The Phantom of the Opera

A mysterious Phantom haunts the depths of the Paris Opera House where he has fallen passionately in love with the beautiful singer Christine Daa. When the Phantom is finally unmasked, will Christine see beyond his hideous disfigurement? Christine's plight, the fate of Erik, and the redemptive power of love stand at the heart of this remarkable novel. The twists and turns of Leroux's thrilling story have captivated readers since its very first appearance in 1910. It is a terrific story that combines mystery, crime, adventure, detection, and tortured love. This sparkling new translation--by the prize-winning editor and translator David Coward--is as full-blooded and sensational as the original. Coward's introduction tells the fascinating story of the novel's genesis, considers Leroux's life and career, describes the serialized fiction genre of which he was the last great exponent, and makes a case for the book as a work of considerable literary craft. Coward's thorough notes further illuminate the narrative and an appendix on the construction of the Paris Opera helps set the novel in its architectural context.

David Coward is Emeritus Professor of French at the University of Leeds. A regular contributor to the Times Literary Supplement and the London Review of Books, he won the Scott-Moncrieff Prize for Translation in 1996.