06 January 2008

Deception: A Phantom of the Opera Novel.

My first book of the 50 Book Challenge is done. In Deception: A Phantom of the Opera Novel, by Shirley Yoshinaka, Erik; previously known in Paris as The Phantom of the Opera, flees France and escapes to England in search of a new life. While trying to find his new life he meets many obstacles he greatly overcomes and finds the things he's always deserved and longed for, and leaves his past behind him in many ways.

I finished this last night and it was even better the second time reading it. I still can't understand though why she chose to kill Henry in the story. But I was glad all over again to see Wentworth die by Erik's hand. I remember the first time I read this I wished Erik would just kill him, but of course he did not as he was trying to be a new man with a new life. I rather like Shirley Yoshinaka's phantom. He seemed more real and more human, she took away the whole opera ghost persona and made him even more likable and honorable which I very much enjoyed.

1 comment:

rhapsody said...

Well, it seems like I'm a bit late for this post, as I'm writing from the *future* (in 2011=)

This is my favorite continuation of The Phantom of the Opera. I've read quite a few, including the one most people like the most, and the one most people like the least...

In my opinion, all the continuations have something to offer. However, this book is my favorite because he is the closest and best written character to the Erik I imagine. In one book he's too dark; in another he's too weepy. Again, these books all really do have moments that are good, but this one beats them all.

He takes off by himself; he anguishes over Christine; and so on. I don't like saying too much, but someone else I know read it and said it was excellent as well!

I know the story of PotO from the beautifully done 2004 movie - not the original book, or any other version. So the character of Erik I'm most familiar with, definitely fits the Erik of this story best!

Well, hope you find this comment -

God bless.