Sapphire Blue

 The continuation of Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier happens two seconds after the conclusion of the first one. 

Gwen and Gideon get themselves and their fancy clothes back to the House of the Guardians, but Gwen's head is still spinning because he kissed her! and there is a new gargoyle hanging around who won't leave her alone. Maybe he can be of some use, though, when he's not making fun of her. Things are becoming more chaotic and confusing as her world shifts and sways with the new information Gwen keeps getting. Lucy and Paul are trying to get in contact with her, but she's constantly being told that they are dangerous, but are they or are the Guardians or the Count hiding things they don't want her to understand? Then there is Gideon who keeping flip flopping on if he's going to kiss her or scorn her and look the other way. Gwen is only 16, how is she supposed to deal with all of this? 

I enjoyed this one more than the first. Probably because we were more into the story and got a few more answers. I also enjoyed meeting Gwen's grandpa--makes me miss mine. 

I'm intrigued by the bad guy of the series. His motives are understandable and he seems cunning enough to almost get it done. Obviously he won't succeed, at least for long, but I want to know more about this ingenious, charismatic, narsisistic man. 

I can also understand why some people in their reviews give this series a bad time. Gwen, being sixteen, doesn't know what she's feeling and does get led on. She's not the "eat my dust," "all boys suck," "I can do everything myself" kinda girl which is getting shoved down everyone's throat. The "girl power" here is lacking and I think that makes it more believable. I remember being sixteen and seventeen and how windswept you can feel when you find out a boy loves you and kisses you. I remember needing "blowy-upy movies" for a bit after the first break up. It's hard and it's confusing and I think it's portrayed realistically here.

One reviewer in particular hated how Gwen forgave so easily and how she still fauns over Gideon, but didn't we all back then? We want that first love to be real so much that we do stupid things? The fact that everyone keeps commenting that they can see her affection for Gideon so boldly on her face is proof that she doesn't quite know what she's doing, because she has no idea how to hide it! I do believe *SPOILER* Gideon is being manipulative at the start, but I think this is more the romantic troupe of "it started out that way, but then I actually fell in love with you and it's real" like in How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days or other ones like that *end of spoiler.* 

I can't give this one a perfect 5 stars because it's ending was so abrupt again. I think it would have worked better as a single volume instead of three separate books. It would flow better I think. 

Ruby Red

 Originally published in Germany, Ruby Red is a book about modern time travelers, which is something I wouldn't have expected coming from this front cover. 

Gwen lives in a family of time travelers. Not everyone can do it and everyone is waiting for Charlotte, Gwen's cousin, to pop out of time at any moment. What's not expected is when Gwen suddenly finds herself on her own street corner in the early 1900's instead of the early 2000s she pops back to her own time quickly, but it's not supposed to be her that's the time traveler. Charlotte is the one who did all the studying on curtsies and dates of fires and earthquakes, not Gwen. Charlotte is the one who everyone says is perfect for this job, not Gwen. Charlotte is the one everyone is expecting, not Gwen. And everyone lets her know that. Now Gwen is in the middle of a very old, secretive society who still believe that girls are good for nothing except in the kitchen and making babies, as if they don't have a head on their shoulders and brains between their ears. And an 18 Century duke is most interested in Gwen and whatever magic she possesses for his own uses. 

Time travel isn't what I was expected from this book at all. Fellow librarians had suggested I read it ages ago, and it's only now gotten high up enough on the "To Be Read" pile that I was actually able to look at it, or hear it at any rate. I do appreciate the boundaries that are put in place fairly early on when it comes to time travel. I think that if there aren't some form of boundaries, stories get a little too wishy-washy and there are more loopholes than should be "allowed." 

I also think Kerstin Gier did a good job at giving us the information we as readers needed without info-dumping too much on us. "Show don't tell" was well done, for the most part. There are many facets to this story that could make it extremely complicated, what with ghosts and time travel and secret societies, but it's done clearly over all that we don't get too bogged down and are lost. 

