Transcend by Christine Fonsenca

[EmaliaAntonia]

So this is a YA retelling of the Phantom of the Opera, from the phantom's POV. It should go without saying that this book is a little disturbing, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone under 16.

"All seventeen-year-old composer Ien Montgomery desires is an escape from his family's rigid expectations for his life; someone to inspire his music. When he meets a beautiful violin-prodigy, Kiera McDougal, his music takes on new life. With her, he imagines a future outside of his parents’ control. That is, until a horrible accident tears them apart.

Sent to die in a sanatorium, Ien’s obsession for Kiera grows unbearable. Tortured by thoughts he can’t escape and the truth of his monstrous disfigurement, he flees, desperate to exact revenge on the people that ruined his life – his parents. But, vengeance is empty. Betrayed by those closest to him, Ien discovers that the price for his happiness may be his sanity."

Like I said, DISTURBING. And also, GENIUS! I wanted to just curl up and cry in corner out of grief for Ien. Everything he believed he lost, I believed he lost. Because he lost touch with what was real, I lost touch with what was real. I just sat and looked outside the window for hours after I was done with this book. It gets to you. And while I might LOVE that, it might not be for everybody. 4/5 stars