Release: October 20th, 2020
Format: Ebook
Publisher: A Wave Blue World
Source: Netgalley
Find it at Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N,
__
__
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, the iconic gothic romance, is retold with all the spectacle its legend demands in this devoted graphic novel adaptation that marries stunning artwork with Gaston Leroux’s haunting prose.
Everyone has heard the whispered tales of the phantom living beneath the opera house, the mysterious trickster behind all the little mishaps and lost things. But no one has ever seen the monster . . . until now. The promise of a blossoming love allures him from his intricately constructed hideaways in the labyrinthine building’s walls and cellars. A hideously disfigured artist trains the lovely Christine to be the opera’s next star for a steep price. More so, the Ghost’s obsession with Christine only grows, and he seeks to possess her as his bride. What is she going to do? Does she choose her newfound success or her beloved Count Raoul? This doomed love triangle threatens to combust when a tragic death, a series of betrayals, and increasingly dangerous accidents cast the players of The Palais Garnier into a heart-wrenching horror story that will echo through the ages.
About the Author:
Tomi is a cartoonist from Hungary & a graduate of The Kubert School. He colored a bunch of Kevin Eastman’s TMNT covers and created a graphic novel adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera, coming out in October 2020.
The Phantom of the Opera Review:
Let me preface by saying that I have never seen any of the other renditions, and the graphic novel was my first experience of reading the classic. Hence, I did not have anything to benchmark my expectations. Having that said, I enjoyed the story and the graphic novel representation.
Firstly, the creators did an excellent job in the graphic novel. I was in awe at the level of details added in each background panel. Some of the imagery took my breath away and gave the book a perfect gothic feel. The Phantom is genuinely eerie and repulsive, yet there are scenes where you feel sorry for him. The scenes where the Chandelier falls or when Christine disappears after her performance was breath-taking!
Similarly, I loved the plot as well. I am a sucker for gothic romance, and this is probably one of the earliest stories in the genre. Erik is one of the most complex characters, where hate him, yet part of you roots for him for what he has gone through.
However, there were a few minor things that felt disconnected. For one thing, I thought the romance seemed off. I don’t blame the illustrators per se (as it could have been a translation from the original storylines). But, I didn’t feel the romance between Raoul and Christine. Moreover, I was rooting for the Phantom as I thought he was the most mesmerizing character. Also, I thought that the font text could have been better, as soon bubbles felt small to read.
Apart from that, this was a delightful graphic novel to read. I would love to see the musical the next time I visit New York. Overall, I recommend “The Phantom of the Opera: The Graphic Novel” even if you haven’t seen the musical.