The characters are thought out well. There are a bunch of them who seem a little unneeded (particularly kids from school) at this point, though I'm unsure if they will be "needed" farther on into the story. Gwen and Leslie, Charlotte and Gideon, the Count and Mr. George, and Gwen's grandmother and aunt, and even some of the side-side characters were well developed and seem to be their own people. I think the people are what carry this story along the most as they seem naturally like real people. Obviously time traveling and figuring out secrets pushes the plot along, but the story is pushed by the people in it. 

The only thing I have a problem with is the climax. The ending didn't even seem like an ending to me. I was expecting the audiobook to go on much longer and have more at steak than it did--maybe I'm to use to "Sander-lanches" where the endings are grand and have such high steaks that this one fell flat for me. 

EDIT: After reading the other books, I think if they had been one big story instead of being split into three it would have worked better story-wise. Though for marketing purposes and the fact that they are YA books might have meant that they needed to be a trilogy instead of just a larger volume, which would have been more fitting. 

Jane Eyre

 Apparently it has been quite a few years since I've read or listened to Jane Eyre, and I'm glad I made this journey again. 

Young, plain Jane is orphaned. Forced to live with her uncles wife and children, she is abused and neglected. Her strong will and temperament are then bridled at Lowood Academy. There she makes friends with the teachers and other pupils. Death pays a visit on a large scale at the Academy, which brings sorrow and a heightening of the presence of God into Jane's life. Fully grown and educated, Jane decides to take her academic learning into a career as a governess. She finds a position at Thornfield Hall and enjoys the small society there. With only the master of the house, her pupil, and the servants in attendance, she begins to find a home at Thornfield and has found a friendship with the master of the house, Mr. Rochester. Their relationship starts to become more than simply governess and master, and he eventually proposes marriage. She begins to let her bridled passions and true character unwind. But fate has a strange turn and all is not as it seems at Thornfield Hall. 

There are reasons why this book has been well loved for nearly 180 years. The characters with their foils, the gothic mystery, the fairytale, the love story, view of God, and symbolism are amazingly well done. 

Jane has probably become my favorite character, almost ever. She is bold and brash where and with whom she finds it appropriate. She has her fault of probably being too easily led, by those who mean well and those who are manipulating a situation -- though part of me wonders how much of that was do to the time and what was expected of women 180 years ago and how much was her character, I don't have an answer yet on that. I love how she is religious and learns, as we all should, about forgiveness and charity and service to others. Those aren't often what is written about now without seeming pompous or prudish. I love how she stands up for what she believes to be right even though it hurts her greatly. She chose not to stay with Mr. Rochester for important reasons. She holds her ground with Mr. Rivers and, though she comes close, she doesn't recant her opinions and holds her ground. She knows what she wants, especially in the long term, and doesn't let herself be trodden on or manipulated by others feelings and wants. She is and has a strong character! I mean, come on! She says, "Oh, I will give my heart to God. You do not want it!" Bold as brass! <3 Love it. 

Mr. Rochester is an interesting character too. Similar to Jane, he's not handsome (which is cool because how many characters are often portrayed as the most beautiful person ever in the whole world or time? It's unrelatable for a large portion of society.) He's loud, has strong opinions, and is rather grumpy (though given his circumstances, it's understandable), sometimes I think he talks more than Jane -- which does make the relationship they have in the beginning a little hard to believe, though that might just be because I need to pay better attention -- but he sees that she is smart and thoughtful. He is proud, which is his biggest fault, but throughout the course of the story he finds himself extremely humbled. I love the way Charlotte Bronte words his devotion for Jane. His love is palpable on the page. It is beautiful, kind, and honest. 

The Gothic and supernatural elements of this book are the best thing for it. It gives the ghosts the prowl the Hall so much more life and vivacity than I think could have been done in any other setting. It gives strong tones of Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen -- though Austen was a satire of Gothic literature in her time. This Gothic atmosphere only ever lends itself to the story and bolsters it up. 

I think the mystery of Thornfield Hall is what most people remember of Jane Eyre today. "Vampyres" and fires are pivotal points in this story and they are so well written. Just... *chefs kiss * it's so well done. 

