I really liked this, following the Leroux version without being quite as gothic. Great work :)

This version of the story is EXACTLY what I was looking for. It annoyed me to no end how wishy washy Christine is in the book and musical. You illustrate that aspect of her well without making me hate her too much. I enjoyed this story quite a lot, thank you for posting it!

i. love. this! simply brilliant, but then i am such a sucker for both e/c and happy endings (after suitable struggle). thank you so much!

I absolutely loved your story! It was so totally different from anything I've read! I LOVED THE ENDING. So different, so wonderful for Erik & Christine and so unexpected. I like that it was a nice unexpected.

I'm so glad you started & finished this incredible story and that I found it to read. I love your writing and this story is definitely one of my top favorites.

So why isn't this under "complete"? I am so glad that it IS finished. Well, I've finished reading and can't stop grinning. I'm so glad Erik actually got his well-deserved happy ending. I'd also like to note that I was amazed by how you managed to paraphrase Leroux's book, without sounding as though you were regurgitating it. It's been a LONG time since I've ready something so satifying. Thank you for writing/posting this.

This story is written so delicately. I hope you haven't abandoned it! You are 99.9% true to Leroux and I love it. At times I was lost in the story and forgot that it was fanfiction! Very realistic - and a fresh look at Erik's true intentions (not to say it was without love.) This really made me think that maybe there was a lot more to the story than Leroux wrote due to propriety of the time... I applaud you - your writing is exquisite.

Well-written, well structured, and well thought out retelling of POTO. One of the best and most realistic retellings I've read yet. Bravo!

Beautiful story. It’s refreshing to read something Leroux based with all the 2004 movie fics out there. And as an extra plus you wrote a believable E/C story. :) Thank you for finishing it, and I would like to thank your significant other for encouraging you to post the story. It has been a wonderful break from my own college work.

Wonderful... the book ending always kind of rankled me, this is a much better alternative. Lovely story!

Ah... Such a lovely tale! An entrancing and wonderful vision of Leroux's wonderful story... I usually try to review every chapter, but I am afraid that, as I have limited time, I am going to spend it devouring as much of this story as I can instead!

Still, it would be churlish for me to take such enjoyment from your story without telling you so; so I am doing so now. A wonderful, lovely tale! Exceedingly well-written, and true to Leroux... It almost makes me weep for joy! I have favourited it; yo may be very sure that I will be recommending it most highly! And reading as much of it as I can as quickly as I may, before I must return to my prosaic, mundane existence for a little while.

But finish it I shall..! And I shall be sure to review again, even if only at the end; in the meantime, thank you, Dear Author, for not only writing, but also for sharing this fantastic work. Thank you!

~Kryss

*Sigh*... What a wonderful tale!

...I would have liked to have written a review after each chapter, if only because I know how much I enjoy getting reviews like that myself, but to be perfectly frank, I didn't want to stop reading long enough to take the time.

That was extremely well-written. I liked the alternations between Christine's First Person POV, and the Third Person Limited POV. The one critisism I would make is that I think that the third person parts would be slightly easier to read if the underlined parts were italicized instead, simply because that is the convention I'm more used to.

I like your Erik; he feels very similar to Leroux. Christine needs to learn to assert herself more; but I remember what it was like to be her age, and I can't honestly say that I would have found it any easier. Age has advantages, however, and with the increase in years I have enjoyed a corresponding decrease in inhibitions; nowadays if I do not speak my mind it is because I do not wish to, for whatever reason, and not because I am unable to. It is a terrible and annoying weakness, to be unable to speak up for onesself; one knows just how idiotic it is, at that very moment, but it still doesn't help one actually speak up. One needs a certain amount of self-confidence (or anger) to deliberately say things you know won't be easy to hear.

...Anyways, I'm glad you decided to finish this, and post it! I too was sorely disappointed by the movie, especially after having been so captivated by the musical, but I offer hope: I have heard a rumour that Tim Burton is going to do a stop-motion animation (a la The Corpse Bride or The Nightmare Before Christmas) of Phantom based off the book. If the rumour's true, or how accurate it is, I don't know, but, well, there's still hope that one day Phantom might be done really well. Heh...

Thanks for writing this!

A interesting read, though perhaps there are too many similiarites to be truly captivating. But as you say, it is an alternative vision, and I admire how closely you've weaved it together while changing certain crucial elements. I'm particuarly taken with your characterization of Christine in the earlier chapters, and almost wish you did it all in first person. Nevertheless, thank you. :)

After placing this story in my C2 community for Leroux based fiction several months ago, I finally sat down and read it! I just wanted to congratulate you on a wonderful job. Your characterizations are perfect, and I love your descriptions. Do you know how hard it is to find Leroux E/C romance? Most Leroux based stories are horror, while ALW stories have the fluff and romance. Your story was a wonderful breath of fresh air, and I am so glad you posted it. (Puts on list of favorites.) Thanks for a great read!

I don't know if you'll receive this so late. Thank you. Thank you for the best conceived, most true form of GL phiction I have yet to read. Better than Kayfiction, better than Webberfiction - a tantalizing twist on an old tale - and more faithful to the truth than you know. Thanks you so much. adieu!

naomi

I'm glad you wrote this.