Today's guest review of the very recently released (as in, just a few days ago!) manga retelling of P&P comes from Kai of A Fiction State of Mind! Kai is a long-time contributor to Austen in August / Jane in June, and an ardent Janeite, as well as manga & graphic novel lover, so she's pretty much the perfect person to share this book with us.Click through to see her thoughts on this one, and to share yours in the comments!
Review: Manga Classics: Pride & Prejudice by Stacy E. King and Po Tse
Happy August! Since discovering the Austen in August Events few years ago, I’ve loved planning what Austen themed reads I will immerse myself in for the month of August. When I heard of Udon Entertainment’s Pride & Prejudice Manga adaptation I knew I had found my must read book for the 2014 event. When the fine folks at Netgalley offered this book as a digital download, I added it to my reader immediately!
The main draw to me for this book was the art. It was so much fun seeing Darcy, Elizabeth, Jane and Bingley in full manga form. I loved seeing the delicate facial features, wide expressive eyes, blushes and comedic chibi figures move through the story I, and many other fans know by heart. Tse’s art is so stunning it leaps off the page, even in Black & White. So much detail is paid to the look and motion of the characters that they seem to glide across the page and through the landscapes.
Though a visual feast, the verbal portion of the story is solid as well. King follows the path of the novel with very few deviations. However the emotional impact of Austen’s language is lost to some extent. This is to be expected in the manga process, which is why this book is a nice complement to those who have read the original novel beforehand.
This book is in the traditional Manga format, meaning it is read Right to Left. The book is over 300 pages, yet a very quick and enjoyable read. I hope you guys give this wonderful book a try.
~ Kai
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Manga Classics: Pride & Prejudice by Stacy E. King and Po Tse
Paperback, 376 pages
Published August 12th 2014 by Udon Entertainment
Beloved by millions the world over, Pride & Prejudice is delightfully transformed in this bold, new manga adaptation. All of the joy, heartache, and romance of Jane Austen's original, perfectly illuminated by the sumptuous art of manga-ka Po Tse, and faithfully adapted by Stacy E. King.
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Oooh, I <3 manga AND Jane Austen. This might be too much to handle. (I shall endeavor, regardless.) Quick question, though - so much of the manga I read relies very much on expressive facial renderings. Given Austen's seems to hide a lot of emotion beneath the surface, how does this play out?
ReplyDeleteI am so putting this on the wish list. Nice review, Kai!
ReplyDeleteHow fun! I've never read a manga adaptation of a classic, but considering my love of Regency fashion and art, this seems like a great one for my wish list. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi Celia! This book doesn't capture the full expressions of the characters it does have a lot of manga story tropes though
ReplyDeleteThis looks sooo wonderful. Have to buy that ASAP
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