Book Report

The novel was partly inspired by historical events in Paris Opera during 19th century. There had been a mysterious story about ghost of the opera. However,it turned out that this ghost was not some kind of supernatural creatures but a young man named Erik. The story begins when the ghost is seen in the Opera on the evening of the retirement party for the managers. The retiring managers inform the new managers that there is a ghost who can bring disaster to the Opera if he does not get what he wants. The new managers laugh and do not believe this story until they make the mistake of going against the wishes of the ghost. The ghost is in love with Christine Daaé and manages to carry her away to his underground house on the lake below the Opera. She believes he is the Angel of Music, who her father promised to send after he died. However, when she sees him for the first time that she is in the grip of a terrible monster. Count Chagny’s brother Raoul, the viscount,is also in love with Christine but she cannot return his love for fear of what the monster will do if he finds them together. The monster and the viscount are jealous of each other, but the monster is far cleverer and Raoul ends up in Erik’s torture room with the Persian who is helping him find Christine. When it seems that there is no hope and that they will die in the torture room, the Persian reminds Erik that he once saved Erik’s life. This saves the two men. When Christine touches the monster’s hand, mixes her tears with his, and allows the monster to kiss her, he has his first and last taste of human affection and love.Surprisingly,Erik was deeply moved and allowed Daae to flee with the viscount.But he begged Daae to return and visit him once he died for he would bury himself under the opera later on.Daae accepted and did return later.The whole story ended up a tragedy of Erik.

 Erik, though he was talented in music ,it still couldn't make up his greatest shortage--appearance. His ugly appearance made it impossible for most of the girls to love him,and Christine was no exception. As far as I am concerned,this story was not simply an entertainment but a satire. It satirized a phenomenon which is common ever since human was born,your status depends on your appearance or more than that,it can be extended to money,social status and so on. It's uneven to say this thing is useless or those who value these things are sordid,but we still can't ignore one's internal virtues. Christine didn't see that so she chose Chagny. Moreover,she never had a sense of adoration on Erik. Nevertheless,Eric still gave her all his heart. In conclusion,the whole story is a tragedy,not for Christine and not for Chagny. It's for the genius Erik,who was a great music genius. I felt sorry for Erik for the reason that he couldn't demonstrate his gift because of his facial features,and,he gave his love to a wrong person.  

   Speaking of the style of writing,the whole novel is so “alive”. There were times that I felt like delving into the book myself. One moment I was sitting near the Phantom at Box Five, listening to the wonderful and angelic voice of Christine performing Faust. The other, my blood was running cold when I actually could see the large chandelier falling in front of my eyes, ready to crash on me. I could feel the sweat slipping down my body when I along with the Phantom and the Persian, was at the Torture Room. And the picture of the Phantom taking of his mask and revealing that obnoxious, repulsive face, is deeply carved in my mind.Without any exaggeration, it was like the book was speaking to me! Like I would read further from the lines.

   Also,in the prologue of this novel,author wrote that”The Opera Ghost really existed. He was not, as was long believed, a creature of the imagination of the artists, the superstition of the managers, or a product of the absurd and impressionable brains of the young ladies of the ballet, their mothers, the box-keepers, the cloak-room attendants or the concierge. Yes, he existed in flesh and blood, although he assumed the complete appearance of a real phantom: that is to say, of a spectral shade.I guess this made the novel more mysterious and attracting.

   I strongly recommend this book to everyone. Whether you like dark, gothic stories, stories of horror and thrillers, or whether you are a love story admirer, this is the book that will leave you breathless. It was like it lured me to read it from cover to cover in one night. In a few words, I adored it!

2016-01-12

分享

喜欢(0)