Book Memories

The Phantom Of The Opera

By: Gaston Leroux

320 Pages**

(**B&N's classics version of the book)

My Husband & I have seen the musical twice and LOVED it. So when I found out it was a book first, I was hesitant to read it. Would it be as good? Well, I eventually read it, and it was every bit as good as the musical, though it different ways.

In the musical, the theatre does Opera shows, whereas the book does Ballets. Among some other differences that were minor for me, I LOVED the book! It was every bit as magical for me as the musical was. I would have a hard time deciding which was better: the book or the musical.

While some of the characters in the book didn't make it into the musical, I loved reading about them. The Parisian was a particularly favorite. The book was phenomenal with telling the story of the Phantom. You get a better look at him and why he is driven to the lengths he goes to. You get a much better look at his world under the theatre in the book and I enjoyed that to no end.

The ending is more heartbreaking in the book, I think. Though I have to say, I would've been heartbroken with any ending. This book was definitely one of those stories that pulls you in and keeps you glued. I can see myself reading this book many times more to come. It has become one of my all-time favorite classics!