The Phantom of Manhattan
by Frederick Forsyth

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Book Reviews of The Phantom of Manhattan

Book Review: Intense!
Summary: 5 Stars

The first reason I think "The Phantom of Manhattan" deserves Five Stars is that it is better written. Leroux crammed a lot of detail and intrigue into the first "Phantom"--so much so that his attempt at an accurate historical account came off as a ghost story blown up into a pachyderm of a legend, when it was perfectly all right as a ghost story. Moreover, as a legend, it made a mess of a novel. Forsythe's "Phantom" is smoother in style, not to mention more fast paced and gripping. I was kept in suspense until the very last pages.

Even his setting is more believable than Laroux's--or perhaps I just haven't read enough novels set in nineteenth century France to know better. What I can say is that Forsythe adds details--real details from historical New York that add credibility to those from his imagination. They also bring out his sense of humor, like when a society writer skeptically wishes luck to a Russian immigrant who is working to become an established composer. This immigrant just happened to be Irving Berlin in a literary "cameo."

The story is told in first person, as are many chapters of Laroux's "Phantom". Only this time, the style is less confusing and bumpy, despite the addition of more narrators. A character from the first novel, Antoinette Giry, opens the story brilliantly, with a revealing deathbed confession about her _real_ relationship to Erik. It won't be the last shock provided by her character. Yet hard-core fans will note that Forsythe took liberties in changing Mme. Giry's character from an opera maid to a mistress of the corps de ballet, as well as in adding characters who may seem, at first glance, not--ahem!--worthy of being prominent in the same novel as Erik, Christine and Raoul.

These objections only distract from the whole point: "The Phantom of Manhattan" is amazing! Each chapter either sheds light on what Leroux chose to leave in shadow (such as what transpired between Christine and Erik while Raoul and the Persian were trapped in the torture chamber), or sprinkles gunpowder for unexpected explosions meant to come later (like Darius' conversation with his "god of gold"). The entire plot is like a timebomb ticking away to the climax, which, despite the sort of tragedy Phantom Phans expect, is somehow quite fitting.

Summary of The Phantom of Manhattan

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