{"product_id":"9781486412617","title":"The Phantom of the Opera - The Original Classic Edition","description":"The original Phantom : Before the Andrew Lloyd Webbers musical, there was Gaston Lerouxs original novel The Phantom of the Opera. If you have never seen the production stage, and know only a few things of the story, then...when you reach the middle of the narrative you will be surprised because it is totally different from what you will expect. And it is a great surprise. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMore than a love story, The Phantom of the Opera is a gothic tale of obsession --leading to madness. The Paris Opera House and its hidden rooms, and underground are the perfect place to develop a horror story. Leroux noticed this potential. His descriptions of the place are creepy and in the end we start wondering if it is not a true story indeed. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLeroux was very smart, writing a novel like he was only reporting something --and not creating a work of fiction. Therefore there are police reports, newspapers scraps, witness interviews. More than a narrator, the person who is telling the story is only gathering useful information for the reader. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHis characters are real human beings --even the 'ghost, of whom throughout the narrative we realize that he is the one with most human characteristics. Sometimes, Christine is a little stereotypical, mostly when she says she wants to be 'the mistress of her faith or something like it. And so is Raoul --but that doesnt diminish the qualities of this engaging novel. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAll in all, this is a French classic that is highly recommended.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Emereo Publishing","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47136253116656,"sku":"9781486412617","price":7.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781486412617_p0.jpg?v=1763634859","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781486412617","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}