Review: Manga Classics: Emma, by Jane Austen, Po Tse, Crystle S. Chan, and Stacy King

Title: Manga Classics: Emma

Author: Jane Austen

Illustrator: Po Tse

Adaptation: Crystle S. Chan

Publisher: UDON Entertainment

Date of Publication: June 17th, 2015

Number of Pages: 308

Find it at : Book Depository

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Summary

Just in time for the 200th anniversary, Manga Classics brings Jane Austen’s classic tale of youthful folly and romantic exuberance to a modern audience with this beautiful new manga adaptation of Emma.

When her former governess finds happiness as the bride of a local widower, the brilliant and beautiful Emma Woodhouse — one of Jane Austen's immortal creations — flatters herself that she alone has secured the marriage and that she possesses a special talent for bringing lovers together. The young heiress next busies herself with finding a suitable husband for her friend and protégé, Harriet Smith, setting off an entertaining sequence of comic mishaps and misunderstanding in this sparkling comedy of English-village romance. Beneath its wit, the novel is also the story of a young woman's progress toward self-understanding. The impulsive match-making of Emma Woodhouse delivers both humor and heartache through the gorgeous artwork of master artist Po Tse.

Review

If there are two things that I love reading, they would probably be manga, and Jane Austen. So, when I first learnt that there was a combination of these two I was thrilled. Having already read another three instalments of the Manga Classics (Pride & Prejudice, The Scarlet Letter, and Les Miserables), I was more than eager to find out if Emma would also work well in this format.

Do you guys even need an introduction to the story? Emma is a delightful novel, with great characters! Mr. Knightley is one of those dreamy gentlemen, and Emma, although a little spoilt, is compassionate and tries to make up for the errors that she makes. Certainly, Mr. Knightley is the one that makes sure that she understands where she is wrong. This is one of the reasons why I believe that they are one of the most well-matched couples is literature, despite their age difference.

The adaptation of this Manga Classic was once again great! It made sure that the volume contained all of the main plot points, so even if you haven't read the novel you wouldn't miss anything from the story. Also, the dialogue maintained the witty spark of the Jane Austen's original dialogues, which was a big plus for me.

What I really love in this series, is that I can finally see all of my favourite characters with the exagerrated emotions that are so usual in manga. Once again, you can see the constant blushing on their faces, starry eyes, and flowers around the charming gentlemen, like Mr. Knightley, and Frank Churchill. All these images add up to the general enjoyment of Emma. 

The art style wasn't so very different from the other Manga Classics. It was beautiful, in a manga kind of way. I particularly liked the design of Emma, as well as all of those dresses! They are seriously impressive with their laces and their flowers. The one thing that I didn't really like was the Mr. Knightley. His image didn't suit the mental I had created for him, as he seamed a lot younger, almost the same age as Emma. I have to admit that this fact was a serious turn off, and I believe that I would have enjoyed this manga much more if Mr. Knightley's design was different.

Emma was delightful, like the original novel. Although I was acquainted with the plot, it managed to keep my interest. This Manga Classic is ideal for both Jane Austen fans, and for readers that aren't yet familiar with her work. I could go as far to say that this might be more enjoyable to some than the original novel, because in the manga version Emma isn't that annoying, and I know that this is one of the usual reasons that people hate it. Apart from the trouble I had with Mr. Knightley's design, this manga was easy to read and quiet enjoyable. If you're in the mood for a romance, don't hesitate to pick it up!
  

Review: Manga Classics: Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, SunNeko Lee and Crystal Silvermoon

Title: Manga Classics: Les Misérables

Author: Victor Hugo

Illustrator: SunNeko Lee

Adaptation: Crystal Silvermoon

Publisher: UDON Entertainment

Date of Publication: September 14th, 2014

Number of Pages: 345

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Summary

Adapted for stage and screen, loved by millions, Victor Hugo's classic novel of love and tragedy set in the 19th century France in reborn in this fantastic manga edition! Gorgeous and expressive art brings to life the unforgettable stories of Jean Valjean, Inspector Javert, and the tragic Fantine in this epic adaptation of Les Misérables. 

