Customer Reviews

Madrigal: A novel of Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you love Phantom of the Opera, and you want a realistic and fair continuation (with hardship, sadness, happiness, love, loss, redemption...) of Gaston Leroux's novel, you must read MADRIGAL! Erik transforms in this novel. The habbits and oddities that he should have are still a part of his soul. This novel puts Frederick Forsyth's continuation to utter shame. And you'll have 2 more in the series to look forward to after reading MADRIGAL.

Madrigal: A Novel of Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera by Jennifer Linforth

"My story? I am a murderer. A murderer and a Maestro, a magician and a mastermind. There is nothing in this world I have not mastered, nothing unattainable beyond my grasp. I am a wealthy, powerful genius, with the voice of an angel and the soul of a madman..." --Jennifer Linforth's Phantom

The above quote has got to be my favorite of all in the novel titled Madrigal. Madrigal is the story of the Phantom of the Opera years after Christine had left Erik for Raoul. Small packages of paper, figs, and ink have been left by an anonymous stranger for the Phantom, but who after all these years, and even after faking his own death, would want to reach out to him now?

A man still in love with a woman that wants nothing to do with him, finds love in a woman that is the exact opposite of Christine. Le Fantome, is forced to reappear when the managers of the Opera Garnier make plans for a con. With this con, there will come a lot of trouble, trouble only the real Phantom can control.

Anna knows the man beneath the mask, she knows there is a war raging inside of him, and to her, he is the only man she can see herself loving; even if she has to rate as second best. Anna shows Erik compassion, passion, and a love that she has never been shown herself. A young lady that has been pawned off by her deadbeat con of a father, Anna has suffered the life no lady should have to experience. When Erik reveals his disfigurement to her, Anna is taken aback but only for a moment, she knows the man with golden eyes, she knows his heart, and she will not see him for the monster everyone claims he was, she will see the man, the man Erik longs to be.

Madrigal: A Novel of Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera by Jennifer Linforth is magical, breathtaking, and went well beyond my expectations. I have to admit, I do not know Leroux's novel, or much about the Phantom beyond his disfigurement and his love for Christine, but Ms. Linforth made me realize that I have truly missed a great story! A perfect read for anyone that would like to know what could have been. 5 Hearts

Find Jennifer and Madrigal at: www.Jenniferlinforth.com

Ok, let me just start by saying that I think it's really hilarious that this book's subtitle is "A novel of GL's POTO." Every other subtitle like that I've seen has been like "A novel of Richard III" or "A novel of Marie Antoinette." Since GL'S POTO was in itself a novel, this is a really weird subtitle.

Let me continue by saying that I'm going to be slightly harder on this book than maybe is necessary simply because it is claiming to be a continuation of GL's book, with all that it implies. There were two main categories of issues/problems: the historical/literary, and the plot based ones. (And let me wrap up by saying I would actually have given this 2.5 stars if I could have)

Historical & literary problems:
I will preface this by saying that GL's original book is in itself many ways a fairy tale, playing fast and loose with the social conventions of the day for the sake of a good story, so many things I let slide. However, other reviewers have claimed this book follows the style and setting of GL's book, and I just didn't see it. For example:

1. Everyone calling everyone by first names. Near strangers would never have referred to Anna as "Anna." Christine and Raoul wouldn't have introduced themselves as "Christine and Raoul."

2. The plethora of "screw _____" "son-of-a-bitch" and "bastard"s, as well as an alarming number of men thinking about their own erect penises, really took away from whatever feeling there was of this being in the style or manner of GL.

3. On page 142, a character says "Do all Barret's have such audacity?" Lord almighty. Barret is NOT a possessive in that sentence. There should not be an apostrophe there.

Plot/character problems:
1. Anna is just so damn understanding. She understands Erik's past, Erik's anger, Erik's everything, she understands why Raoul is angry, she forgives Erik for stuff she doesn't really seem to understand, she is never once hesitant or cautious or intelligently prudent about being around someone who is a self-admitted madman and murderer. I'm not saying she has to be a wilting daisy, but some sort of common sense prudence from our world-wise protagonist would have made this book a LOT more palatable and realistic.

2. Anna can do everything. Anna can do surgery, Anna can steal, Anna can go kung fu on people, Anna can find her way through labyrinths that no one else can. Anna can also be perfectly brave and self-sacrificing in the face of danger. Anna is a savant.

3. Wow, Christine and Raoul were just completely flat, cardboard, one note, uninteresting, unsympathetic characters. I know GL doesn't give you a ton to work with, but it's like she brought out all the most boring and one-sided aspects of the two. Honestly, they shouldn't have even been brought back. Unnecessary.

