Crystal ChanRecensioni

Having been intrigued by Les Misérables for years, I was excited to get my hands on this Manga Classics version—it felt like a natural next step to gaining the courage to tackle the original book. What a story!

This was my first manga read, but it won’t be my last. I did struggle with the artistic style a little (I didn’t feel like it was always that modest), but other than that, this book seems to stay true to the original story. It somehow manages to preserve the complexity of the plot and characters, but do it in a concise, easy-to-understand way. I don’t know how Chan and the team did it, but I’m impressed!

I fell in love with Cossette and Marius all over again, felt my heart bleed a little for Fantine, and admired Jean Valjean’s courage, love, and tenacity all over again. This is a story of realistic people in an uncertain time, and while it shows a glimpse into the depths of depravity humans can stoop to, it also shows a ray of hope—that good can come out of the darkness.

A worthwhile read—one you’ll likely never forget. Highly recommended!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion of it.

The books did an amazing job of turning a very detailed and complex story into a manga. The art and writing were great. They did a great job of cutting just enough but keep the right amount so that the story would not lose that amazingness that is the original version.


I revised a free copy from NetGalley and decided to leave a review.

This was my first experience with manga and I loved it. I enjoyed the graphics and the style and this version of Jane Eyre was amazing.

*Thank you to Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

I hadn't ready Les Miserable before this. It has been on my TBR list for a long time. When I saw this adaptation of it, I knew I had to try it. I am a new manga reader. I love the graphics and the style of manga. I didn't realize what I was missing. The story is beautiful. I think I'll have to read the written version now.

*Thank you to Netgalley for providing the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

It took me a while to finish. For various reasons.
This was a heavy book, emotionally speaking. It's wonderful and gorgeous - but the atmosphere was so so depressing.

I absolutely loved Jewel. Such a spirited and fierce absolutely unique person!
And the world painted inside the book is real, with real living breathing people.

This was GORGEOUS.

FINAL VERDICT: GIVE IT A TRY!

Remaining amazingly true to the original novel, the illustrations and dialogue bring new life to a classic and allow the tale to resonate with another branch of readers.

The story is as anyone whose read the book already knows—Hester Prynne gives birth to an illegitimate child and must face the town's wrath, hate, and gossip during Colonial times in a Puritan community. And this manga brings exactly this tale across, staying very true to the original.

First, for those who are new to the manga world, there are instructions on how to approach this type of novel (as they are read in a different direction than our Western world is accustom to). Then, it starts with the writer's finding of his ancestor's notes, which inspires him to recapture Hester's tale. I was wondering how all of this would flow...whether it would be lighter, changed, different atmosphere and such. But this is a very serious read, which brings across the exact same atmosphere, scenes, characterization and circumstances.

The settings and scenes, of course, pick up mostly in the illustrations, and these do a great job at making the time visual while keeping it simple. Little details like Hester's 'A' poke forward with a subtle intensity to make the scenes and importance sit. I was also impressed at how well the emotions and characters are brought across. The illustrator takes care to capture each one with the right features and let their personalities shine without over doing it, either. The dialogue did meld a bit away from the original, but only in the sense that it was easier to read and understand. I even found this aspect well done.

Of course, classic lovers and those, who really want to dive into the novel, will probably want to grab up the original, but this form does a great job at offering a slightly different point of view without altering the main strings. It is easier to digest and is even worth a peek from those, who do adore the original novel. To say that it is probably more inviting for the younger audience is, in my opinion, a given.

After reading this one, I'm more than curious to dive into the other manga classics in the series.

This book was absolutely amazing. Les Mis is one of my favorite plays plus I love manga, so I was really excited when someone have me a copy of this for Christmas this year!! I was singing along to the songs as certain events were happening and since it was a retelling and not a rendition the book was pretty spot on. Nothing seemed out of place, it was a very good and enjoyable representation of Les Misérables. The only thing I would have enjoyed better was a teensy but more ABC guys page time. The only ither negative thing I have to say is that the character design for Javert bothered me a little bit too because he had these two hair curls that's came down like bangs and I'd always pictured him has short haired, clean-cut but it wasn't that big of a deal. All in all a 5-star book!

tween/middlegrade realistic fiction; families dealing with grief (with 12 year old mixed race protagonist in rural Iowa). Great depth of character and voice, even when characters don't come right out and say things (which is often), there are a million ways to tell that Jewel is lonely, or that she still feels a strong connection with her deceased older brother (whom she never knew). Extremely impressive debut novel from Chan, who herself grew up as a mixed race child in rural Wisconsin.

I'll start this by saying that I've never read the original and have no plans to change that.

This is framed as a story discovered by Nathaniel Hawthorne when he worked as a custom officer. Hester Prynne has been jailed by her Puritan community for the crime of adultery. She was married at a young age to an elderly scholar who sent her to Boston two years ago, alone, and there's no denying that her infant daughter, Pearl, has to be some other man's child. However, she refuses to name him, so she stands alone with her mark of shame, a scarlet letter A on her chest.

