raoul in the musical). Many of the supporting characters are also recognizable from the musical, but different. In any event, I quite enjoyed the novel, and if you're a fan of the musical I would say it's worth reading.

[Kristina Mlinarić · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I bought this book to finally have the Phantom and Carmilla in a prettier/more durable edition but I was surprised at how many other gothic stories were also collected, like The Castle of Otranto as the first gothic story, for example. I skipped the stories I've already read and focused on the new material, but after a while lots of stories got blended together in their similarity and exaggerated romances. I didn't mind much and chuckled quite a few times when the story went cheesy (Dracula had those moments too). All in all, any enjoyer of the macabre will find entertainment in this book and recognize quite a few authors who got famous for works such as Frankenstein, Little Women, etc.

Notable stories: Carmilla, The Phantom of the Opera, Rats in the Walls, The Great God Pan, Metzengerstein, The Family of a Vourdulak, The Spider.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Phantom of the Opera, unlike Dracula or Frankenstein say, is perhaps better known for its adaptations than for the original Gaston Leroux novel. This is a mistake, as it is as fun and fresh as it would have been when published in 1909.

It's funny and complex. The characters are interesting and likeable, with Christine particularly having more agency than most. Erik's story is rich, with an ever unfolding background that make you sympathize with, if not outright forgive, the actions he takes.

All that said, the ostensible hero Raoul remains an absolute ponce and it's fully intentional. He is just the worst kind of nepo-baby waste of time, and you really see Christine trapped in a world full of men who want to murder, and men who want to shout and cry at her and understand why she hesitates to go either way.

High recommend.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gaston Leroux said, “oh, you wanna know about trap doors? Hold my beer.”

This was a fun read but it was insanely predictable. I was expecting more of a setup like The Count of Monte Cristo with actual twists and turns and surprises, but this was more just “here’s some stuff that happened isn’t that crazy?”

From a literary standpoint the format of info dumping from various POVs made it too straightforward almost like a newspaper instead of a story.

Overall I did enjoy the atmosphere and laughed out loud at him sending shady notes signed OG to people who got on his nerves, I might start doing that at work.

[Alexandra Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a genre I wanted to read for a long time and this collection was a great way to get into it. Very eclectic, the physical book itself is gorgeous with the gold pages and front cover. A few of my particular favourites were The Withered Arm by Thomas Hardy and The Spider by Hanns Heinz Ewers. It was a fun trip into the past were a good storm, or an angry king or even a simple spooky coincidence is just enough to give you chills and make you keep reading!

[Michela · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't hate this book but I didn't like it either. There was probably less than half of the stories that I actually enjoyed. Those being Carmilla, The Withered Arm,The House of Sounds, and The Phantom of the Opera. I honestly couldn't tell you anything about the other stories other than they just didn't keep my attention. But these four just seemed to keep me intrigued and curious the whole way through.

[Brendan Shusterman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of Gothic Horror Stories was the perfect read. Hard to pick out favorites but "The Spider" and "Execution" are high up there. It was also nice reading "Rats in the Walls" again, as I don't think I've read that one since I was seventeen. As for the titular story, it's amazing how different it feels from the Musical adaptation at times. I think they both can stand in their own right. Perhaps someday another more direct adaptation is in order?

[Galaxy Fink · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun collection of Gothic horror, mostly stories I'd never heard of and culminating in one of my all time favorite books. Admittedly, Gothic horror can be an acquired taste, so I wouldn't recommend this to everyone. But it's a very good collection of stories for more experienced readers of the genre. My favorite was probably The Spider.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Phantom of the Opera is the best story in this collection. I read it after seeing the Broadway musical, which was superb, and the book filled in a lot of the gaps in the Broadway version (especially when it came to the history of the phantom). Well written and extremely imaginative. I found the other tales to be mostly "okay."

[Evangeline · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were tons of stories in this book. Some I enjoyed more than others but my rating is going to be for the main story “Phantom of the Opera”. Which for me was a good read. I will say I still don’t understand why she picks Raul. I really cannot comprehend it! Like the chemistry between her and Erik is impeccable.

[Mark Slauter · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you'd like to read some classic gothic tales, then this is it. A broad brush through the genre with some very interesting stories. These are not graphic, but encourage the reader to create their own unseen in the shadows.

[H. Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wild adventure! So many fascinating tales through a range of history. The collection ends with The Phantom of the Opera, the longest of the bunch, but a fitting bookend. Highly recommended for exposure to some of the great early authors of the gothic genre.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

não foi essa a edição que li, mas amo esse livro e precisava colocá-lo na estante

[Becki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy *****, I finished!

(and actually quite enjoyed most of the stories in here.)

[JAK · Rating 3 out of 5]

To be fair, I only read The Phantom of the Opera out of this collection for now, which was a 2 star story. However, there is SO much variety in the rest of this book, it looks amazing!

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

There were so many wonderfully stories that I adored in this book that I’m sad to have finished it.