Erik (The Phantom of the Opera) other adaptations such as films, television shows, books, and musicals. One such popular literary adaptation is the Susan Kay novel "Phantom" (1990), a fictional in-depth story of Erik from the time of his birth to the end of his life at the Paris Opera House. For the most part, Kay's novel stays in context with Erik's life history as laid down by Leroux, however Kay (as explained in her Author's Note) changes and shapes the character to match her own vision, influenced by other adaptations besides the original. In addition, the ending/resolution is quite different from Leroux's. The story follows
The Phantom of the Opera commits. The novel features a love triangle between the Phantom, Christine, and Raoul. Raoul is seen as Christine's childhood love whom she is familiar with and has affection for. He is rich and therefore offers her security as well as a wholesome, Christian marriage. The Phantom, on the other hand, is not familiar. He is dark, ugly, and dangerous and therefore represents the forbidden love. However, Christine is drawn to him because she sees him as her Angel of Music, and she pities his existence of loneliness and darkness. By the time Leroux published "The Phantom of the Opera", he