
Leroux’s version tells the story from pretty much everyone else’s perspective but theirs. They also serve entirely different purposes than portrayed in the film.Īnother very glaring difference between the book and the movie is that the film version tends to focus on Christine and the Phantom, telling the story from their perspectives. While Madame Giry and her daughter Meg appear in both the book and film versions, they are described very differently in the novel than they appear in the film. It is also his knowledge which explains Erik’s backstory to the reader, giving the Phantom added depth. His knowledge of the Phantom (Erik) is crucial in helping Raoul rescue Christine in the final chapters of the book. He is the only one who personally knows Erik, thanks to a shared past history. The Persian, who plays an important part in the book, is the most glaring character missing in the film. These include Raoul’s older brother Phillip, the Comte de Chagny, as well as smaller players in the opera house. There are some additional characters in the original novel which have been trimmed from the stage play and film. RELATED: For Love of the Phantom Review MY THOUGHTSĪlthough there are some big differences between the book and the film adaptation of Phantom of the Opera that I’ve seen, overall the main plots of the story remain the same. Christine finally confesses her love, knowing it is for naught since she is bound to her music tutor.Įverything comes to a head when Christine disappears from the stage in the middle of a performance. He is never quite assured of Christine’s affection, but eventually they play at an engagement.

Initially Christine ignores him and then sends him mixed signals which drives the immature but lovelorn Raoul to distraction. Meanwhile, a young Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny returns to Paris and notices his old playmate Christine.

Rumors and tragic events which have occurred are all linked to this mysterious ghost. At the same time the opera’s new managers are under the impression that the stories of the Opera’s ghost are just an elaborate practical joke perpetrated by the former owners. SUMMARYįor those unfamiliar with the story it is somewhat of a Beauty and the Beast type tale. The orphaned Christine Daae works as a dancer at the Paris Opera House, but has secretly been taking lessons from a figure she knows as the Angel of Music. But when writing about film adaptations and book sequels, reading the source material is a must. I generally find it long-winded and with dour hidden message about the evils of life.

As I’ve written in an earlier post, I don’t usually enjoy classic literature. Having recently written reviews for both Andrew Lloyd Webber’s film version of The Phantom of the Opera as well as a sequel novel, I decided it was high time I actually read Gaston Leroux’s original novel.
