The Phantom of the Opera

by Gaston Leroux, Mireille Ribière (Translator), Mireille Ribière (Noted by), Jann Matlock (Introduction)

Overview

Deep below the Paris Opera House lurks a secret. Who is the mysterious phantom who haunts the stars of the stage?

The Phantom of the Opera is in Series Two of Usborne Young Reading, which combines good stories with easy reading text. Series Two is for readers who are growing in confidence.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780141191508
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	05/29/2012
Pages:	368
Sales rank:	295,924
Product dimensions:	5.08(w) x 7.76(h) x 0.83(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Gaston Leroux, born in Paris in 1868, was a French journalist, playwright, and detective/thriller writer. Beginning his career as a crime reporter and war correspondent, he lived an adventurous life that took him to Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, and even into North Africa disguised as an Arab. His high-spirited, often dangerous, escapades and questioning nature provided much of the background and plot material for his sensational mystery and adventure stories, particularly those starring his reporter-sleuth, Joseph Rouletabille. One of his most famous detective novels, The Mystery of the Yellow Room, was published in 1907, and his works have been called “among the finest examples of the detective stories we possess.” But Leroux’s best-known story is The Phantom of the Opera (1911), whose macabre hero has been played in film by classic horror film stars Lon Chaney and Claude Rains. Leroux died in Nice in 1927.

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Excerpted from "The Phantom of the Opera"
by .
Copyright © 2012 Gaston Leroux.
Excerpted by permission of Penguin Publishing Group.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Introduction 7

Chapter I Is it the Ghost? 15

Chapter II The New Margarita 29

Chapter III Why the Managers Resigned 42

Chapter IV Box 5 53

Chapter V The Enchanted Violin 71

Chapter VI A Visit to Box 5 94

Chapter VII The Fatal Performance 98

Chapter VIII The Mysterious Brougham 118

Chapter IX At the Masked Ball 129

Chapter X 'Forget the Man's Voice!' 143

Chapter XI Above the Trap-Doors 151

Chapter XII Apollo's Lyre 162

Chapter XIII A Masterstroke 189

Chapter XIV The Safety-Pin 204

Chapter XV 'Christine! Christine!' 213

Chapter XVI Mame Giry and The Ghost 219

Chapter XVII The Safety-Pin Again 235

Chapter XVIII The Commissary of Police 244

Chapter XIX The Viscount and the Persian 252

Chapter XX In the Cellars of The Opera 261

Chapter XXI Vicissitudes of a Persian 283

Chapter XXII In the Torture-Chamber 302

Chapter XXIII The Tortures Begin 311

Chapter XXIV 'Barrels! Barrels!' 320

Chapter XXV Which Shall She Turn? 335

Chapter XXVI The End of the Ghost 346

Epilogue 359

Reading Group Guide

"The story of the monster man whose horrible deformities cause fear and terror, his search for love and acceptance, and his haunting of the opera house in Paris is told in very simple language. Beautifully adapted, the story flows along so easily that readers will be immediately caught up in the tangle of events and emotions. McMullan conveys all of the anger, grief, joy, and love that make the phantom a truly believable character. Will attract reluctant readers."--School Library Journal.  


From the Trade Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Ingenious . . . breathless suspense.”—The Nation

From the Publisher

10/28/2019

The inaugural release in the Horror Writers Association Haunted Library of Horror Classics series will be a revelation to those familiar only with the musical based on the 1910 novel by LeRoux (1868–1927). The tale of a Paris opera house inhabited by a spectral figure with seemingly magical abilities remains genuinely creepy today. Much of the book’s power stems from the author’s presentation of his narrative as the factual product of his own diligent archival research and interviews with survivors of the phenomenon. This understated treatment means that even his spoiler-laden prologue heightens rather than lessens suspense. A turnover in the management of the opera house coincides with sightings of the so-called Opera ghost and the grim discovery of the hanged corpse of Joseph Buquet, the company’s chief scene-shifter. These events are followed by an unexpectedly triumphant performance by Christine Daeé, who previously had an undistinguished singing career, which proves to be linked to the phantom. Fans of literate horror, whatever their opinion of Andrew Lloyd Weber, will be gratified. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

Narrators Jeremy Nicholas and Peter Yapp tackle this production of the venerable thriller with vigor and panache. As depicted by this talented duo, the love triangle between the lovely Christine, the handsome Raoul, and the disfigured Phantom soars with music, rhythm, and joy. Most poignant is the portrayal of the Phantom, who is both romantic and evocative. Listeners familiar with the stage play will find the story familiar, but Nicholas and Yapp use their vocal talents to bring new insights and emotions to the story. R.O. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine

NOVEMBER 2015 - AudioFile