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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Finally an adaption of Jane Eyre in a visual form that not only captures the spirit of the original story but adds much to it. Jane Eyre is my favorite book of all time, I am always seeking adaptions of this book and this was by far my favorite. The anime-style was adorable and was able to capture every aspect of the setting, characters, and plot of the book. I felt like I was reading the book again for the first time. I love that this version doesn't try to change the original language to more modern terms. The dialogue and descriptions were kept the same, I was able to recognize all of my favorite quotes from the novel. I was thoroughly impressed by this adaption and I definitely want to seek out more from this series.
This is my first Manga Classics read. I chose it specifically because I've read the work on which it's based, although it's been a few years. Also, while I didn't love the original Jane Eyre, I didn't hate it either, which is more than I can say for some of the other works adapted for the Manga Classics series.
This seemed to be a pretty faithful adaptation. It began with Jane's childhood - first her aunt's mistreatment of her, and then her life at a school for poor and orphaned children - and then continued on to her time as a governess at the Rochester household and everything that happened after that point.
I'll be blunt: I don't actually like Rochester. I didn't when I originally read the novel (I'd already long since learned his big secret via cultural osmosis), and I didn't when I read this adaptation. He and Jane had some nice moments, and Chan and Lee did a great job, but it didn't erase my fundamental dislike of the character. He's a selfish man who tried to maneuver a much younger woman, his employee, into a position he knew would horrify her if she knew the full truth. And he didn't plan on telling her one bit of what was actually going on until well after it was too late.
I remembered really enjoying the portion of the original novel set during Jane's childhood. That part seemed a little weaker in this adaptation, although I'm not sure why. Still, it was nice seeing Jane all small, angry, and cute.
All in all, this adaptation was well done. The story was easy to follow, and the use of certain manga visual conventions (such as the sweat drop when Rochester tried to explain away some of the strange things Jane witnessed and experienced) was very nice. The artwork was attractive, and if there were times when Jane seemed awfully young-looking compared to Rochester, well, she was quite a bit younger than him.
I'd like to take a look at more entries in the Manga Classics series, but at the moment the series looks like a good potential starting point for building a more purposeful library graphic novel collection (as opposed to my library's current method of relying mostly on random gifts) that would probably be considered acceptable by staff members who are more leery of graphic novels as a format. The one concern I've heard was from a coworker who worried that students would use them as a way to avoid reading the original novels. We don't collect Cliff's Notes for this reason. However, I'd argue that, if this was such a big concern, we wouldn't collect movie versions of the books either, and we certainly have those. This manga adaptation isn't going to tell a student anything about Brontë's style or use of language, or every little change Chan made to the story to adapt it to a new format - they'll still have to consult the original for that.
I own the Manga Classics version of The Scarlet Letter, so I might try that one next.
Extras:
- 2-page comic-style afterword by SunNeko Lee
- 4 pages of notes from Crystal S. Chan, discussing the work she did to adapt Jane Eyre to manga format, including some slight changes she made to improve the flow of the story in this format, the limitations of the novel's original first person narration, the advantages that manga gave her over other formats like film and TV, and info about some of the decisions she and SunNeko Lee made for the artwork.
- 2 pages of background notes written by Stacy King - info about Charlotte Brontë, the novel, and life as a governess.
- 2 pages of character design sketches
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
This seemed to be a pretty faithful adaptation. It began with Jane's childhood - first her aunt's mistreatment of her, and then her life at a school for poor and orphaned children - and then continued on to her time as a governess at the Rochester household and everything that happened after that point.
I'll be blunt: I don't actually like Rochester. I didn't when I originally read the novel (I'd already long since learned his big secret via cultural osmosis), and I didn't when I read this adaptation. He and Jane had some nice moments, and Chan and Lee did a great job, but it didn't erase my fundamental dislike of the character. He's a selfish man who tried to maneuver a much younger woman, his employee, into a position he knew would horrify her if she knew the full truth. And he didn't plan on telling her one bit of what was actually going on until well after it was too late.
I remembered really enjoying the portion of the original novel set during Jane's childhood. That part seemed a little weaker in this adaptation, although I'm not sure why. Still, it was nice seeing Jane all small, angry, and cute.
All in all, this adaptation was well done. The story was easy to follow, and the use of certain manga visual conventions (such as the sweat drop when Rochester tried to explain away some of the strange things Jane witnessed and experienced) was very nice. The artwork was attractive, and if there were times when Jane seemed awfully young-looking compared to Rochester, well, she was quite a bit younger than him.
