Customer Reviews

Beyond the Masque: The Untold Story of Erik and Christine

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a true classically written romance novel in every form. The pages are abounded by well-versed words of adoration, and the opportunity afforded to a brazened Phantom to savor what every heart seeks to endure, in the era of timeless elegance.

Gracefully you are mesmerized as the relationship between Erik and Christine blossoms from a seed of acceptance and trust, due to someone following what was inside their heart. Erik abandons his apprehensiveness and a full garden blooms. However, with every garden there are complications, some seen and some not foreseen. Throughout the novel and all the way to the end, it has proven that "true love" does not know any boundaries.

I being a lover of classic novels, found this adventure inspiring, it also perturbed the mystery lover inside, and tearfully broke my heart on numerous occasions. There are times when the flow of the story slows, but it does pick up again. This is noted in many novels, whether they be Phantom related or not. I advise the reader not to have the expectation of reading this like a regular phantom phiction it is not. Eloquently left intact is the propriety, as it would have been near the turn of the century.

I am glad I decided to take a chance and see what lays Beyond the Masque. This novel is not for everyone. This is for those who appreciate old English literature, from which our modern romance novels derive from. If you were to sit on a train in the late eighteen hundred's, and read a romance novel on your journey, this would have been the format.

Typically when Phantom fans self-publish ... be forwarned - there will be too much use of a favorite term and let's face it, too much repetitive cliche' sex. I can thankfully say NOT HERE !! This book blew me away on so many levels. The character development and descriptives are concise and honoring to all previous mediums. Ms Jacobs style is reminicent of early 20th century romance. I believe Leroux would be well pleased to know his characters have found an ending that is satisfying and endearing to the reader. Get on the message boards and announce a new favorite addition ladies and gentlemen, this one is worth it.

I am familiar with the tragic story of the Phantom and Christine, but what I craved more than anything was reading the untold story of the possibility of happiness through the redeeming power of love. Beyond the Masque is that story. I found myself, as I read, walking alongside the characters as they experienced the full gamet of emotions in overcoming the obstacles that lead to true love and peace. I laughed and cried with Christine and Erik. I hoped for their chance of a bright future together and ultimately turned the final page with a tearful sigh. If you are a "realistic romantic" then this is a must read!

What can I say about this book? I am an avid reader and it has been a long time since I felt compelled to stay up till all hours of the night, on a work night no less, because I could not put a book down. I have also never read a book, only to turn around as soon as I had finished it to re-read it immediately. "Beyond the Masque: the Untold Story of Erik and Christine" is just such a book. I will admit up front that I am a hopeless romantic, and that this book would not likely be considered "classic" literature (it is a well-written gothic romance, in fact). I found this book to be a most satisfying sequel to Leroux's original. This is the story that true fans have been waiting to read.

***Spoilers***

Jacobs picks up the story as Erik is destroying his underground realm after allowing Christine and Raoul to leave. Having attained that which he never thought would be his, affection and a kiss from Christine, he is preparing to die content. Hearing his name spoken, he feels his sanity slipping, but discovers that Christine has returned to him, in the hopes of discovering exactly what it is she feels for Erik, and admits that her feelings for him run much deeper than her feelings toward Raoul. From there, the story blooms into a story about redemption, love, honesty, friendship, and acceptance. Erik whisks her away to his country home, where we learn about his past; his life as a child, his career as an assassin and as the architect of the Opera House's foundations. We see him change as he learns to trust Christine and she realizes that she loves him, seeing the man Beyond the Masque. We see their lives together, their children and friends and how the man, who thought himself a monster, was redeemed by the love and compassion of a woman.

We are given a glimpse of a very believable "untold story" of a Renaissance man and the love of his life, really of his very existence, with humor and affection. This story is a true gem and well worth the investment of your time.

All in all, I enjoyed this book. The story was well thought out and interesting once you got past the excess amount of words! At times it seemed that the author was trying to use as many large, fancy words as possible, which resulted in confusing run-on sentences. This tended to bog down the story and often made for a difficult read. Toward the end, this wasn't such a problem, and the story flowed better. I'm glad I didn't give up on the book,though. The end was especially moving and had me in tears.

Finally, a sequel to my all time favorite story! Ms Jacobs did a teriffic job of picking up right where the original story left off. The twists and turns of the story as events take shape keep the readers attention riveted, but best of all, the story instills a sense of love, compassion and victory over evil that brings comfort to the soul!

I absoutley loved this book, so much so that it is going to be a great christmas gift for all my friends!! The relationship between Eriq and Christine is so real it is instantly captivating but the story is also fun. You become attached to the couple through the authors detailed writing, you can picture yourself right there as though you were living through every moment with them. The passion shared between them is not like other romance novels this one is one of true love and commitment not a lusty busty novel. To anyone who is in the mood for an uplifting story accompanied by an emmotional rollercoaster buckle up and dive in!!

"Beyond the Masque," by Kae D. Jacobs, answers the question: "What would have happened if Christine had returned to the Opera House, not to bury Erik, but to confess her love for him?"

This novel is well worth the extra effort required to read it. At over 600 pages and written in a pseudo-Victorian style, it can appear daunting to the reader. I must confess that the first time I read it, I had difficulty getting through it. On the second reading, everything was much clearer, and although I had to re-read passages at times in order to understand them, the underlying love story was a delight to uncover.

This book was satisfying on so many levels. I actually read it twice. The first time was a sprint to the finish. The second time I read a chapter or two each night to let it soak in. When I reached the last line, all I could do was smile and sigh. I purchased a second copy to give as a gift because I will need to keep this one near. For all romantics, this is the one you need to read.

While this is the most expensive sequel of POTO that I have purchesed, it certainly isn't one of my favorites. I cannot picture Christine and Erik being so "polite" to each other. I feel the book drags on. I think a lot more could be said in FEWER words. I'm a third of the way thru it and don't think I'll even bother to finish it.