4: What happened to the Persian? He was literally mentioned once. No indication of where he went or what happened to him.

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But all that said, if you've read GL and you've read Kay and you've seen the movies and stage play and you're just itching, desperate, dying for some more POTO stuff, I would certainly recommend this book over Phantom of Manhattan, Progeny, and No Return: A Modern Phantom Tale. Compared to those, this book is frigging Shakespeare.

I know this is a really thorough review for a piece of published phan phiction, but I just happen to be in one of those moods. It happens a couple times a year.

Jennifer has done such an awesome job with Madrigal. Like the other review says, you seriously cannot put it down! Out of all the Phantom books I've read, this is the BEST hands down. If your a phan, I would definately check this out. And the best thing is there will be more in the series and I definately can't wait to read the next book! Fantastic job Jennifer! :)

This novel had me hooked from beginning to end. Ms. Linforth's writing was nothing short of fantastic; she stayed true to the original characters as created by Leroux, giving them depth and purpose. The plot was intricately woven, seducing the reader to continue on. Phantom fans won't want to miss this gem!
Before you start reading "Madrigal", be forewarned: you won't want to put it down!

Now, mind you, I've been delving into numerous Phantom fictions, including Susan Kays 'Phantom', and others. Madrigal was an absolute delight to read,(though it has repeated the theme from many Phanfics of Erik faking his death) and gives wonderful new depth to the original cast (mainly Erik), along with adding new, exciting characters you learn to love just as much. Though I myself could personally never see this happening, it is Phanfiction, which i suppose justifies the coarse of events. The only downside to this story, however, was that the author seemed to make ever man in the book, with few exceptions, into a total pig and rapist (Some of the things that go through there head you really didn't need or care to know...). Besides a few flaws, the author keeps to the original guidelines of Gaston Leroux's novel and keeps them well. I look forword to reading the other two books in this trillogy, Abendlied and Rondeau, and recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a good Phantom sequel.

Writing a book is a labor of love...and as a book lover, I have a great deal of admiration for authors--even bad ones, or good ones, whose work I don't care for--for their courage, drive, and perserverance. So much so, that I would normally not write a negative book review, because, frankly, it's not nice to kick someone else's baby.

When purchasing books online however, reviews are a crucial part of the decision whether or not to buy--and none of the reviews so far have touched on the quality of the writing in this novel...and, unfortunately, the writing is...not good.

This does not read like a book written by a professional author--instead, it feels like passionate, but amateurish fan fiction on DeviantArt. (Not that I'm knocking DeviantArt, because there are some truly astounding artists there, but the majority of the art submitted there, in all genres, ranges from awful, to mediocre.)

The author relies heavily on the passive voice, weakening the story's pacing. There is FAR too much "telling" rather than "showing" what is happening. Modifiers abound, usually in pairs, and as with many budding writers, the author's love of words results in WAY too many "big" words being used, where simpler ones would be much more effective.

To make matters worse, the text is littered with malaproprisms and/or words that are used incorrectly or oddly--both in terms of meaning and with regards to grammar. And similes??? OUCH!!! Go ahead and *try* to get through more than 5 pages without knocking against a heavy-handed simile!

Yes, I am guilty of making claims about the author's writing without backing them up with concrete, specific examples from the book. It feels mean-spirited to type up examples, out of context--when clearly, there are plenty of readers who don't care about the writing quality, and are able to enjoy the plot, with little or no regard for grammatical shortcomings. Just take my word for it: if you're picky about your literature--if badly written prose makes you want to chuck the book across the room--then skip this one. If you don't care--then ignore my comments.

If you are looking for some well-written Phantom books, try Susan Kay's "Phantom" or the newer "My Phantom: A Memoir of Christine Daae", by Anstance Tamplin. While you may or may not care for the plots--they are, at least, well-written enough that the story, not the writing, is the focus.

As for the plot of "Madrigal"...plenty of other reviewers here on Amazon have already described it in enough detail to give you an idea of whether or not you'll enjoy the storyline, so I will only stress that the author has clearly made a conscious choice to capture the more flamboyant, overwrought elements of the Erik in Leroux's original novel, and the result is an Erik who is an obsessive, violent megalomaniac, who, rather than being sane, with bouts of madness, is clearly mad, but experiences fleeting moments of sanity.

Erik is not the sympathetic, sensitive and misunderstood genius of Susan Kay's "Phantom", nor is he the almost-on-the-verge-of-redemption Phantom in Lloyd Webber's musical. Instead, he is nasty, brutish, and has all the charm of the male romantic lead in an 80's bodice ripper. (Remember when it was still politically correct for the heroine to be bruised and hurt or even raped by the hero, as long as he realized his love for her by the end of the book?)