I have no problems with this book. It was well written. The writing, though older and potentially longwinded, is elegant and only give to the story. It is written in a "more modern" tone as opposed to even Jane Austen which was written 30 years previously which made it considerably easier to dive into. 

I'm extremely interested in finding the many depictions of this story that have been produced. I know plays have been done and I own a movie, but I have a need for more. 

I love it. I love it. I love it. 

In finding a cover of Jane Eyre for this post, I was in awe of how many beautiful (sometimes funny) covers were published. Here are some of my favorite ones. 

Some of these covers, though, make no sense whatsoever or are just completely inaccurate.

He looks really creepy here.... Um... Excuse you, dude! 

I mean, what is this? It definitely screams 1840s Gothic Classic to me... right... 

The Battle of the Labyrinth

Book number four in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. 

The Titan Lord Kronoss' armies are gathering and doing so quickly. Camp Half-Blood knows that the enemy needs to take the camp before they can take over Olympus, and that they are one of the only defenses left. Their numbers are dwindling, however, and the Titan's army is coming for them. One of the Labyrinth entrances are found inside the camps boarders. If Luke and the army were to find their way through, the boundaries that protect the camp wouldn't keep them safe. With Annabeth leading the way on her first quest, Percy and his friends dive into the labyrinth to find Daedalus and ask for his help in stopping the Titan's army from  passing through it. They also must make it through themselves without dying from he many traps and monsters and gods that call the labyrinth home. 

Out of all of the other books so far, this one seems the most dark. There seems so much more at stake along with the fact that most of it takes place underground which gives it that foreboding atmosphere. I would have appreciated more lighthearted moments to break the ice, especially for the younger audiences who would be reading this book. It reminds me of Harry Potter in a sense, because as Percy gets older and there are more troubling things the aura of the book gets darker and it almost makes me hesitate to read on with my son as he has actually shed tears in this book for certain characters. 

I do like the characters. I've always liked the characters. I do wish that there was a bit more character development, other then we are now deeply troubled. Nico matures. Grove isn't the scared satyr that he was in the first book, he is now able to stand taller than he did. Percy and Annabeth, though, seem just as confused as they had in the last book. There didn't seem to be large enough steps forward for them as I would like. It is the fourth book and they will make major steps, hopefully, in the last one, but this one seemed to be missing that still. 

I liked the idea of the labyrinth and the flashbacks for Daedalus and King Minos. I liked Daedalus as a character and that he even grew over the course of time. The complication between King Minos, Nico, Daedalus, and the others was engaging and gave us a feel for what was really going on. I also liked that the labyrinth gave us a new realm to be in instead of the struggle of "How do we cross the entire country again?" We were able to cross it and get all over the place without us struggling so horribly with that question again--it can get old. 

I do think that the ending of the battle at the end was kind of a let down, though. Simple, I guess, but "the thing" happened then suddenly they ran for it. I wanted more. "The thing" seemed to come out of no where without any type of foreshadowing or letting us as the readers know that it was even a possibility. It felt as though it were coming out of nowhere and then it worked. 

The rest of it though, without the darker atmosphere, was good. Between ranches, sphinx's, arenas, Calypso, King Minos, and many other fun adventures, it was a good book that kept us engaged though it did seem a tad long. But set up for the final battle always takes a little bit of extra effort. 

Read on! 

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

It has been years since I've actually read a Harry Potter book, but here we are. I started reading it aloud to my 7 year old  and found that he really enjoyed it. We'd watched the movies and started playing the Lego games and figured I should actually read them to him, that it help him to like reading more.

At least he's enjoying being read to.

Harry Potter, unknowing that he is a famous wizard who somehow defeated the Dark Lord while only a baby now living with his abusive aunt and uncle, receives a letter that his aunt and uncle won't let him open. They burn it and more and more letters suddenly bombard their home. Then a giant man comes and hand delivers a letter to Harry telling him that he's been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. "You're a wizard, Harry." Suddenly a whole new world opens up where he discovers he's famous and an learn to do magic. But the world isn't as easy going as he thinks. The Dark Lord is out there, somewhere, wanting to gain back his power to take over the Wizarding world and kill Harry in the process. Can he and his new friends figure out what is going on to stop the Dark Lord from returning?