As she looks upon the crowd, she's shocked to see her husband. After assuming a new name, Roger Chillingworth, he begins his plan to find and torment the father of Hester's child. Meanwhile, Hester spends the next few years raising Pearl and being so unrelentingly helpful, pure, and good that the townspeople gradually begin to see her with new eyes, even as Hester worries that her sin has somehow affected her daughter.

This is the second Manga Classics volume I've read. The first was Jane Eyre, which I've actually read before, so I could write about not only the content, but also the way Chan approached adapting the original story to the manga format. Overall, I really liked it even though I had issues with the original story and some of those issues carried over to the adaptation.

However, like I said, I haven't read The Scarlet Letter. I can't really comment on Chan's adaptation decisions, beyond what she wrote in her notes at the end of the volume. From the sounds of things, many of the things I disliked about this manga, like the odd and unnatural dialogue, were features of the original story - not much Chan could do about that and still stick to the original as faithfully as possible.

Pearl was a very creepy child, to the point where I found myself worrying about what might happen to Hester and others if they stayed around her. While Hester had concerns about what Pearl's origins might have done to her, she didn't seem at all worried about living what seemed to me to be an often inhuman creature. Seriously, Pearl got down on all fours and practically snarled at one point.

Overall, I really liked the artwork. It was attractive, clear, and easy to follow, and I thought the decision to print the scarlet A in red was good. The one thing that annoyed me, which turned out to be part of Chan's adaptation choices, was the way the mystery of whatever was on Hester's lover's chest was handled. The first time a character witnessed it, it was clear from their reaction that it was terrible, but readers didn't actually get to see anything. Considering that the volume wasn't shy about revealing that Hester's lover was a secret flagellant, I figured he had probably harmed himself, likely marking an A right into the flesh of his chest.

It would have made for a horrifying final visual, especially if it had been printed in red the same as Hester's A, but when the time came and the entire town witnessed it, the artwork was once again arranged so that readers saw nothing. It was frustrating and felt oddly like the artist was working around censorship rules. In the adaptation notes at the end, Chan explained that in the original novel, the nature and existence of that character's scarlet letter was left up to the reader, so she and the artist tried to do something similar by never actually showing the character's chest. However, it was so clear from other characters' reactions that something was there that, in the end, I just found it frustrating.

The story wasn't really to my taste, and I have no intention of reading the original. Still, I really like what I've read of the Manga Classics series so far, and I plan to read more of them. I love that they include detailed notes about adaptation choices at the end, and it seems like a great deal of effort is made to stick to the spirit and intentions of the original works while taking advantage of some of the options that a more visual format provides. I think comparing the original to the adaptation choices made for the manga could lead to fun group discussions (by which I mean "don't be afraid if students want to read these, it could make for excellent teaching opportunities").

Extras:

A couple full-color pages, three pages of adaptation notes (metaphors, background characters, the tapestry of King David, the "Man in Black," and the dialogue), a comic-style afterword by SunNeko Lee, and a couple pages of character design sketches.

(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)½

FGMAMTC Blog Review

I am impressed with this. I love the original book, but it is very long. The story adaptors and artists did a great job of translating the original into a manga and still telling its story. They even included portions at the end explaining some changes and information about real locations within the story and the characters. I loved the artwork and the whole idea of making a classic into a manga. This was an enjoyable experience for me.



***Copy given in exchange for an honest review***

Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents

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Thanks to NetGalley and Udon Entertainment for a free copy for an honest opinion.

First of all I haven't read the original classic on which this manga is based so I cant tell which is better but I honestly loved this manga!!

It was a quick read but the art and the characters very so good that it conveyed all the emotions very well.. Highly recommend everyone read this book.

A surprisingly faithful adaptation with very good art. The original tale is a massive book with many complicated subplots, but the manga does a superb job of condensing and simplifying without losing too much of the original's flavor. This would be an excellent adaptation to give to children too young for the original.

Received via NetGalley.

I received an ARC for this book from UDON through Netgalley.

I rather enjoyed this rendition of Jane Austen's Emma. (Something I never thought I would ever say or write, I have a love/hate relationship with the original work.)

The mangaka and writer beautifully adapted the story, staying very close to the original. A lot of parts are skimmed over or shortened (which is unavoidable), but they managed to let a lot of the subtext come through in the details of the drawings. I guess the old addage is proven right once again, a picture can say a thousand words...
It's a great introduction to the classic work of literature.

I'm looking forward to read the other Classics adaptations.

For me, there is just something refreshing about classics revisited Manga style. Japanese style art flowing across the pages....reading right to left.... It's still the favorite classic tale I know and love. The Manga adaptation just gives a new feel to an old, favorite story.

I've read Jane Eyre probably 50 times. It's one of those stories I can re-read often, but still enjoy. And I loved the Manga Classic version! It follows the book closely, including illustrating most, if not all, of my favorite lines from the book. The artwork is awesome! From Pilot (Rochester's faithful dog) to Mrs. Fairfax, I liked the appearance of all the minor characters. As for major characters....Jane Eyre had a sweet face and Rochester was drawn with just the right amount of brooding darkness. The pages depicting Rochester's hidden, terrible secret as well as other important plot points were perfect!

