Susan Kay
Encyclopedia
Susan Kay is a writer
.
She is most known for her book, Phantom
, which expands upon the history of Erik, the hideous, brilliant character from Gaston Leroux
's The Phantom of the Opera
, in an episodic format of seven chapters from different characters' points of view - first Erik's mother, immediately revolted by her own son; then Erik as a boy being exhibited as a circus freak; then Giovanni, a character of Kay's creation, who takes him in; then Nadir, known in Leroux's novel as the Persian, who is greatly expanded upon and gives an account of Erik in the bloodiest days of his life; then Erik, describing how he settled into his role as Phantom of the Opera; then a back-and-forth narrative between Erik and Christine Daae
, whom he loves obsessively; and lastly, Raoul de Chagny, Erik's rival, giving the denouement.
Susan Kay did not travel to Iran to research the novel, although she did research in person at the Paris Opera House.
Her first novel was Legacy, about the life of Queen Elizabeth I and won a Georgette Heyer Historical Novel Prize and a Betty Trask Award
in 1985.
She worked as a primary school teacher until leaving to bring up a family, and now lives with her husband and two children in Cheshire.
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
.
She is most known for her book, Phantom
Phantom (novel)
Phantom is a 1990 novel by Susan Kay, based on the Gaston Leroux novel The Phantom of the Opera.-Plot summary:The Phantom is born as Erik in Boscherville, a small town not far from Rouen, in the summer of 1831. His father is a well-known stonemason and dies in a construction accident a few months...
, which expands upon the history of Erik, the hideous, brilliant character from Gaston Leroux
Gaston Leroux
Gaston Louis Alfred Leroux was a French journalist and author of detective fiction.In the English-speaking world, he is best known for writing the novel The Phantom of the Opera , which has been made into several film and stage productions of the same name, notably the 1925 film starring Lon...
's The Phantom of the Opera
The Phantom of the Opera
Le Fantôme de l'Opéra is a novel by French writer Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serialisation in "Le Gaulois" from September 23, 1909 to January 8, 1910...
, in an episodic format of seven chapters from different characters' points of view - first Erik's mother, immediately revolted by her own son; then Erik as a boy being exhibited as a circus freak; then Giovanni, a character of Kay's creation, who takes him in; then Nadir, known in Leroux's novel as the Persian, who is greatly expanded upon and gives an account of Erik in the bloodiest days of his life; then Erik, describing how he settled into his role as Phantom of the Opera; then a back-and-forth narrative between Erik and Christine Daae
Christine Daaé
Christine Daaé is the main female character in Gaston Leroux's novel The Phantom of the Opera , the young singer with whom the main character Erik, the Phantom of the Opera falls in love.- Character history :...
, whom he loves obsessively; and lastly, Raoul de Chagny, Erik's rival, giving the denouement.
Susan Kay did not travel to Iran to research the novel, although she did research in person at the Paris Opera House.
Her first novel was Legacy, about the life of Queen Elizabeth I and won a Georgette Heyer Historical Novel Prize and a Betty Trask Award
Betty Trask Award
The Betty Trask Prize and Awards are for first novels written by authors under the age of 35, who reside in a current or former Commonwealth nation. The awards were established in 1984 by the Society of Authors, at the bequest of the late Betty Trask, a reclusive author of over thirty romance novels...
in 1985.
She worked as a primary school teacher until leaving to bring up a family, and now lives with her husband and two children in Cheshire.