At some point in the past I chose to read the huge book that is The Count of Monte Christo by Alexander Dumas. Manga Classics has designed an adaption of the original book - and, at 400+ pages, this manga book is also large.

Manga is unique - it is intended to be read starting from what we westerners would call the “back” of the book. Reading then proceeds toward the “front”. At first, this may seem a bit discomforting, but it quickly becomes second nature and the story moves along. The artwork (except for the covers, all artwork in my review copy is black and white) makes the story understandable and enjoyable to one who has long ago forgotten the plot and themes developed in Dumas’ original. I tried to discover whether the paperback version of the book included color images, but could not locate a copy to answer this question.

The story is one of revenge - as Edmond Dantes and his family are driven to ruin by those who would seem to be friends. It would take decades for Edmond to be in a position where he could exact the revenge, and occasionally offer the forgiveness, which his betrayers required. As the editor of this version notes in his postlude, the story in its original is complex. He and his team of artists have worked hard to translate the story into this modern format for the 21st-century reader. The editor makes it clear that the story has been carefully “trimmed” to combine the main flow of the story. He includes a brief essay outlining the “Rules of Trimming” used by the team as they made their decisions on what to include and what to exclude from the original story. In the same essay, he explains how the artwork was developed - both for the characters and for the settings. This included travel to the sites used in the book so the art might better represent the actual scenes rather than merely an artist’s imagination. I particularly liked the two-page “Character Relationship Guide” that is used to assist the reader in piecing together the many individuals that play a part in Edmond Dantes’ story. I expect this guide would also help a reader as he or she makes their way through Dumas’ original work.

For those looking for a new and enjoyable way to enjoy classic stories, Manga may provide one means to do so. You do lose the author’s original insight and nuances - but … this reader enjoyed the new journey through the old material, perhaps others will as well.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Putting it out here now, Manga is not something I would normally foray into. But classics, however, is. I love reading classics. So when I saw that some of my favorite classics had been turned into Manga comic books, I couldn’t help myself. I had to read them. Which means more reviews of Manga classics will be coming your way.

To start it off, I decided to read The Count of Monte Cristo, as I have never read that one before. Needless to say, I was impressed. Not just by the story line, but also by beautiful artwork. I never thought that a classic tale could be translated so impressively into Japanese comic book art.

Of the storline itself, I was greatly impressed with the fact that Monte Cristo’s plans had plans, and those plans of plans had backup plans. He was very crafty and clever, and, to be honest, made Eabard Thawn from The Flash look like an amateur. If that’s not great writing, I don’t know what is. Alexandre Dumas, the original author of The Count of Monte Cristo, was a genius.

The sheer amount of people involved in his scheme was a tad confusing at points and I had to sit and think a moment to remember who was who, and how they pertained to the plot. So while it was confusing at times, in the end, it all made sense.

Monte Cristo’s character was very well-developed. As a man seeking vengeance for all the wrongs done to him, he could have easily come off as pathetic and weak, but he actually gave the impression of someone who was smart, cunning, ferocious and gentle, all at the same time. His ferocity, and his great scheming, however, take a sharp turn near the end of the book when a character he never intended to harm is killed because of his need for vengeance. His grief and repentance give his character depth, and make him seem even more human, and less like a fictional person.

In the end, this version of the classic has made me appreciate classic tales more than I already do and has left me with the need to read the original The Count of Monte Cristo myself.


NOTE: I was given an ARC copy from the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes only. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I didn't enjoy this story at all. The words were blurry making it difficult to read. The artwork was alright but definitely not some of the better work I've seen in Manga Classics.

This manga interpretation of the Count of Monte Cristo is beautiful. This manga is printed in the traditional Japanese way of backwards to American standards and this is explained with instructions, at the front and back of the book.

The retelling of the tragedy that befalls Edmond Dantes has been slightly softened for a middle grade audience as a teaching tool. It only skims the surface of the darkness of the original book and condenses the length for this audience. It is still a large book of about 400 pages which is easier to handle as a graphic novel.

If parents are concerned about seeing the mistreatment of Edmond in Chateau D'Lf, no worries, that's all skimmed over. It feels like what happened in Chateau D'Lf is too abbreviated and new readers might not fully understand why it was so bad there. This trimming is addressed in the adaptation notes and it is understandable, this is a huge, complicated novel and certain things had to be smoothed out.

Overall, this is a great adaptation that would allow my son and other younger readers like him get into one of my favorite classic novels!


Thank you to NetGallery for providing me a copy of this manga.

My Rating : 4🌟

Manga style graphic novels has recently really captured my interest and I was really excited to find the classic in this version! I absolutely love the artwork and especially the style of reading. It might be slightly confusing if it's your first time reading a manga, but it's absolutely amazing. I definitely recommend reading this classic in this style and I definitely enjoyed this a lot !! This is my first time reading this classic and I was really impressed. The story was teeny tiny confusing, but I got the hang of the characters after a while..

A fresh way to read a classic. The illustration is fantastic and brought this literary staple to life.
I loved seing the character studies.

However, there were a few missing pieces for me. While I understand the original is a thousand page tome, there were some scenes that I consider essential that were missing from this.

