A Phantom of the Opera Retelling from Phantom/Erik's point of view. Starts with him working for wicked princess in Iran, he makes traps for her enemies. Spoilers for this specific version. Cover: dark blue. Read in 2009.

[Allison]

We read this in eighth grade in 2009.
The book is told from the Phantom/Erik's point of view, and it begins by talking about his time working for a wicked young princess in Iran. He makes traps for her enemies.
He ends up under the opera house and works with Phillipe's lover for a while. He's infatuated with her, but of course she's with the Vicomte.
He meets Christine next and that follows the plot of the novel.
The cover was dark blue.

[Rainbowheart]

Anything on the Phantom of the Opera and Retellings list?

[Robert]

I think that's the Phantom by Susan Kay.

[Allison]

Robert wrote: "I think that's the Phantom by Susan Kay."

Reading spoilers and that doesn't seem to be it, sorry.

[Allison]

Rainbowheart wrote: "Anything on the Phantom of the Opera and Retellings list?"

None of the books that seemed familiar fit. Strange!

[Allison]

Bump? I would assume that it was a specific translation but the backstory at the beginning makes me question that assumption.

[Kris]

Allison, is this book for adults or teens?

I added some details to the header/ topic title. Feel free to edit it.

[Kris]

The Trap-Door Maker: A Prequel to the Phantom of the Opera by Pete Bregman sounds like your book.

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Keyword: traps phantom of the opera | 1950-2010 [?] | Fiction | Book | English
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[Allison]

Kris wrote: "Allison, is this book for adults or teens?

I added some details to the header/ topic title. Feel free to edit it."

There was nothing specifically adult about it. It implied that the Phantom walked in on Raoul's brother and his lover in an intimate setting, I think, but that's it.

[Allison]

Bump!

[Daniel]

Any other details?

[KeenReader]

Could it The Phantom of Manhattan? This is set after the Phantom of the Opera (the phantom escaped Paris and ended up in Manhattan), but the Phantom reminisces about his life.

I think it's possible because you said he described the traps he'd made for the cruel princess. What you wrote reminded me strongly of the early part of this book. The Phantom reflects on his life, starting before he got to Paris, so you find out a lot more about his life before Christine joined the Paris Opera as well as getting his side of the events in the original book.

[Allison]

Daniel wrote: "Any other details?"

Not that I can recall, sorry.

[Allison]

KeenReader wrote: "Could it The Phantom of Manhattan? This is set after the Phantom of the Opera (the phantom escaped Paris and ended up in Manhattan), but the Phantom reminisces about his life.

I thi..."
Good guess, but it doesn't seem like it based on the reviews.

[Allison]

Bumping this one, too.

[Allison]

Bump?

[Allison]

New year, new bump.

[Allison]

Pi day bump!

[Allison]

Bump