I'd like to take a look at more entries in the Manga Classics series, but at the moment the series looks like a good potential starting point for building a more purposeful library graphic novel collection (as opposed to my library's current method of relying mostly on random gifts) that would probably be considered acceptable by staff members who are more leery of graphic novels as a format. The one concern I've heard was from a coworker who worried that students would use them as a way to avoid reading the original novels. We don't collect Cliff's Notes for this reason. However, I'd argue that, if this was such a big concern, we wouldn't collect movie versions of the books either, and we certainly have those. This manga adaptation isn't going to tell a student anything about Brontë's style or use of language, or every little change Chan made to the story to adapt it to a new format - they'll still have to consult the original for that.
I own the Manga Classics version of The Scarlet Letter, so I might try that one next.
Extras:
- 2-page comic-style afterword by SunNeko Lee
- 4 pages of notes from Crystal S. Chan, discussing the work she did to adapt Jane Eyre to manga format, including some slight changes she made to improve the flow of the story in this format, the limitations of the novel's original first person narration, the advantages that manga gave her over other formats like film and TV, and info about some of the decisions she and SunNeko Lee made for the artwork.
- 2 pages of background notes written by Stacy King - info about Charlotte Brontë, the novel, and life as a governess.
- 2 pages of character design sketches
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
dark
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Great gateway for those who are new to the original story, or simply would like another adaptation of the Bronte classic.
I enjoyed this version very much! I must confess that I was rather new to the classic Jane Eyre, still haven't actually sit down and read the book, but was vaguely familiar with the plot. I think the form of manga adaptation and the art style must have brightened the story up a bit, it was lighter and funnier to consume, which was the point. This was an easy-to-read companion for me to get to know it better, and I appreciated it. Though a small nitpick of mine was some of the character designs, mostly the side characters, the costumes and hairstyles were so manga-fy like it was not period-accurate AT ALL lol. But at least miss Jane Eyre got that classic Victorian hairstyle and the V shape shoulder line that so many Victorian dresses at the time had.
I enjoyed this version very much! I must confess that I was rather new to the classic Jane Eyre, still haven't actually sit down and read the book, but was vaguely familiar with the plot. I think the form of manga adaptation and the art style must have brightened the story up a bit, it was lighter and funnier to consume, which was the point. This was an easy-to-read companion for me to get to know it better, and I appreciated it. Though a small nitpick of mine was some of the character designs, mostly the side characters, the costumes and hairstyles were so manga-fy like it was not period-accurate AT ALL lol. But at least miss Jane Eyre got that classic Victorian hairstyle and the V shape shoulder line that so many Victorian dresses at the time had.
Thank you, NetGalley and UDON, for a complimentary copy of this book!
This particular classic in manga format didn't draw me in quite as much as Les Miserables in manga format, but I still enjoyed this book. Jane frustrated me many many times, but I guess her behavior was normal during that time period. Once again, the illustrations were fantastic. The additional information provided regarding the adaption helped understand the thought process. I love reading the manga novels before deciding to tackle the actual classic since classics are a hit or miss for me. Most of the time, I don't like the original classics. The mangas help me get a first impression and understand the storyline, especially of those old 19th century classics.
This particular classic in manga format didn't draw me in quite as much as Les Miserables in manga format, but I still enjoyed this book. Jane frustrated me many many times, but I guess her behavior was normal during that time period. Once again, the illustrations were fantastic. The additional information provided regarding the adaption helped understand the thought process. I love reading the manga novels before deciding to tackle the actual classic since classics are a hit or miss for me. Most of the time, I don't like the original classics. The mangas help me get a first impression and understand the storyline, especially of those old 19th century classics.
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the review copy. My opinions are my own.
Well, I have to say, this manga was very nicely put together and the story was solid, adapted from the original "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë. It kept me on my toes to know what will happen next. The visuals are beautiful. The characters are well thought of.
This books keeps a reader hooked by having engaging storyline, characters, the backgrounds and the characters themselves. The artist who made this should be given so much credit on making so much expressions being shown in the manga. The artist has also put very effort to make this manga work and it absolutely works. Its shining through the roof in its simplicity and that's lovely to see, putting a hit novel into manga and it makes total sense as well.
The categories I'll put this manga are in: sadness, mystery, romance, you-reap-what-you-sow, character development.
Though some things were predictable, some were astonishing, "I still go like how did that even happen in the first place?".
For the protagonist, I like her, single minded and making the most of life by learning through her experiences and making the right decisions as she can.
The other side characters were nice too, just I find some loopholes in some characters but it was still ok but then I find loopholes in the story too but for a nice reading it is good and if you're a fan of "Jane Eyre", you should give this a shot, the pictorial representation is lovely.
Well, I have to say, this manga was very nicely put together and the story was solid, adapted from the original "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë. It kept me on my toes to know what will happen next. The visuals are beautiful. The characters are well thought of.
