The novel is about a charismatic (but mentally ill) man with a devilishly deformed face, but a voice like an angel. He has his secret hide away at a lake under the opera L'Opera Garnier in Paris. At the opera he terrorizes the actors, but adores and stalks the beautiful choir singer Christine. Eventually he kidnaps Christine and forces a young nobleman, Vicomte Raoul de Chagny to start the chase for her rescue.