We all know this story by now. Hopefully it's a good enough summary.

I didn't enjoy reading these when I was younger because I didn't enjoy reading at all. It was something every loved and I didn't read it and didn't know all that was going on. The movies helped, but every saying "the books are better" "the books are more awesome" or whatnot turned me off more to them.

But now I'm older and because my son started liking the Lego games and we watched the movies, I figured I'd give them another shot. (I'm not really counting listening to them on audio books, though the reader was beyond excellent.)

J. K. Rowling is actually very funny. The way she describes things had me and my husband (who also hadn't read them before) chuckling and smiling. Simple, yes, but for young teens it's a great read. I know that the other books become more developed as the story goes on and as she grows as a writer, which also makes these books fascinating.

I think the world that she's built is a very well developed one, even for just the first book. There are things going on behind the scenes that you know she is developing for the rest of the series that make the whole story come alive.

In the end, I have found it to be very enjoyable (so much so that we spent most of a Sunday afternoon where I read half the book aloud til my voice became horse). We are going to be reading the next book probably starting tomorrow because being sick is dumb and takes a lot out of you as well as your voice.

Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell

A strange title, don't you think?

Shadows of Silence in the Forests of Hell, is another short story by Brandon Sanderson in the Arcanum Unbounded and boy does it pack a punch.

Based in a Cosmere world called Threnody, ghosts called shades roam freely in the Forests. The Evil has taken over the Homeland and everyone who wasn't killed by it was forced to flee to this continent where the shades rule with shadowy hands. You follow the Simple rules and you'll be fine, don't and you will wither away to skeleton and clothes.

Silence is an innkeeper who secrets away as a bounty hunter in order to pay for all the silver she uses to keep her homestead safe from all the shades as well as the money to keep the in running. When a major bounty rolls into her inn she takes the chance to take him in, not alive of course. But killing in the Forests is bad and will set the shades into a rage that will kill anyone and everyone if they smell blood. Tricky business finding them, trickier business killing them, trickiest business getting out alive.

This was a very cool story. I very much had a "This is Halloween" vibe that would be good to read during that spooky time. I'm not normally very interested in "ghost ghost stories" but this was (written so well) one that pulled me in. It could have pulled on many cliches and troupes, but went an a different route which made it very much engaging.

It also has a very strong lead female characters who will survive. A mother and a daughter who have do to what they have to do. I think Brandon did a very good job with these characters, whereas he's been lightly criticized about his female characters in the past. It's fun to see him growing as a writer and making these people, all of them, so real.

I can't wait for more books in the Threnody world and see how it reaches into the Cosmere. Very excited.

Thornhill

Thornhill is a well written, well drawn book that was a bit strange.

The written words are part of the diary of a girl named Mary from 1982 who is being bullied by the girls in orphan home. She has been bullied so bad that she stopped talking and her journal become her a solace, next to her handmade dolls, and the garden on the orphanage grounds. The artwork is the story of Ella, a girl who just moved in with her dad into a house that bordered the old Thornhill building in 2017. She goes exploring one day and follows a mysterious figure into a garden and finding dolls around the dilapidated building.

It was an interesting book, but a strange one. We feel really sorry for Mary and her trials. No one helps her and she feels like she can't confide in any of the adults around her. Then there is Ella where we don't get much from her. It's summertime and she doesn't do much but fix the dolls she finds around Thornhall. She doesn't do much else besides explore the grounds. We don't see her with friends or even with her father (who always is off at work and has no time for her).

I do find it interesting though that Mary only talks once in the whole book where there are quotations around what she says and Ella never says anything either (mainly because her side of things are all in pictures). The only time we see Ella "say" anything is when she writes a note. The similarities between the two girls are prominent but not screaming from the pages, obviously they are quiet.

