Reading it was a mixed experience for me. I’ve always been a huge fan of The Phantom of the Opera. But I can’t say I was as enchanted by the book as I hoped to be.
About the book
Another chapter in the life of the infamous Phantom of the Opera continues, as he leaves Paris and moves to Malta in search of a new beginning. Clothed in secrecy, he purchases The Royal Opera House in Valletta, which has been destroyed by a devastating fire. In an attempt to bury the pain of his past, the burned out shell becomes his new obsession. He is determined to resurrect the structure from ashes and return it to glory.
To raise funds for his task, he holds a masquerade and encounters a strange woman who prophesies his destiny of undoing and death. Her words haunt the Opera Ghost, but he continues on his path of restoration. After years of hard work, the gala reopening occurs. The Phantom is convinced he has reached the pinnacle of success in his life. He rests in peace over his accomplishments.
For sheer amusement, he takes on a new student, which leads him down a path of romance, mystery, and danger. His fortune unfolds before him, and he discovers he cannot hide from those who seek retribution for his former sins. He is forced to reap the consequences and comes face-to-face with his darkest demons and fears. In the end, his insatiable hunger for beauty is challenged to the core. Will he survive the obstacles he encounters or will this finally be his undoing and death?
My opinion (my honest review)
I’ve always been a huge fan of The Phantom of the Opera. I’ve even been lucky enough to see the musical twice in London, and both times it left me completely swept away—the music, the drama, the tragic beauty of it all. So when I discovered The Phantom of Valletta by Vicki Hopkins, I couldn’t resist. The idea of Erik, the Phantom himself, finding his way to Malta? Well, that felt too close to home to pass up.
Reading it was a mixed experience for me. On the one hand, I loved how the author used Valletta as the setting. The ruined Royal Opera House, the atmosphere of 19th-century streets, the shadows against our limestone—it all made me proud and a little emotional to see Malta play such a role in a story connected to the Phantom. As a Maltese reader, those touches made me smile.
But I can’t say I was as enchanted by the book as I hoped to be. Some parts dragged for me, and while I did enjoy Erik’s struggle to rebuild his life and his new connection with Desiree, other moments felt a little rushed or even forced. I suppose when you carry the weight of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom in your heart, any continuation or retelling is bound to fall short. There were times when I felt the writing was uneven, and the ending especially left me wanting more depth, more care.
Still, I don’t regret reading it. The Phantom has always been a character I’m drawn to—haunted, flawed, but unforgettable. And to see him walk the streets of Valletta, even on the page, felt strangely special. It’s just that I wished the story itself lived up more to the promise of its setting.
Book details
- ISBN: 978-0983295921
- Print length: 309 pages
- Other info: see tags below (author, location language & year of publication)