Review

After Pride and Prejudice and The Scarlet Letter, I was searching for a chance to read yet another adaptation from the Manga Classics series. So, I can't explain my happiness when I got this edition of Les Misérables, a novel that I'm particularly familiar with. In this novel, there are many important characters and I was curious to see if each of them would have sufficient time for development in the change of medium. 

The story is one of the most beautiful stories ever written. It illustrates the human nature in the most suitable way. Humans are neither purely evil nor purely good. This means that a convict like Jean Valjean can do good deeds and be a good man all of his life. It also means that people of the law like Javert can become blind and have wrong judgment. Right and wrong, honour and treachery are all things that sometimes are hard to be distinguished.

The adaptation of this manga satisfied me. I was aware before I start reading it that it wouldn't be possible for every scene in the novel to be included. Besides this classic work is massive and it would take several volumes, in order to contain everything. But this adaptation managed to select the scenes in a way that the story was consistent. It also gave the atmosphere of 19th century France in an effective way. The dialogs were clear, although sometimes they were more modern than I would prefer them to be.

The portrayal of characters, as far as the writing is concerned, was very good. We learnt a lot of backstory for all of them, their motives were transparent and it was easy to connect with them. Fantine's story was very touching and it was saddening to read of her misfortunes. The character that was problematic to me was Cosette. In the end, she seemed almost ungrateful towards Jean Valjean and this wasn't the case in the novel.

The art style was for another time impressive. The scenes on the barricades and the revolution had an amazing atmosphere. The expressions on the faces of the characters are unforgettable. The pain in Fantine's face when she is forced to sell her body for a few francs, the stern expression of Inspector Javert and his inner conflict about his morality, are just a few examples. However, I didn't quite like the image of Cosette. Her face when she has grown up, is almost he same as when she was a little girl. I'd like to see her more mature, both in the face and in the character.

The Manga Classics adaptation of Les Misérables is worth reading. Apart from the gorgeous cover, the story is told in a way that even those who haven't read the actual book would understand and love it. It's also highly possible that by the end of it, tears will be running from your eyes. I would recommend it to everybody, the story is beautiful, the characters deep and the art amazing.

So, my advice is...

Can you hear the people sing?

Review: Manga Classics: The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Crystal S. Chan and SunNeko Lee

Title: Manga Classics: The Scarlet Letter

Author: Nathaniel Hawthorne

Illustrator: SunNeko Lee

Adaptation: Crystal S. Chan

Publisher: UDON Entertainment

Date of Publication: March 18th, 2015

Number of Pages: 312

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Summary

Nathaniel Hawthorne's powerful tale of forbidden love, shame and revenge comes to life in Manga Classics: The Scarlet Letter. When Hester Prynne bears an illegitimate child she is introduced to the ugliness, complexity, and ultimately the strength of the human spirit. Though set in a Puritan community during Colonial American period, the moral dilemmas of personal responsibility and consuming emotions of guilt, anger, loyalty and revenge are timeless.

This manga retelling of Hawthorne's classic American novel is faithfully adapted by Crystal S. Chan and features stunning artwork by SunNeko Lee which will give old and new readers alike a fresh insight into this tragic saga of Puritan America.

Review

Another Manga Classics of another amazing classic novel! After reading Pride and Prejudice, I just needed to read other adaptations that this series included. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a tragic novel and I was curious to see how it would work out. As it turned out, there wasn't any reason for me to worry, as the manga did justice to this touching story.

Hester Prynne is disgraced publicly after having an affair and an illegitimate child with a man that she refuses to reveal his name. For this reason, she's put in prison and is forced to wear the scarlet letter A, to mark her as a sinner. In the meantime, Hester's husband comes to town and upon learning what his wife has done, he hides his identity and wants to seek vengeance from the mysterious man. Many years pass, the child grows up, Hester lives a life more virtuous than the most respectable of her neighbours, her husband finds the man responsible and makes his life a living hell. The story is well-known and really sad. One of the most touching scenes is when Pearl asks her mother what the letter A means and how she got it. Hester at this points lives quietly and even the town's counselor is thinking about letting her put the letter away, but she has to lie to her daughter, she can't let her know that this marks her as a sinner.