It's a very sad book. Not one to read when you are sad. Especially the ending when it was supposed to be a happily ever after for the girls, but it wasn't in my opinion. A tragic ending to me, though it was supposed to be something happy-ish for the girls. I think it could have ended differently.

It was okay. Not a favorite but okay.

One For Sorrow

One For Sorrow: A Ghost Story takes place in 1917 and 1918 just as the influenza epidemic became
rampant across the USA. It is a children's story focusing around a new girl, Annie, who just moved into a new house and started at a new school. Nervous about making friends and slightly standoffish at the beginning, Annie gets picked up by the strange girl in the class. Elsie is weird. Larger than most girls in class, with an odd family, sweaty hands, and a knack for tattling on the other girls, Elsie is not hated by most of the class. Annie soon realizes why most of the other girls don't like Elsie, and she agrees with them. After inviting herself into Annie's house, she breaks her toys, calls herself Annie's best friend, and intrudes on everything Annie holds precious.

After a week or so of torture forcefully being Elsie's friend, Elsie is gone from school for a week and Annie is given the chance to show the girls that she is normal and doesn't like being "friends" with Elsie at all. Elsie comes back and feels betrayed that her only friend has sided with her enemies.

Influenza travels across the sea and starts killing people by the hundreds. Annie's new town is no acception. The girls see this as an opportunity though. The many funerals have refreshments and candies that just can't be ignored. So they sneak in, pretending to know the deceased and partake of the tasty treats. Over and over they do this until, after a particular night teasing Elsie, they find that Elsie herself has died of the Flu. Then after a sledding accident and bumping into Elsie's grave, Annie starts seeing Elsie everywhere. Elsie forces her to do nasty things. When will this stop?

I needed to step away from fantasy for a moment and I found 1918 and ghosts. It was an okay diversion. Not the best but for a children's book it was alright. The story toward the beginning gave me chills which was cool and I wanted to see how Annie would get rid of the ghost so I read it all. The setting and scenery was lacking for most of it, the reasoning as to why Elsie was fading was unclear, her meeting and being friends with someone who actually knew what to do seemed like a "because: plot" reason.

I do believe that the characters, though, were true to real people. I know just how terrible girls can be when you are different. I know how getting picked on can feel. It had a good moral to the story of "be nice to those around you otherwise it can come back to haunt you" as well as try to be understanding to those around you, we are all going through something.

This would be a book that I'd give a 5th or 6th grade girl. Good book for the appropriate audience.

Jackaby

Jackaby by William Ritter is a crossroads between Supernatural, Sherlock Homes, and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

Jackaby is a supernatural detective, in 1892, with as many things in his home as Newt Scamander has in his suitcase. Odd ball, scatterbrained man that he is, he has a good heart and is willing to help people.

But the story is written through the eyes Abigail Rook, a newly arrived girl to the Americas who ran away from home to start her own adventures--though they have gone awry. Eager to not starve in the America's Abigail looks for a new job and finds an advertisement for an assistant of some sort. When she goes there she is instantly dragged into a murder mystery with crazy things happening. Abigail is introduced to Banshees, ghosts, and a duck who used to be human, amongst others.

Over all it is a small book, that would have been a quick read if I wasn't distracted by other things at home, and when I got to actually sit down and read it I found I really enjoyed it. I am already going to give my copy to a friend who was very excited about the mixture of three different types of stories put together.

The "beasts" we are introduced to are ones that are fairly well known, banshees, ghosts, fairies,  etc. but Jackaby gives us explanations as to why they are the way they are. Like he'd talked to a bunch of them and got their stories, which he probably had.

I like the characters because they were fun.  I could almost put every single person as a movie personality though. Such as Officer Cane reminded me of Officer Buzz McNab from Psych, so much so that McNab was who I was picturing in my mind when Officer Cane was in a scene. This could be good or bad depending on the reader's preferences.  I was able to pick a personality to most of the major characters except Abigail. While she had her likes and virtues, she didn't really have any vices or things that rounded her out as a character. She took everything in stride and believed it all so quickly, a tad unbelievable.  That was a bit disappointing. Though I was engaged enough to want to read the next few in the series which I will be doing at a future date.

