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Phantom of the Opera Little Golden Book by Christy Webster and Illustrated by Vivien Wu release date Sept. 1, 2026 |
Recently, I posted a photo of a new Little Golden Book featuring The Phantom of the Opera in a Facebook group dedicated to the show. It’s the first of three upcoming releases and while most fans were genuinely excited, there were some surprisingly negative reactions. The negative reactions ranged from unhappy emojis to unhinged rants and a few sent me DMs telling me I am wrong for writing the book. First of all, back off and reaccess yourself because I am NOT the author of that book, I didn’t write it, nor did I claim to write it, I simply posted a photo of the cover along with the caption that states it will be released in September along with a bunch of other Phantom related books over the next six months. Some people began asking how a story featuring a “murdering stalker” who lies to the girl and kidnaps her could possibly be appropriate for children. Has no one read the original source material from most Disney movies?
It really made me stop and think. It’s clear that to some, this story and these characters are being viewed through a very superficial lens. Over the years, I’ve noticed more and more people framing the Phantom through a modern, diagnostic lens, labeling him a "stalker" or a "murderer," and some have even claimed he’s on the autism spectrum. To be clear: he is a fictional character written over 100 years ago. The "autism" argument doesn't hold water because that wasn't even a medically recognized concept, let alone part of the character's design.
A Little Golden Book can absolutely tell this story effectively without the "villain" label, because the essence of the story isn't malice, it's tragedy. A Little Golden Book, the publishers of The Poky Little Puppy and so many other great books from my own childhood still publishes books appropriate for an audience of 3 to 5 year olds, I see them everyday at work and just as they did with the Wicked series, they will do with The Phantom of the Opera. If you've ever read the original Wicked books, you will know what I'm talking about.
Since I’ve been living with these characters for over 40 years, having seen the show as many times as I have, read every version of the book and spin off story as I have, meeting the actors who played them, not just Christine and Phantom but all of them and listening to their own takes, I realized I have a lot of perspectives to share. I have even been toying with my own spin on the Phantom story for my own book, but being that Under the Lifeguard's Watch is my priority at the moment, that's going to be for a future project. However, regarding my blog for now, I’m going to start with how I see the Phantom and in future posts, I’ll dive into the other characters (and if you think I’m sympathetic to the Phantom, wait until you hear my take on Carlotta!).
When it comes to the "villain" of this story, I honestly don't think the Phantom fits the bill. If you really want a villain, look at Le Fevre. He sold the Opera House to Firmin and André without saying a word about the "Ghost" issue and the moment they found out, he ran off to another country. He’s the one who set the whole disaster in motion!
As for the Phantom himself? I’m Team Phantom all the way, unless Raoul is played by someone that I can't take my eyes off and then I'm usually hoping he ditches Christine for me, just kidding..or am I??? In The Phantom, I don’t see a hero or a villain; I see a misguided, lonely, desperate man who never had a real chance. He wasn’t taught how to interact with people; he learned how to survive. So, he took what he needed in the only ways he understood. His obsession with Christine wasn't calculated stalking—it was part of his survival mindset that just...blurred. If you listen to Christine's words during rooftop scene, you can see that she's torn, at first she's afraid and then she suddenly switches gears just before Raoul distracts her with All I Ask of You. Other scenes to listen closely to is Twisted Every Way as well as Wandering Child. She acknowledges so much regarding his personality between the lines.
I don’t believe he’s intentionally a stalker and the two deaths in the musical aren't just simple acts of malice. He is emotionally illiterate, and to him, violence and threats are the only currency he has to exert power.
Think about Buquet’s death. It fell after he began telling others about what he knew of the man known as the “Ghost” and it really was just a "he saw and said too much" situation. Buquet was talking about the Phantom as if he were a real person and that threatened the fragile safety the Phantom had carved out for himself in the Opera House.
And Piangi? That’s much more complicated. Don Juan Triumphant was the Phantom’s desperate attempt to show Christine that she could see him as something other than a monster. Think about it: the last three times she saw him, he sent the chandelier hurdling down in her direction on stage where Raoul had to pull her out of the way, he delivered the score to Don Juan with a threat to the managers and the last time he was literally shooting fire at Raoul in the graveyard. Of course he needed to show her he wasn’t a monster. Piangi became the final obstacle standing between the Phantom and the only person who offered him a sliver of connection, so he did the only thing he could to slip into his place. Think about it, what else are you going to do so quickly to a man with a powerful voice that could scream “help” while he is being tied up and gagged in the middle of an opera scene? Silence came with the ultimate price for Piangi to pay.
The Phantom doesn't understand moral choices the way most of us do. He isn't typical; he's a creature shaped by survival, not by healthy human connection. There is so much more to this story than the buzzwords of the internet.
Do you see the Phantom as a victim of circumstance or are you firmly in the camp that sees him as a villain? I’d love to hear your take—let’s get a real conversation going in the comments below!
And if you’ve enjoyed this deep dive and want to help keep my mind flowing here, please consider a small contribution to help keep the candles burning in the lair. Whether it’s the price of a coffee or more, it truly helps me keep sharing these perspectives with you. Every bit is appreciated!
