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Reviews for
Abendlied
by Jennifer Linforth
Rating: 4.5 books
Reviewed by Orchid
Long and Short Reviews
Madrigal Continues . . .
Desiring normalcy is difficult enough with a price on his head, but
when Erik is falsely accused of killing Philippe de Chagny, brother
of his nemesis Raoul, he is launched toward madness. Anna is an
unlikely companion, sharing Erik's heart and the bounty on his head.
As the manhunt heats, Erik's mysterious relationship with Philippe
spurs the campaign against them forward and exposes her darkest
secret: defending her honor ended in murder. Plagued by his past as
The Phantom of the Opera, Erik's memories enslave his heart to
Raoul's wife Christine, whose shocking confession brings a ruthless
bounty hunter into the fray and blackmail to the Chagny bloodline.
Blackmail from a hunter who cares little about the Phantom or
Philippe and everything about the one he has lusted for: Anna. With
the past weeping like an open wound, can love endure or will it take
memories of one unlikely man to heal them all?
Memories of Philippe Georges Marie, Comte de Chagny . . .
Ever wondered what happened after Phantom of the Opera finished? Ms.
Linforth continues the tale with extreme care and dedication to the
original story.
Erik, the Phantom, has put Christine into his past. Anna is his true
love, but he is so introverted and distrustful of others he fails to
show his beloved she is the one for him. He gradually reveals his
true self to her, especially after they join up with Pappy, an old
soldier who treats Anna like a daughter. Accused of murder and
chased from one place to another by Raoul, Comte de Chagny, Anna is
afraid to tell Erik she is also a murderer and Raoul's hunter is
after her, not Erik.
Meanwhile Christine, married to Raoul and mother of his son, yearns
for the Phantom despite her love for her husband. Raoul is convinced
Erik murdered his brother and will not give up until the Phantom is
caught and executed.
This book is a deep and meaningful novel, not to be opened for a
light afternoon's read. I found it impossible to read more than half
a dozen chapters at a time. More than this would have been too much
in one sitting. Nevertheless I kept being drawn back to carry on
reading after a suitable interval. The writing is superb, well
crafted but the contents of the story are dark and more of a
literary novel than a romance.
At the beginning I wondered about the references to events after the
phantom left the opera house. I had read a third of the book before
I realised this was the second in a series. I would suggest a brief
synopsis of the first book at the beginning would overcome the
confusion of wondering who and what the characters refer to. Also
the four points of view cause more confusion, as you don't know who
they are unless you have read Madrigal This applies in particular to
the character Anna.
This said Abendlied is a compelling novel in the classical sense.
The author is obviously well versed in music as Erik's inner
thoughts show. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to those
who like deep, dark and meaningful stories.
Abendlied is a wonderful read but to fully enjoy the story, time
must to be taken to taste the full flavour of the author's wonderful
mastery of words.
Review Date: Jan 22, 2010
Erik and Anna are on the run from
Raoul's hunters, accused of multiple murders, including, Phillipe de
Chagny, brother to Raoul. Christine fights her attraction to her
Angel of Music, wanting a life with Raoul, her son Andre, and the
daughter she is carrying. Anna, also pregnant, must fight for not
only her life, but a life with Erik. Forces conspire to destroy any
chance at happiness Anna and Erik can have.
For anyone who never understood Christine choosing Raoul over the
Phantom, Jennifer Linforth's second entry in her Madrigal series, is
a welcome treat. I've hated Christine ever since reading The Phantom
of the Opera for the first time, not understanding how Christine
couldn't see the man behind the mask. Anna is the heroine fans have
been waiting for, flawed like Erik but strong and loving enough to
lift him from his madness. Abendlied was an anxiously awaited
sequel, but once I got it, I put off reading it, savoring each page,
knowing that I could only read it for the first time once. Jennifer
Linforth's latest work is sweet and tender, dark and decandent, a
treat to be reached for again and again. For anyone who read Gaston
Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera and wanted more, this is the book
for you!
5 Stars
After Christine’s confession, Raul hires
Loup to find the Phantom (Erik.) Raoul is convinced Erik killed his
brother Philippe de Chagny even though evidence proves his brother’s
death is an accident. Loup agrees to hunt down Erik, but the man has
his own personal agenda. He will hunt the Phantom, but his main goal
is to capture Anna, the woman with Erik. Her crime was committed
when defending her honor and he has every intention to make her pay
for it. Also Loup is blackmailing Christine after witnessing a
transgression that will threaten the Chagny bloodline.
Christine must deal with her own demons.
Is she in love with two men? She tries to hide her confusion, but
Raoul senses his wife’s unrest. He loves Christine and will do
anything to protect her, but his judgment is hampered by his
insecurities.
As the manhunt continues, Anna fears
Erik will embrace the madness that lurks beneath the surface and
will never find the man in madman. Erik falls back to being The
Phantom of the Opera and seeks out Christine. Her shocking
confession may destroy his relationship with Anna. Erik recalls his
association with Comte Philippe de Chagny and what his friendship
meant to him, but will the memories be enough to heal him?
Ms. Linforth has written another
noteworthy tale about the Phantom. Anna and Erik must learn to trust
each other to allow their relationship to flourish. Erik must also
learn to put the past behind him before he can accept what Anna
offers. In Gaston Leroux’s The Phantom of the Opera, Philippe is a
man of the world and doesn’t like Raoul’s attachment to Christine.
Erik later drowns Philippe when the man goes looking for Raoul in
the cellars of the opera house. I enjoyed how the author takes the
reader back to Erik’s life below the opera house to unfold a new
tale with the Phantom’s friendship with Comte Philippe de Chagny. I
don’t want to reveal too much of this wonderful tale with a twist to
the old story. This is the second book in the series. It does stand
alone, but I believe the reader may take pleasure reading Madrigal
first to thoroughly enjoy the continued tale of The Phantom of the
Opera.
Karen Michelle Nutt, PRN Reviews
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