The Appearance of Annie van Sinderen

The Appearance of Annie Van Sinderen is a ghost story without ever using the word "ghost."

Wes is a media major assisting his friend who is producing a small film for their college summer school class. They go to a seance to hopefully see a ghost or something spooky. What they don't realize is that they actually spotted one. Annie bops in and out of 1840 New York to the present in hopes that she can find out what happened to her and her family and, more specifically, what happened to her cameo that her beau gave her that has gone missing. Wes and very few others can actually see her and search to find out what happened.

The story is cut into three parts: Wes, Annie, and West/Annie. As Wes figures out that Annie is a ghost we jump to her story and what happened throughout the week before her demise. But as she flashes back to the past, she's able to change things, or is she? She acts differently around others and they, in turn, respond differently. She is able to find new clues to her past and what happened.

I think the book is well written, but for those who don't care for heavy description, be ready to skim/skip parts. It if full of heavy description. Though interesting to see what it is like to walk the streets of present-day New York through the eyes of someone who hasn't seen buildings higher than three stores. That was fun. I liked the difference of views that were subtle throughout the story. When we are reading through Wes' point of view, it is different with different things emphasised than it is through Annie's. She focuses on the "cushioned chair" or small delicate things, whereas Wes sets his focus like you would a camera. I thought that was well done. It also definitely showed what it is like to be in a nineteen year old boys mind.

The transition between the two times was easy to see, though sometimes a bit long in description.  I understand that sometimes that transition can be sticky, but she Katherine Howe did it well.

Um... aside from that, it took me awhile to get it finished. I found it easy to put down and I knew what was going to happen well before it did. I finished it because I wanted to see how it was going to end and if I was right--which I was. It's not one that I'd be eager to pick up again, but it was alright.

I'd suggest this for a light read if someone wanted it.

Anya's Ghost

Anya's Ghost is a graphic novel with beautiful illustrations. It dives into the peculiarities of being a teeanger in high school. We have crushes. We have body issues. We have problems with friends. We have weird things that we've had to overcome in order to be "normal." Anya, however, has found another thing that has made her peculiar: a ghost.

After missing the bus, she decides to walk home through the park that is thick with woods. Anya accidentally falls into an old, uncovered well. After lighting one of her cigarette matches, she finds a skeleton and the 90 year old ghost of the girl that's attached to it. Anya gets out after staying in the well for a day with the help of a passing stranger. While picking up her things she accidently picks up one of Emily's pinky fingers and the ghost follows Anya home.

Emily follows her to school and experiences what modern day high school is like. Boys. Gym. Politics of girls. Friends. Family. Tests. There are many things that Emily ends up helping Anya out with. Or is she really helping? Something is strange with Emily. Wanting Enya to go out with a boy who is obviously bad news? What is this about new outfits? And how is Emily suddenly changing?

I liked this book because it was a light read. I was in need of a break and this was a good one for that. It was quick and had beautiful illustrations.

If you are in search of a good, clean, and quick book to you through a few a rough patch in books (or a book that you'd like your teen to read) this is a good choice.

Phantom of the Opera

I've been in a classic kick recently and picked up Phantom of the Opera. There were two reasons why specifically picked up this classic, one of my friends was consumed by the "phantom" character a few years back, and I love the musical that has been on Broadway and on the silver screen. I think the music they put to the story is majestic and the psychology  behind the mesmerizing and control that happens in the story.

For those who don't know the synopsis of the story, there is a ghost in the Paris Opera in the late 1800's. It does strange things and all the ballerinas, dancers, and singers believe that any shoe lace that breaks or pitcher that falls over is because of the Opera Ghost.

Unlike the play, there is a death in the Opera in the very first chapter. Joseph Buquet is found dead in the cellars of the Opera, supposedly hug, but with no rope. Inside the Opera, accusations of the Opera Ghost circulate, but nothing can be done. He is a Ghost after all.