The adaptation of this novel was as good as the one in Pride and Prejudice. Every important scene was included, giving us the chance to witness not only the progression of the story, but the changes in the characters as well. Sometimes the dialogues felt less heavy than in the actual novel, but this fact made it easier to get through, so I wouldn't say that it bothered me. I also thought that some of the dialogues was transformed in a way that would be easier for the modern reader to digest. So, even if someone hasn't read the original novel would be drawn to the story. Of course, if you are a purist you may find this disturbing.

Judging only from the cover I suspected that the illustration would be beautiful. And I was absolutely right! The faces of the protagonists were so expressive that even without reading the dialogue I could guess what they were thinking. The expression Hester had on her face when she was holding baby Pearl, during her public shaming, was astounding. The angry and defensive face transformed into a tender one, just by looking at her baby. The change on Arthur's face, the husband of Hesther, from the beginning of the novel, also showed what he felt and how his need for vengeance transformed him into a different and malicious man, a fiend as he called himself. Baby Pearl was just so cute, and even a little older she was cute as well, with those big innocent eyes and the bright smile. Another aspect that I really loved about the illustration was the letter A. Most of the manga are black and white, but in this one the A was always painted red. This not only underlined the letter that gave its name to the novel, but also stood as a constant reminder of the significance it had on the lives of the protagonists.

The Scarlet Letter confirmed what I thought about Manga Classics and now I seriously need to find and read any other adaptations there are in the series. If you are an old fan of the classic novel or a new reader, I believe you will enjoy greatly this version. It's a different take on the story, but without losing its essence.

So, my advice is...

Read the classics!

Review: Manga Classics: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Po Tse, Stacy King

Title: Manga Classics: Pride and Prejudice

Author: Jane Austen

Illustrator: Po Tse

Adaptation: Stacy King

Publisher: UDON Entertainment

Date of Publication: September 17th, 2014

Number of Pages: 377

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Summary

Beloved by millions all over the world, Pride and Prejudice is delightfully transformed in this bold, new manga adaptation. All of the joy, heartache, and romance of Jane Austen's original work, perfectly illuminated by the sumptuous art of that manga-ka Po Tse, and faithfully adapted by Stacy E. King.

Review

I was so excited to review Manga Classics: Pride and Prejudice! I'm basically a Janeite, Pride and Prejudice is one of my favourite books and I've read over the years many of its adaptations and retellings. So when I first learnt that a manga adaptation had been published I couldn't be happier. Some years earlier Marvel had released a graphic novel version of the story, but I was curious to see how this would work in the Japanese style. The result left me totally content.

Do you guys need me to say anything about the story and the characters? This classic love story, which turns out to be a study of the human behaviour as well, is so well known and so much loved, that I couldn't really say anything more. Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy have many obstacles to overcome before they can finally be together. But those obstacles come from themselves, like the pride of Mr. Darcy and the prejudice of Elizabeth.

But what's really important here is the adaptation, from which I was impressed. The story remained the same, everything was included, which was a fact that made me really happy. Even though I knew the story, the dialogue was witty and funny and I giggled and laughed almost all of the time. The illustration was also great and it suited all of the characters. It was amazing to see Mrs. Bennet's expression with sparkling background and hearts when she talks about a possible marriage for her daughters, or Mr. Darcy's awkward expression when he sees Whickham for the first time, or his blushing every time he talks to Elizabeth. 

Sometimes though I got the feeling that Mr. Darcy's and Elizabeth's way of talking was more intimate than it would be expected, especially at the beginning when Elizabeth stays at Netherfield Park. There were also some anachronisms, when for example Mr. Bingley entered Jane's bedroom when she was ill, but I can forgive those because it made the story easier to understand for those who are not familiar with the ways of that society. What I really missed though is the complete lack of titles, like Mr, Mrs and Miss. During the whole novel, everyone called the others either by their given name or their surname and this is something that sounded wrong to me. These are all minor things that really don't take much out of the enjoyment this manga has to offer. 

Manga Classics is a very interesting series and I'd like to read the rest of them too. If the adaptation is that good as it is in Pride and Prejudice then I believe that I'll enjoy them a lot. If you are a fan of Jane Austen or want to read a different take on this classic novel, this manga is for you. Don't hesitate to pick it up, you won't be disappointed!   

So my advice is...

Fall in love with Mr. Darcy...again!