Book Recommendation: THE PHANTOM’S APPRENTICE
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“This book is the result of my questioning who Christine Daaé might have been in all her beauty, talent, love, and darkness. In THE PHANTOM’S APPRENTICE, I weaved together both the original novel and the popular musical, and added new dimensions to characters and story alike, creating a secret world all my own.” ~Heather Webb, THE PHANTOM’S APPRENTICE
Publisher Synopsis:
Christine Daaé sings with her violinist father in salons all over Paris, but she longs to practice her favorite pastime—illusions. When her beloved Papa dies during a conjurer’s show, she abandons her magic and surrenders to grief and guilt. Life as a female illusionist seems too dangerous, and she must honor her father’s memory.
Concerned for her welfare, family friend Professor Delacroix secures an audition for her at the Opéra de Paris—the most illustrious stage in Europe. Yet Christine soon discovers the darker side of Paris opera. Rumors of murder float through the halls, and she is quickly trapped between a scheming diva and a mysterious phantom. The Angel of Music.
But is the Angel truly a spirit, or a man obsessed, stalking Christine for mysterious reasons tangled in her past?
As Christine’s fears mount, she returns to her magical arts with the encouragement of her childhood friend, Raoul. Newfound hope and romance abounds…until one fateful night at the masquerade ball. Those she cares for—Delacroix, the Angel, and even Raoul—aren’t as they seem. Now she must decide whom she trusts and which is her rightful path: singer or illusionist.
To succeed, she will risk her life in the grandest illusion of all.
My Recommendation:
Phantom fans rejoice! This reimagining will not only bring to life everything you love about the play, but will take it deeper into the darkness behind the music, the yearning, and the opera’s secrets.
It is a great joy to savor the passive heroine reimagined as a driven, complex woman. All of the characters have depth, and throughout the narrative Webb keeps the reader guessing about who can be trusted. The settings are rich and sensual, and the movement between salons, seasides, and stages keeps the action fresh and captivating, propelling the story to an unforgettable climax.
Fans of gothic historical fiction and, of course, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, will adore THE PHANTOM’S APPRENTICE. If you read it, I’d love to hear what you think.