Then, on the night of the gala when managerial positions are transferred to new owners, Christine Daae faints after her first and astounding performance and is rushed to her rooms. Having come to consciousness, she faces her old friend from the sea, Raoul, who has fallen desperately in love with her because her singing touched the hearts of angels. She orders everyone out and Raoul, listening at the door, hears her talking to a strange voice.

A few days later, after another performance, she is abducted and everyone is frantic about where she's gone. But after two weeks she comes back but refuses to sing as she had before. She sends a note to Raoul to meet her at the sea side village where they spent many years together. One night while there, after an argument between them, Raoul follows Christine in the middle of the night to a cemetery. She doesn't realize he is only a few steps behind her and watching because she is in rapture and completely lost to her own thoughts. Once at her father's grave, in the cemetery, the sound of her father's violin floats down from heaven. Raoul can hear it too. Christine leaves and he sees death leaving the cemetery also. Dun-dun-duuuun.

The story jumps back and forth between characters and time that it kind of game me a head ache. We jump between the new managers and their anger at being told they need to pay 20,000 francs or accidents will happen. They also remove Madame Giry from her position, watching over the Opera Ghost's Box #5. After the first month of not receiving a payment a terrible accident does happen. Carlotta, the main singer at the Opera house croaks. She fumbles with her voice badly and sounds like a frog. People in the audience don't know what to do because she is such a beloved singer. Her last time of trying before running off the stage, the chandelier drops from the ceiling of the Opera house, killing one (Madame Giry's replacement) and injures many, many more.

After that night, there is more jumping around of characters. A half-hearted wedding proposal, secrets are revealed about the Opera Ghost (one that I didn't know before was that the Ghost's name is actually Erik), and an a plot to run away. Of course the plot is found out by the Phantom, and Christine becomes abducted again by her "poor Erik."

Then it takes forever to for Raoul and this mysterious Persian, who knows almost everything about the Opera--from the lake underneath it to the rafters, to find a way into the "house by the lake" where the Erik is holding Christine. They find themselves in a torture chamber (not your regular rack and red-hot pokers mind you) and start going insane. They get a little of Christine's help, but she is tied up for most of it, and find barrels and barrels of gun powder. She has a choice it seems, to marry Erik, who looks seriously like death with red embers for eyes and the boniest fingers and frame, or everyone in the Opera about the house by the lake as well as those on the lake are going to be blown up.

She makes her choice, which I will leave you to read to find out.

Over all, I will say koodos to those who complied this story into the play/movie. I've, sadly, only been able to watch the movie (though, not so sadly, Gerard Butler, Emmy Rossum, and Patrick Wilson did a fantastic job in their roles).   They were able to add so many little parts of the book, though in the wrong order, into the movie. Most adaptions of books aren't at all like the book, but I was pleasantly surprised about how many little things that made mention to the larger scenes and characters that wouldn't make it in.

My favorite little moment between the two would probably be the Persian that is practically left out of the movie. He may not have a character stand in, but the monkey on the music box in Persian robes is supposed to represent him. Like I said, cute little things that represent bigger moments.

However, the biggest part of the book that I didn't like was the way it was presented. It is and older book, written in 1909-1910, and so the writing style is different (not that that is bad). It's the fact that it is so jumpy. It is written, third person and our narrator is...isn't given a name....? but is trying to find out the story behind the disasters that happen. It is second or third hand accounts of what happened that jump back and forth and back and to another place entirely. We are placed in the story, then backgrounds and flashbacks and narrator interruptions happen. It was somewhat disjointed and I found it rather obnoxious.

 The reader doesn't get solid, non-interrupted story until almost the end of the book when the Persian brings us up to speed on Erik's background and what happens with himself and Raoul. Even then there may be one or two parts where he jumps around too.

I think my favorite part all together was the description of the Phantom. Erik is nothing like Gerard Butler or any other renditions I've seen of the Opera Ghost. They don't give the book description justice.

In the end, I'm glad I've read it. I'm glad Christine fought a lot more in the book than she did in the movie, that made me happy, And now I'm more concerned for my friend who found liked the Phantom so much. Still it was a good read and I hope you like it too.