This books keeps a reader hooked by having engaging storyline, characters, the backgrounds and the characters themselves. The artist who made this should be given so much credit on making so much expressions being shown in the manga. The artist has also put very effort to make this manga work and it absolutely works. Its shining through the roof in its simplicity and that's lovely to see, putting a hit novel into manga and it makes total sense as well.
The categories I'll put this manga are in: sadness, mystery, romance, you-reap-what-you-sow, character development.
Though some things were predictable, some were astonishing, "I still go like how did that even happen in the first place?".
For the protagonist, I like her, single minded and making the most of life by learning through her experiences and making the right decisions as she can.
The other side characters were nice too, just I find some loopholes in some characters but it was still ok but then I find loopholes in the story too but for a nice reading it is good and if you're a fan of "Jane Eyre", you should give this a shot, the pictorial representation is lovely.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Jane Eyre is one of my favourite books of all time. It was the first classic I read, and it is one that has stayed with me for all these years. I’ve seen countless adaptations for this book for the screen, but I never read it in manga form until now.
This was a fantastic adaptation. It kept to the original story quite closely, and brought a new life to the tale. The art work is gorgeous, and fitting the gothic theme of Jane Eyre. I reviewed the Scarlet Letter of this series as well, so most of my thoughts are the same here. It’s perfect for anyone wanting to get into the classics, especially for those who struggle with reading, and I can’t wait to read the rest of these Manga Classics.
Only complaint I have is that Jane is meant to be plain, but she’s a pretty cute chibi in the manga. The scene where she’s comparing herself to Blanche and calls herself plain in comparison didn’t really work, because she prettier than she should be.
Jane Eyre is one of my favourite books of all time. It was the first classic I read, and it is one that has stayed with me for all these years. I’ve seen countless adaptations for this book for the screen, but I never read it in manga form until now.
This was a fantastic adaptation. It kept to the original story quite closely, and brought a new life to the tale. The art work is gorgeous, and fitting the gothic theme of Jane Eyre. I reviewed the Scarlet Letter of this series as well, so most of my thoughts are the same here. It’s perfect for anyone wanting to get into the classics, especially for those who struggle with reading, and I can’t wait to read the rest of these Manga Classics.
Only complaint I have is that Jane is meant to be plain, but she’s a pretty cute chibi in the manga. The scene where she’s comparing herself to Blanche and calls herself plain in comparison didn’t really work, because she prettier than she should be.
I have read the full Jane Eyre novel many years ago. I remembered I liked it a lot, but not much of the content. So I was happy to re-read it in a new and exciting format.
.
I've always liked the idea of manga, and read a few, but never invested too much time in them though. So, classic novel + manga adaptation, sounds to me like a great idea
.
I've always liked the idea of manga, and read a few, but never invested too much time in them though. So, classic novel + manga adaptation, sounds to me like a great idea
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
4/5
This review is based on pure enjoyment rather than a critique of Jane Eyre itself. My only relation to Jane Eyre is her movie adaptions; I have not read the popular novel but have enjoyed books and movies based around this story. Truthfully, sometimes it can be hard to find emotion and depth in manga; however, I didn't really find that in this adaption. I'm sure lots of dialogue were quoted from the original source and therefore, flows very well. I felt like I knew Jane Eyre pretty well; maybe not her acquaintances, but her: yes.
Side note: I don't get the appeal of Mr. Rochester is these books. I always understood the appeal of the handsome villains of Jane Austen (e.g. Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility) but never this man. And this is not a fault on Chan, but rather a fault on the story overall.
I truly liked Chan's style for the design of this novel. Generally in manga, the stylist can (for a split second) turn their characters into "chibi", which I have no love for. But Chan did not go that route in this adaption, which I appreciated.
Overall, I enjoyed Chan's adaption of Jane Eyre.
This review is based on pure enjoyment rather than a critique of Jane Eyre itself. My only relation to Jane Eyre is her movie adaptions; I have not read the popular novel but have enjoyed books and movies based around this story. Truthfully, sometimes it can be hard to find emotion and depth in manga; however, I didn't really find that in this adaption. I'm sure lots of dialogue were quoted from the original source and therefore, flows very well. I felt like I knew Jane Eyre pretty well; maybe not her acquaintances, but her: yes.
Side note: I don't get the appeal of Mr. Rochester is these books. I always understood the appeal of the handsome villains of Jane Austen (e.g. Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility) but never this man. And this is not a fault on Chan, but rather a fault on the story overall.
I truly liked Chan's style for the design of this novel. Generally in manga, the stylist can (for a split second) turn their characters into "chibi", which I have no love for. But Chan did not go that route in this adaption, which I appreciated.
Overall, I enjoyed Chan's adaption of Jane Eyre.