Living in hiding beneath the infamous Paris Opera House, a mysterious figure secretly tutors the beautiful young singer, Christine Daae. With the legend of his disfigured face, he is promptly smitten and develops an obsessive affection for his beautiful protégé. While she has fallen for her childhood friend, the Viscount Raoul de Chagny, the Opera is passed on to the managers who dismiss the phantom's demands. This results in Daae's disappearance during a performance sparking a tragic chain of events. One of the most critically acclaimed novels, Leroux's renowned gothic tale of unrequited love, passion and tragedy is both horrifyingly suspenseful and yet moving in its portrayal of Erik, the anti-hero, in his yearning for Christine.