This Erik is THAT kind of hero. He breaks the heroine's wrist by crushing it in his hand--and a few scenes later, when the heroine is savagely beaten, he claims he didn't do it--wait for it!--because he would never hurt her like that.

A little later, Eric throws the heroine across the room, to get at someone who was manhandling her...and somehow, in spite of all this, the heroine still sees the "shy, refined gentleman" inside him.

In short, if you like your heroes rough and half-mad, you'll like this Erik. If, on the other hand, you like your heroes a little more sympathetic, this Erik will disappoint.

(On a positive note, by the time I reached the middle of the book, I'd stopped being outraged by the poor writing, and, after hitting a particularly absurd simile, got the giggles, and pretty much snickered and guffawed my way through the rest of the novel. Not quite what I was expecting, but I guess I got my money's worth in laughs! :))

This is a most worthy sequel to Leroux's original novel. A grand and adventurous pondering of what might have happened if Erik chose to live rather than "die of love", it includes an inventive storyline, a wonderful cast of characters old and new, and many memorable scenes rent with the dark emotion characteristic of great Phantom literature. The very depiction of the Phantom was one of the best I've ever read; his sarcasm and dark sense of humor was what made the book most enjoyable. There is also a very strong female lead, which I appreciated. She is the exact opposite of Christine, and so when she and Erik first met I wasn't sure if the relationship was going to work. *spoiler alert: But in the end it did, because Erik needed someone who would take absolutely no crap from him! Anna does not put up with his self pity, and so she becomes the woman he needs. They are a strange but strangely ideal pair. One of the funniest moments of the book was when she mocked his speaking in third person! It was so surprising, and so utterly unlike anything Christine would do, that I laughed out loud!* This book was full of great surprises, and I give kudos to Jennifer Linworth for taking risks with the plot and hence creating a lively and very enjoyable read.
A few flaws stop this novel from receiving five stars instead of four. I have said the author's characterization of the Phantom was brilliant. What, then, can account for some of the other characters? Anna's personality was well-developed except for one minor flaw: I cringed when she repeatedly told Erik, "I don't mind being second-best." This came out as whiny and almost too convenient for the author's purposes. I understand why Linforth would do this, but it felt inconsistent for the character. Also, Raoul and Christine felt very flat as characters. Raoul improved as the book went on, but Christine remained an annoying wuss. I know this depiction of her could be accurate, but you would think the person who had the courage to stand up to the Phantom at the end of the original novel would have a little more backbone. Also, the book had a lot of sexual content that was unnecessary to the plot and very distasteful to read. If the author wishes to use it to develop characters, fine, but perhaps don't use so MUCH. Finally, there were many blatant spelling errors that should have been caught by an editor.
Overall, it was quite a satisfying read, and I'm pleased to discover that Erik and Anna's adventures continue in the next book, Abendlied. I can honestly say I can't wait to see what happens next!

I did not think I would enjoy the book as much as I did. I really believed that without Christine that the book woul SUCK. I was pleasently surprised. Jennifer Linforth should really think about writing more about phantom. I know I would read it! Any phantom phiend will enjoy this book.

"Madrigal" is book 1 of a series based on Gaston Leroux's "The Phantom of the Opera." The story begins several years following Erik's release of Christine and Raoul and his supposed death and burial in the lower levels of the opera house. True to her promise to him, Christine returned to bury Erik and placed his gold band on his finger, but the body that she and Raoul buried wasn't Erik's. Erik remained in his hidden home under the opera house unbeknownst to everyone, or so he thought, until the mysterious packages began to appear. Someone faithfully left the packages of paper, ink, and figs, where only he would find them. When Erik discovers the surprising identity of his secret admirer, he dares to hope that perhaps he has finally found someone who will see him as a man, and love him.

The opera house is now under new management, and struggling financially. In an attempt to revitalize business, the new owners have entered into a dangerous arrangement with a very unscrupulous con man. When they announce plans for a masquerade gala, featuring the return of La Christine, they unknowingly set in motion a series of events that will force Erik and Christine to face their unresolved feelings for each other, and will force Erik to make a difficult choice.

In "Madrigal," the author has captured the spirit of Leroux's Erik. He is mesmerizing, seductive, and sometimes menacing, yet underneath it all he is also sensitive, vulnerable and gentle. If you are looking for a book which not only has an exciting story, but also delves into Erik's mind, I highly recommend this one.