"The Phantom Of The Opera" by Gaston Leroux (1911)

Perfectly aware that my reading diet can't be only celebrity biographies, fluffy novels and lighthearted entertainment I have list of books-to-read with classics stored for reading pleasure in a case I end up on deserted island one day with waterproof wooden chest full of goodies. So I started 1911. french novel "The Phantom Of The Opera" thinking myself being very grown-up,sophisticated and elegant - and found it incredibly boring,slow paced and unfortunately old-fashioned beyond description. In its days this novel was published as crime thriller, popular serialized fiction where each week new chapter would continue cliff-hanger story - alas, dear reader, what was cliff hanger back than it's not anymore. For the start, young angelic heroine (opera singer Christine Daaé, obviously inspired by real life Christine Nilsson although to me it sounds like description of Jenny Lind) is perfect creature of her time, weak, crying, depending on others and unable to move finger unless told so. Apparently this is how men perceived women back than. Young aristocrat Raoul who is madly in love with her is equally annoying & well mannered guy absolutely useless in dangerous situations, in fact he is so theatrical and whimpering that sometimes even Christine appears stronger than he is. Than whole bunch of (frankly, my dear) unnecessary supporting characters who are here just to make the story longer or perhaps work out as comic relief. This leaves title character of "Phantom" as actually most interesting person in a novel - he was supposed to be horrible,scary and evil but he actually shows spark, intelligence and passion that nobody else here have and I liked him - my biggest criticism of this novel and its author is why Erik's behavior and past were not better described and explained instead being just vaguely tossed of at the few pages in the end. He deserves much better. 

I suffered trough "The Phantom Of The Opera" simply because I was intrigued with main negative character,who turns out to be far more interesting than anybody else in the novel.

Interesting only because this is original inspiration for many other adaptations, nevertheless is moth-eaten and writing style, charming as it perhaps is, is not even close to cliff hangers written by  Eugène Sue whom I find hundred times better at this.