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mehsi's review
3.0
I normally don't read classics (too boring), but I love manga, so I just had to try this one out. Thanks Netgalley for giving me this book in exchange for a review. :)
Let's just say one thing, it was still boring (story wise). I know I will never read the original.
I love the fact they made a manga out of this one, I can say it improves it by a lot. Instead of boring descriptions about characters or parts of the story, you can now see them, see them grow up, see how they look and see the story unfold.
Cosette was a wonderful character. Poor girl, having to go through so much in her youth, I think she deserved the happiness she gets in the end. It was really fun to see her grow up. From little happy girl, to unhappy and back to a very happy teenager. I really loved how she was drawn. So cute!
Jean Valjean was an interesting character, but I felt sorry for him. Being so hunted, always having to watch out. It was also a part that annoyed me. Come on people, don't you guys have something better to do then to hunt some "criminal"? I mean seriously, I am sure there are bigger criminals or bigger crimes to solve or fix. It came over also as unbelievable.
Marius was a really fun character, though his love made him blind, and he was very rude to that other girl. I wish he could at least have seen it and just said something or done something.
All in all, a really interesting adaptation of a novel. Yeah for manga! And I will be sure to check the other Manga Classics.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
Let's just say one thing, it was still boring (story wise). I know I will never read the original.
I love the fact they made a manga out of this one, I can say it improves it by a lot. Instead of boring descriptions about characters or parts of the story, you can now see them, see them grow up, see how they look and see the story unfold.
Cosette was a wonderful character. Poor girl, having to go through so much in her youth, I think she deserved the happiness she gets in the end. It was really fun to see her grow up. From little happy girl, to unhappy and back to a very happy teenager. I really loved how she was drawn. So cute!
Jean Valjean was an interesting character, but I felt sorry for him. Being so hunted, always having to watch out. It was also a part that annoyed me. Come on people, don't you guys have something better to do then to hunt some "criminal"? I mean seriously, I am sure there are bigger criminals or bigger crimes to solve or fix. It came over also as unbelievable.
Marius was a really fun character, though his love made him blind, and he was very rude to that other girl. I wish he could at least have seen it and just said something or done something.
All in all, a really interesting adaptation of a novel. Yeah for manga! And I will be sure to check the other Manga Classics.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
geekwayne's review
4.0
'Manga Classics: Les Miserables' does such a great job adapting the book that it might replace Cliff Notes for lazy students. It's a better adaptation than many of the books, movies and musicals.
It's a classic story that starts with a man stealing a loaf of bread to feed his family. He is sentenced to a cruel prison term, then learns about mercy. The story balances between justice and mercy with the main character, Jean Valjean, and the policeman, Javert, who pursues him throughout his life. There are so many memorable characters, and the thing this manga version gets more right than most versions is how interconnected all the characters are. This is important because it shows that saving a man's life might benefit you when you need help.
It's all here: the silver candlesticks, Fantine, the barricades, the overturned cart, the flight through the sewers, Gavroche and Eponine, and it's done very well. The story starts with Fantine, then travels back to Jean Valjean's story. It felt a little strange to me to have chapters and focus on Fantine, but the story is still the same. There is a good epilogue written by Stacy King on the struggles of adapting a classic like this. Art by Tszmei Lee is very much in a manga style but doesn't detract from the story. A unique and interesting way to tell a classic story.
I was given a review copy of this graphic novel by Diamond Book Distributors and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
It's a classic story that starts with a man stealing a loaf of bread to feed his family. He is sentenced to a cruel prison term, then learns about mercy. The story balances between justice and mercy with the main character, Jean Valjean, and the policeman, Javert, who pursues him throughout his life. There are so many memorable characters, and the thing this manga version gets more right than most versions is how interconnected all the characters are. This is important because it shows that saving a man's life might benefit you when you need help.
It's all here: the silver candlesticks, Fantine, the barricades, the overturned cart, the flight through the sewers, Gavroche and Eponine, and it's done very well. The story starts with Fantine, then travels back to Jean Valjean's story. It felt a little strange to me to have chapters and focus on Fantine, but the story is still the same. There is a good epilogue written by Stacy King on the struggles of adapting a classic like this. Art by Tszmei Lee is very much in a manga style but doesn't detract from the story. A unique and interesting way to tell a classic story.
I was given a review copy of this graphic novel by Diamond Book Distributors and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
barefootmegz's review
3.0
I should start by saying that I have not read Victor Hugo’s original Les Misérables. Not for lack of wanting, but because I generally struggle with the classics, and I generally struggle with romances, and this one is both. I do generally enjoy stories of revolution and France, though, so there’s that.
The little that I know of Les Misérables comes from singing the score in high school choir – count for something, right?
After my first foray into Manga last year, I was quite eager to try something again, so I grabbed the opportunity to read Les Mis in Manga format. (Pride & Prejudice is also available in this series, but I wasn’t crazy about the original and I don’t like re-reads.)
I quite like the artwork. I am not super artsy myself, so I won’t comment on it too much, but I thought Cosette and Jean Valjean were so well-drawn! I also didn’t feel like the Manga-style interfered with the tone of the plot, which was great.
The storyline itself is quite gripping, and I sped through the book quickly – it was hard to put down!
