Gaston Leroux: the original Raoul-basher?

[betweensunandmoon]

irukandji thinks so.

Raoul Bashing-Was Leroux the one who started it?

I'm skeptical, because I never got the impression that Leroux hated his hero. And Erik wins? Um, he dies, dearest. Did you miss that part, since it's unclear whether you've read the entire book?

Comments

[betweensunandmoon]

Dracula/Mina is the one pairing I despise more than Erik/Christine (because, hello, he metaphorically raped Mina and turned her best friend into a bloodsucking, undead monster), but it gets the exact same treatment in fandom that Erik/Christine does, which only intensifies my hatred. (And yes, poor Jonathan is handled about as well as Raoul is...)

Exhibit the First, Exhibit the Second.

Considering how abusive, possessive stalkers are all the rage nowadays, I'm just happy that Leroux presented Erik as a villain and not a romantic hero! Yes, the book is over a century old, but I'll take what I can get!

[igenlode]

I have some Dracula-fic in my favourites, I think...

https://m.fanfiction.net/u/4782314/?cid=7815&s=0&a=fs

Assimbya has written some very dark AU fiction in which Dracula succeeds in capturing both Mina and Jonathan, but it's certainly not romantic.
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10704829/1/Jackal