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Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'
The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux, Fiction, Classics by Gaston Leroux
36 reviews
sehaus18's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Not what you’d expect if your only context is the musical. At times I was shocked at how strange some of the plot was.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Fire/Fire injury
cilabilla's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Having watched the musical multiple times before, I was surprised to find out that it was based on a novel! I enjoyed the mystery, intrigue, and hysteria, which seemed more pronounced in the novel than any adaptations I've watched. If you get a chance to listen to an audiobook version, I would highly recommend it - I found a narrator on YouTube and he amplified the obsessive and chaotic tone of the novel. I'm not usually into any form of creepy or horror (I'm sure this novel is minimal compared to most) but I did appreciate this one!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Abandonment
freddikb's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
My only real knowledge of this story has been from the movie version with Gerard Butler and Emmy Rossum (2004). I fell in love with the costumes and the tragic love story of the phantom, Erik. I was so excited to read this. My final thoughts, after the last page has been read, are not what I expected them to be….
Going into this story I had, I’ll admit, already my own thoughts based on the 2004 movie. I eventually learned that the movie and the book have differing takes on the story, on the way the relationships are portrayed. Or perhaps my eyes have become clearer to red flags?
My initial thought about the book was- this story portrays a toxic relationship between an emotionally abused man and a very naive/immature girl. Yes, that is what I said. I know there will be haters. “The Phantom of the Opera” is such a popular ‘love story’ for the ages and I am pulling out all the red flags. A man who was unloved by his family and emotionally traumatized by everyone, and never received the support and help he needed to work through that, the result- Erik became fixated on a girl, stalked her, became jealous of her friends, kidnapped her and held her in confinement. He threatens her friends, and all of these actions in the name of “love”. And Christine, she plays both guys, using their emotions and playing them. No. Just, no. So, so many red flags in this story. It was such a disappointment, but also helped me see that the movie is also not the best for me to watch.
Girls, if a guy says he loves you but then threatens, stalks, kidnaps, it is not love. I repeat- that is not love.
*What I have expressed are entirely my own thoughts. I was not compensated in any monetary way.*
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Gore, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Death, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Manipulationnatderosa's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Ugh. I wanted to love the novel, but every character is so flawed there's almost no redeeming qualities about any of them. I've known the musical/movie musical adaptations well before the book but this is not a comparison of the two (actually, the 1925 silent film is the most accurate adaptation of the novel). Raoul is the most whiny man-child I've ever read about in literature, and his lust (yes, it's lust) for Christine is as creepy as desperate as Erik. Christine's naïvety makes sense if it's assumed she's a sheltered teen/young-adult, mourning her father while being manipulated by Erik. The final climax felt so drawn out and anti-climatic. The story-telling from the perspective of a historian's account, although interesting, at times made it feel like I was reading just an essay and not a story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Stalking, and Murder
Minor: Death of parent
theyretakingthehobbits's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Misogyny, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Kidnapping, and Murder
moyarb's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
3.0
I only knew The Phantom of the Opera by name only, never having read the book or seen any adaptations including the musical. I loved the atmosphere and compared to other classics, this was one of the easier ones to read. Since this felt like it was through Raoul’s POV, I saw this as someone witnessing a close friend/loved one experiencing an abusive relationship. The epilogue felt like a last ditch effort to “humanize” Erik. It was hard to feel sympathetic when throughout the book he was emotionally abusive and literally kidnapped Christine. He’s an interesting villain, but I went in thinking he was a tragic character. I really hate the villain with a tragic backstory trope because nowadays y’all will adore a white man even when he’s a piece of shit.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Toxic relationship
jmkendall0218's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, and Stalking
banned_book's review against another edition
funny
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Not sure if I found the clownish character interactions funny on their own, or whether Christopher Lee's phenomenal voice acting made the story quality seem much better than it is. Either way, I enjoyed the immensely stupid plot. Always love a good and pathetic fictional man. If he's the clear loser in a nonsensical love triangle, even better.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Gaslighting
cursed10fold's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Kidnapping
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Violence, and Suicide attempt
Minor: War
siglerbooknook's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
When I tell you I obsessed over this book in high school it is not in any way an exaggeration.
So of course, it was required reading now that I'm an adult to see if it was truly as good as I remembered.
My finding was rather complex. The over all plot was much more boring than I remembered, very slow, fully of miscommunication, and no real information until the very end. However, I caught many many details I didn't remember from earlier reads, including huge differences between the book and movies it inspired.
Over all I still enjoyed the story and this is one I'm glad to have in my collection to read again in future.
So of course, it was required reading now that I'm an adult to see if it was truly as good as I remembered.
My finding was rather complex. The over all plot was much more boring than I remembered, very slow, fully of miscommunication, and no real information until the very end. However, I caught many many details I didn't remember from earlier reads, including huge differences between the book and movies it inspired.
Over all I still enjoyed the story and this is one I'm glad to have in my collection to read again in future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Self harm, Torture, Stalking, Suicide attempt, and Murder
Minor: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Classism