I am always skeptical of adaptations. I have dnf'd many, many supposed continuations of favorite classic stories or re-tellings/adaptations because they just didn't stay true to my favorite classic stories. I am picky. But I have yet to be disappointed by Manga Classics. The story is always well depicted. The art is awesome each time. It's an enjoyable reading experience for me. I don't find myself frowning about weird plot changes, or missing characters/dialog. For the most part, they stick to the original...just condensing it a bit and illustrating the story. Love it! I'm ordering copies for my keeper shelf!

I thoroughly enjoyed this manga version of Jane Eyre!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Udon Entertainment via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

I have always been a big fan of Dickens. In fact, my favorite book is A Christmas Carol. But, his larger works can be quite dark and depressing. Dickens lived through some rough times in his childhood and it certainly colored his writing. The first time I read Great Expectations, I remember thinking to myself about how absolutely F'd up every single character is.....there isn't a single character that doesn't have some darkness or flaw that puts a damper on their entire life. Even if they are just fictional creations, it's difficult to read through a story that shows so clearly how harsh human nature, the world, and society can be. I had to read Great Expectations twice during my school years....and never touched the book again. Too depressing. Too real.

But then I saw this manga version of the classic story. I decided to give Pip another visit. I'm glad I did. This manga classic follows the basics of the story closely enough, but it seemed somehow less depressing accompanied by manga-style artwork. I liked how the manga version ends....it seems to fit even how Dickens felt about the story himself.

The story is still intense, but I enjoyed this slightly condensed version much better than the original novel.

The adaptation of the story is good...the artwork is wonderful! I'm glad I read this version, even if the original story is not one of my favorites.

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Udon Entertainment via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

Another classic adapted for a more modern audience. I love the tale of the Count of Monte Cristo. It's a classic tale of despair and getting your desired revenge. The original book for this is huge, so it is understandable why the Manga Classics team had to tweak the tale. But I do not think, that any the of the main story, plot and twists had been forgotten. Once again would really recommend to all, who wish to read a classic but with modern and different take.

Wow, this was the best of the Manga classics so far. I adore of the story of Jane Eyre and her love for Mr Rochester. Once again the writing style was amazing and loyal to the original novel. The art style was gorgeous. I highly recommend this manga if you love Jane Eyre and classics. This series of books keeps getting better and better.

I forgotten how sad this tale truly was. I feel sorry for the life that Hesta and her daughter must live. Once again I loved manga classics take on this tale. The artwork is beautiful and the writing is first-class. If you love classics and want to try out manga I highly recommend this book and series.

Another adorable manga-style classic novel! I requested this one because I loved the manga Pride and Prejudice from the same team. There's not quite the humor of the manga P&P but still a fun adaptation and suitable for tempting young readers.

I'm not a big comic book reader, but I like to try something new which is why I decided to read this Manga when I found it on Netgalley.

At first it really confused me. I've seen the movie version of Les Miserables with Hugh Jackamn and the Manga started with the end! I didn't understant anything until I tried to look in the back of the book. Thankfully, there was a guide to tell my how to read Manga. I felt like and idiot (still do!).

Once I started reading it like it is supposed to, I really enjoyed it. Since I know the story, I spend a lot of time admiring the drawing. Tszmei Lee is very talented and the book is beautiful in both drawing and story. I especially adored the way the love between Marius and Cosette is drawn – so amazing and so captivating.

I would love to read more classics drawn by Tszmei Lee and I think the idea is brilliant!

Seeing animals shot was very uncomfortable for me. Other than that, it's a great read. I hated all the characters in the beginning and it was suffocating to read. However as the story reveals more, everything falls into place and everyone starts to get their shits together. Gotta say I consider giving this book up during the 1st 50 pages, after that, it exchanges itself into something that's impossible to put down. I love how the author deals with mental illness and family problems. It's a relatable read all in all.

I just finished reading Jane Eyre (The Novel) so when I saw it available as a manga I couldn't help but snatch it up! Jane Eyre holds a special place in my heart, so rereading it in other formats is an amazing way to rediscover that magic. I felt this version touched on all the main points without diving too much into the scenes between interaction of Mr. Rochester and Jane. I do think that some of the suspense and magic of watching them fall in love got lost in translation. One of my favorite things about this edition is they translated the freaking French! I don't speak French so the first time I read it I had Google translate open the entire time! It was a much more enjoyable reading experience to not have to break the immersion just to find out what the characters are saying. I did feel that the characters were drawn too attractive. It reminded me of the 1996 Jane Eyre movie, and while the art style was beautiful I felt the characters didn't stay true to their plain, unattractive novel characters. I also feel they trimmed some of the ugly characteristics from St. John and Mr. Rochester so they would be more likable. This seems like an excellent way to pick up classics if you have a hard time getting through them, or you haven't the time. I thoroughly enjoyed this and was able to read it in under a day, whereas the novel took me many.