My only qualm, which is quite expected and even mentioned by Crystal Silvermoon, who adapted the story: the space in Manga is limited, and a lot of the original story was lost in the adaptation. So it’s really not quite the same as reading the original, but more something to whet the appetite.
In the same vein, there wasn’t quite the same depth to this adaptation than what I have been told to expect of the original.
I’m still glad I read this, though. It was not only enjoyable, but this format also promises to make the classics more accessible. I can image that many who read this first will then read the original, and many who loved the original will purchase this to add to their collection.
I received an eGalley of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This has not affected my opinion in any way.
The little that I know of Les Misérables comes from singing the score in high school choir – count for something, right?
After my first foray into Manga last year, I was quite eager to try something again, so I grabbed the opportunity to read Les Mis in Manga format. (Pride & Prejudice is also available in this series, but I wasn’t crazy about the original and I don’t like re-reads.)
I quite like the artwork. I am not super artsy myself, so I won’t comment on it too much, but I thought Cosette and Jean Valjean were so well-drawn! I also didn’t feel like the Manga-style interfered with the tone of the plot, which was great.
The storyline itself is quite gripping, and I sped through the book quickly – it was hard to put down!
My only qualm, which is quite expected and even mentioned by Crystal Silvermoon, who adapted the story: the space in Manga is limited, and a lot of the original story was lost in the adaptation. So it’s really not quite the same as reading the original, but more something to whet the appetite.
In the same vein, there wasn’t quite the same depth to this adaptation than what I have been told to expect of the original.
I’m still glad I read this, though. It was not only enjoyable, but this format also promises to make the classics more accessible. I can image that many who read this first will then read the original, and many who loved the original will purchase this to add to their collection.
I received an eGalley of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This has not affected my opinion in any way.
knittyreader's review
4.0
Eerder las ik al een Manga Classic adaptie van Pride and Prejudice. Omdat mijn man nogal weg is van Les Misérables, en ik daar flink wat van meekrijg, wilde ik deze Manga ook erg graag lezen.
Het lezen van een klassieker in deze vorm went erg snel, al voelt het wel raar om in een uurtje door het verhaal heen te zijn. De tekeningen zijn prachtig, als ik eerlijk ben vind ik ze mooier dan in de P&P-manga. Het verhaal loopt iets anders dan in de musical, maar dat is niet storend - ik ben nu wel vaster van plan het originele boek ook te lezen, om te zien hoeveel er daarmee klopt. Hoe dan ook, ik vind dit weer een erg knappe vertolking van een complex verhaal in stripvorm.
I received a free copy through Netglley in return for an honest review.
Het lezen van een klassieker in deze vorm went erg snel, al voelt het wel raar om in een uurtje door het verhaal heen te zijn. De tekeningen zijn prachtig, als ik eerlijk ben vind ik ze mooier dan in de P&P-manga. Het verhaal loopt iets anders dan in de musical, maar dat is niet storend - ik ben nu wel vaster van plan het originele boek ook te lezen, om te zien hoeveel er daarmee klopt. Hoe dan ook, ik vind dit weer een erg knappe vertolking van een complex verhaal in stripvorm.
I received a free copy through Netglley in return for an honest review.
marvelruinedmyspirit's review against another edition
3.25
Très rapide à lire, et pourtant ce manga arrive à aborder toutes les intrigues du livre original (contrairement à beaucoup d'autres adaptations...)
blackcatreading's review
5.0
Amé está adaptación a manga del libro de Víctor Hugo. El arte es hermoso y ver a los personajes en su tragedia me llegó al corazón. Estas adaptaciones son ideales para las personas que les cuesta leer o no tienen mucho tiempo para dedicárselo a la lectura, ya que es una lectura rápida, fácil y que te conecta con un hermosa y trágica historia que es además un clásico literario. Totalmente recomendada para todo tipo dd público.
klainederful's review
4.0
A nice adaptation. Some scenes felt a bit rushed, but it's inevitable when you need to fit the story of a 1000 + pages book into a manga and keep all the key scenes.
Although this manga included many scenes from the novel I haven't seen in any adaptation, I thought the manga focused too much on Marius and Cosette's love story and not enough on the other storylines (especially the one involving Les Amis).
Also, the ending didn't pack the emotional punch I was hoping for, I found it quite anticlimactic compared to the endings of both the novel and the musical.
Despite all of this, it was nice experiencing a story I love so much in manga form, especially seeing all the different character designs. The art style was lovely.
I would definitely recommend this manga to everyone regardless of how much they know the story.
Although this manga included many scenes from the novel I haven't seen in any adaptation, I thought the manga focused too much on Marius and Cosette's love story and not enough on the other storylines (especially the one involving Les Amis).
Also, the ending didn't pack the emotional punch I was hoping for, I found it quite anticlimactic compared to the endings of both the novel and the musical.
Despite all of this, it was nice experiencing a story I love so much in manga form, especially seeing all the different character designs. The art style was lovely.
I would definitely recommend this manga to everyone regardless of how much they know the story.
krobart's review
3.0
See my review here:
https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2020/07/02/review-1525-manga-classics-les-miserables/
https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2020/07/02/review-1525-manga-classics-les-miserables/