Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Adapted by Stacy King
Illustrators: Morpheus Studios, Shane Law, Po Tse
Publisher/Year: Udon Entertainment and Myrick Marketing and Media, LLC | August 19, 2014
Pages: 376
Series: Manga Classics
Genre: Manga
Format: E-book
Source: ARC through Netgalley from UDON Entertainment and Morpheus Publishing (Thanks!)
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. That did not sway my opinion in the least.
Summary (From Goodreads)
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.
Shannan’s Summary
If you’ve never heard of Pride and Prejudice, It’s about Elizabeth Bennet and her family. Elizabeth lives in a world where the singular job of a women is to marry well, and her mother intends on all her girls to do just that. Elizabeth, however, wants love to be the deciding factor. Cue two Handsome and Rich men moving into the area and a lot of drama ensues. Elizabeth’s older sister Jane falls for one of them, and Elizabeth falls into disdain for the second. The book continues with all the chaos and drama of the time leaving Elizabeth to decide the truth of the situation and what her ultimate decisions will be.
First Off…
I’ve only ever read one other graphic novel, but I loved it so thought I’d give this one a try.
Thoughts:
This book made me fall in love with Pride and Predjudice all over again. I thought Stacy King did a great job taking the heart of the story and translating it into this style. There were some great moments of foreshadowing such as Lydia and her officer problem. There was also a lot of subtext that I think get’s lost on us sometimes from not being from that time period, with all the formalities and rules. King, though, added in some of those moments which gives this version a level of satisfaction you don’t always get in the other forms out there (book, movies, mini-series)
The illustrations were well done as well. I’m assuming the style of Manga is for the drama to be over the top and it suits P&P well. The extremes, again, help you connect with the story in a way that is sometimes hard through other mediums.
The characters were all fabulous. This has to be my least favorite Mrs. Bennet. She was just too much, which is how it’s supposed to be. And Mr. Collins was spastic as ever. I like the way Darcy came across in this version. You get the fact that he is being misunderstood by Elizabeth earlier than the original and just gives the story more flair.
Overall, I thought this story is another way to enjoy a classic story. PS. Don’t think you can read this for a class and get away with it, you’re teacher will figure it out quickly.
10 Second Summary:
Great Adaptation: It puts the story in modern language which makes it a little easier to understand, and the graphics with the sarcastic foreshadowing gives a new spin on a great classic.
The Graphics are great: The over the top dramatizations in this style just push the understanding of the characters to a new level.
It might help if you’re struggling with the original: I love Jane Austen, but her books aren’t quick reads because sometimes the language is difficult. If you’re struggling to completely understand, the modern language in this book, may help you read the original.
Love it. Eventually this will make it onto my shelf as my first Manga.