Never too Late to Read Classics discussion

First published in French as a serial in 1909, The Phantom of the Opera is a riveting story that revolves around the young, Swedish Christine Daaé. It remains a remarkable piece of Gothic horror literature in and of itself, deeper and darker than any version that follows.

Enjoy!

I remember seeing this play in London and loved it! I'm excited to read the book!

I have not seen the play version, but I have read the book.
It is dark and intense at times-very gothic!

I’ve seen the musical but not read the book so I’ll be reading it with you this month

Sounds great Georgina!

I would love to read the book. I've seen the movie and the musical. Have not read the book yet!

Which film did you see Lauren? There are so many and i've seen quite a few. Of course I've seen the musical too and know all the songs. We used to act it out at home and I would sing the part of Christine. I wish they could find the lost film, I love silent cinema.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adaptat...

I hope you get a chance to read the book, Lauren. It is very dramatic.

I read the book about three years ago and then watched the musical in London. I thought the musical did justice to the book, unlike the movie adaptation I've watched years ago.

I started reading this today, knowing nothing about the story. I’m enjoying it so far.

I’m glad you’re enjoying it Trisha!!

Trisha wrote: "I started reading this today, knowing nothing about the story. I’m enjoying it so far."

Happy to hear, Trisha. :)

I finished reading this. I’m pleased I have read it at last, though expected something better. It was good in that I kept reading to find out what happened, but I’m surprised that the story became popular enough to be made into a film & a musical.

Well Sweeney Todd was made into a musical as well 😎

I will start this soon!! lol

I finished this a few days ago and it’s not my favourite book, but I’m glad I’ve read it. I found it hard to know how to feel about Eric, I went from compassion to horror and loathing and back again several times. I’m still not sure how I feel about him.

Georgina, that was my reaction too, but I think he was obsessive and excessive in everything did. So I do feel sorry for him, but......

It was the best part about the book for me, the struggle to know if you’re on his side or against him. I think it’s still very relevant today when you look at children and young adults who commit horrendous acts due to their upbringing and circumstances, although what they do is unforgivable there’s a part of me that feels sad at the hand that life dealt them. There’s always a ‘but’ though.

I can see what you mean Georgina. I watched a show called Flashpoint and it goes into the psyche of the criminal and what happened that made the person commit the crime. There's always a reason for everything it seems.

Rosemarie wrote: "Georgina, that was my reaction too, but I think he was obsessive and excessive in everything did. So I do feel sorry for him, but......"

Yeah he was a creepy, obsessive, stalker kind of guy. I felt scared for Christine many times.

I don’t watch a lot of tv, but I’ll have a look for that Patrick as it sounds interesting.
And please don’t think I’m justifying his actions, it was awful for Christine and the others. I just wonder if he’d had a loving childhood, despite his disfigurements, would he have become the monster he did?

Read this a few years ago. Wasn't satisfied at all, mostly bored.
Fell short as a horror story, in my opinion.
Certainly not in the same category as Frankenstein or Dracula.

I've seen the musical several times (music is simply beautiful) but when I first saw it, I was slightly disappointed that the phantom wasn't actually a phantom, thus it became less of a horror story for me but more like a psychological thriller around a love triangle.
I had never read the book so last November, I read it for another Goodreads challenge. Reading more of the background stories and details that a musical/movie can't give due to time restraints, gave the characters more dimension, which I enjoyed.
I wonder if I would have been scared by the story if I had lived a century ago.

I agree it was more of a psychological thriller. Being stalked by an unseen stalker was the scariest part of the story.

I'm glad you all enjoyed it!