Reverent, beguiling, and opulent, Our Strange Duet is a mesmerising ode to The Phantom of the Opera and comes out just in time to celebrate the 40 year anniversary of the musical. Readers will delight in stepping back into the Opera Populaire and I believe that Erin A. Craig captures Christine Daaé’s perspective perfectly. More than that, Craig manages to set scenes and atmospheres that feel like they jump off the page. I think every Phantom fan has been waiting for this book to reach their hands, and I wasn’t an exception. I adored this book, and think that it should hold a place on your shelf if you’re also a fan of the musical.
If I’ve piqued your interest at all, take a seat. Our Strange Duet is a thoughtful reimagining of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera. It’s centered around Christine Daaé, a young naive starlet who becomes torn between love and ambition, and the masked figure and secrets that lurk beneath the Opera House. If you’re feeling like setting a mood, I would recommend playing the soundtrack as you read (if you’re someone who can), it will be a bit more of an immersive experience.
My initial thoughts was how similar the musical and the book are, and yet, it felt as though we were getting more than that. Craig took us inside Christine’s head, her heart, and her feelings. I think it gave us further insight into the young ingénue in a way that I wasn’t truly expecting. We see her innocence yes, but also that spark of ambition that is driving her to make the choices that could lead to disastrous consequences. Tangled within it is her desire to be loved, and it creates a dangerous combination that leaves readers wanting to see the story through to the end, even if they know how it ends.
One of my favourite aspects of the book is that each character is given proper care and respect, going beyond superficial descriptions and giving reasons for their behaviours. The Phantom’s vulnerability, despite his fearsome reputation, just cemented that inner dark romantic that wanted Christine to stay in the darkness with him. However, Carlotta also comes to mind, a lead soprano that is past her prime, but clinging to that fame. Although we see it from Christine’s perspective specifically, I love that we see human nature behind some of her “villainy”. We get to see beyond the signora’s great vanity and some into her insecurities. Some might argue that it detracts from the drama, but I think that it adds the right light to the story. The character who fell flat for me at times was Raoul, but perhaps it was because he felt very much like a mirror of Christine in some ways.
If you’re looking for a grand departure from the original work, you will not find that here, as it stays very close to the original story. This wasn’t a problem for me, but I do think some might approach the book looking for that, so let this be your caution.
Something that kept coming up for me as I was reading was the way that I could vividly visualise what I was reading, but in the way that you’re watching a puppetmaster tell a story. The storytelling was masterful, and I was trapped within the confines of the book until the very end. The ending left me breathless, and looking up when the next time The Phantom of the Opera musical will be nearby so I could go watch it once again. At the very least, I’m planning to watch the movie as I go into October. This gives off the best moody weather reading vibes, and I honestly think everyone should either read or listen to this book as one of your fall reads. I think you’ll find a reason to fall in love with the Phantom once more. This read was a 8/10 for me (because of Raoul), but I still recommend it for everything else.
Our Strange Duet is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.
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Synopsis
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A reimagining of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera, spotlighting Christine Daaé as she rises to fame while torn between love, ambition, and the haunting secrets of the opera house from #1 New York Times bestselling author Erin A. Craig.
She was never just the voice he shaped . . .
A rising soprano with a gift she is only just learning to embrace, Christine Daaé has moved through the glittering world of the Opera Populaire longing to find her purpose. Instead, she finds herself caught between two men who refuse to let her slip quietly into the chorus.
One is Raoul, her childhood friend turned devoted admirer, offering her a future filled with warmth, safety, and a love that feels like sunlight. The other is a mysterious masked figure who lurks beneath the Opera House: The Phantom. His brilliance, obsession, and dangerous devotion to nurturing Christine’s talents ignites a dark and complicated passion in her heart.
As Christine’s star ascends, so does the tension between Raoul and the Phantom. She must decide who she is when the curtain falls—and what she’s willing to risk for the life she wants.
Set against the sweeping, romantic world of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera, Our Strange Duet allows Christine Daaé to take center stage to tell her own story: fierce, emotional, and unforgettable.
