It's a gift.
Anyway, the second book I read this year was Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux, and I have mixed feelings about this read.
First, I am glad I read it.
Second, I would not recommend it to anyone else.
Third, I think reading classic stories is good for the soul, even though in this case the story is a classic, not the printed version. In short, the movie/musical is way better than the book, which I don't know how I feel about thinking that. I think that makes me un-literary...not exactly what I'm going for here.
One reason I had a difficult time with the book was because it is written in a format I am not used to reading in, so throughout the book I was just constantly confused. Leroux writes from a Story-teller perspective, not a narrator perspective like I thought, which was confusing. He kept inserting his opinions into the story and I kept thinking "you're writing the story, of course your opinion is the one that's right!" It was, like I said, confusing and frustrating to read.
But I am glad I read it, mostly because I'm not convinced that any experience, especially a reading experience, is gone to waste.
This book may go into the category with The Odyssey, The Great Gatsby, and The Scarlett Letter that I've read but didn't appreciate and so would like to try again in a future, more self-matured setting.
★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
I've already started reading my next book which is fairly short but very intense! It's The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis and so far, about halfway through, it's fantastic! I am going to need a simple good read after this one though. My brain hurts.
By the by, I completed one of my 101 in 1001 goals and started a book club near my house! Our first meeting is September 2nd and we will be reading Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. I already ordered my copy from Amazon and am so excited and proud of myself! Yay for goal-setting that involves friends!
I just ordered my copy of Outliers. Thanks for the motivation to read more books!
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