The Phantom of the Opera - Gaston Leroux, Alexander Teixeira de Mattos
"Your soul is a beautiful thing, child" replied the grave man's voice, "and I thank you. No emperor ever received so fair a gift. The angels wept tonight."

I have always liked the Phantom of the Opera but this the first time I have actually read the book. This is such a classic, beautiful story. Erik, or the Opera Ghost, is an absolute genius with maybe a touch of insanity. He's madly in love with Christine Daae, who mainly just feels sorry for him. It's sad because all he wants is a normal life but he's such a "monster" that even his own mother made him wear a mask. It's a tragic story of a love that could never be. The book has more of a darker side than the 2004 movie, but they are both great, in my opinion. It also makes me want to see the Paris Opera House badly! :)