*~.Book Analysis.~*
Just remembering that those were my impressions and opinion as a reader :)

Rating: 5 stars
Reading period: Sept. 27th, 2019
Format: ebook
Source: NetGalley – I have received this copy in exchange for an honest review.
Release date: Apr. 11th, 2017

PROS
I AM SO IN LOVE WITH EVERYTHING! I know I may sound a little repetitive, but it is as if one adaptation gets better than the other every time! I haven't read the original Count of Monte Cristo yet and it is one of the few classics my mom always nags at me for not having read. I know what she means now and I'm definitely going to try to pick it up before the year ends. But again what made me more awed in this adaptation was the art: I simply loved how the characters were envisioned and the beauty of the scenery and clothing.

CONS
None, really. NOT.A.SINGLE.FLAW.

COVER ANALYSIS
Edmond actually reminds me of a vampire in this cover, but it is fitting in a weird way, so it is badass and I love it.

RECOMMENDED FOR
Manga, Comics and Classic lovers!

Manga Classics has done it again. I love The Count of Monte Cristo and this adaptation is just wonderful. It is very true to the classic and the artwork is just how I pictured Dantè to be. Now, I want to re-read the classic written by Alexandre Dumas. Manga classics, as I said before, is a great way to get to some of the classics that are on your tbr pile that can be overwhelming/time consuming. This one for me was a wonderful retelling of the classic. A definite re-read from me in the future, after of course re-reading the classic.
The Count of Monte Cristo is an adventure novel set historically in the Napoleonic era where conspiracy and a lapse of justice changes the course of one man. Alexandre Dumas' skillful narrative combines intrigue, betrayal, and triumphant revenge into a powerful conflict between good and evil. I highly recommend both, the original work and this adaptation.

The Count of Monte Cristo is one of my favorite books so I was a little worried about whether this would live up to my expectations. It did! The artwork is very good, and I believe this could introduce this treasured classic to a new audience. The book is very accessible in this format, and I think many will read it because it is a "comic" but they will find they want to read the original because of it. Wonderful!

Thank you @netgalley for the arc of this beautifully illustrated Manga Edition of the Classic. I loved every minute of reading this book. It was a 4.5 star read for me. I really need to check out the Original book and see how the Manga compares to it. It was simply a captivating and delightful experience. The book was done very well. I have read an abridged version of the story back when I was in school. So I remember tidbits, not the entirety of it. A lot of details I believe had to be trimmed to bring this book to life. I still feel the essence of the story and the characters' journeys were very well depicted. The illustrations were amazing. Definitely check this Manga Classic version. I guarantee the book is great.

I really enjoyed this, and I felt the manga did a well enough job condensing such a complex story into 400 pages. The art was also very well done. It was a very enjoyable, and I would read more classic mangas.

I really love these manga classics. It's a quick and fun way to refresh on books that are amazing, but sometimes very long and time consuming to re-read. This particular book does skip quite a bit, but I suppose it's to be expected given how long and complex the original story is. Overall, I think it was done quite well and was still very enjoyable to read. I don't think it's an ideal option for a first time reading, but it makes for a nice follow up or refresher.

I read the count of Monte Cristo when I was a child, and remember absolutely loving the story, the revenge, the drama - who doesn't like a good story about getting back at those who have wronged you in the past ?
This Manga describes the terrible revenge of Edmond Dantès in the exact way I visualized it when I was a child - and Edmond himself too, tall, dark, magnificent and terrifying at the same time. The artwork is brilliant, full of details that truly make the characters come alive between those pages. The story, while reduced to only 400 manga pages, is kept intact and respects the original work. I would definitely recommend getting this for a child who gets a little impressed by the 1600 pages of the original novel.

The Count of Monte Cristo is one of my favorite stories and I think this manga does a great job of telling the story in a way that is true to the original.

I loved being able to read The Count of Monte Cristo in manga format. They both lend themselves to each other so well. The story is perfect for manga with the betrayals and revenge what else could you expect. The manga style of art works well with these characters. This art form is about big expression and these characters are the types that would give you that.

If you have not read the story of the Count of Monte Cristo you should definitely read this manga to introduce yourself.

So I kind of knew going into this one that I would love it. I love manga, and have a keen curiousity about classics but, guilty as charged, rarely ever read them due to the often imposing lengths (The Count of Monte Cristo, for example, is 1,200 pages.) and weightier writing that is common of classic literature. It can feel like work sometimes, yet there is always this lingering curiosity about the storylines and characterization- I mean there’s a reason these stories have endured throughout dozens of years or even centuries, right?

First thing I want to mention art-wise is that the nature of The Count of Monte Cristo’s plot happens to be perfect for the lovely art style employed here. The high drama, the twists and turns, the romance, the shades-of-grey characters and situations. All of it meshes well with beautifully illustrated characters and briskly-paced panels. The Count himself, while not looking perfectly like the book description, has attractive, slightly ethereal looks that are perfect for a manga protagonist and match well to the fascination the character is intended to inspire. Backgrounds, costumes, architecture- all of it is quite meticulous and pretty to look at.

Now onto the storyline. It’s very noticeable how much of a challenge it must have been to take 1,200 pages of historical text and convert it into 400 fully illustrated pages, approximately the size of 2.5 typical volumes of manga.

The dialogue comes off very naturally and the narrating panels that detail more of the on-going storyline are concisely written.

The beginning feels a bit rushed. Several characters are introduced. Pleasant, but overwhelming. It’s at the midway mark that I can say I was officially glued to the action, and the last hundred or so pages are a whirlwind of character development and plot lines reaching their fully realized and dramatic conclusions.

There are several quotable lines (most of them courtesy of the main character) and I’d call the content safe for all ages due to any violence being non-graphic in nature and the life lessons at the core of the story being good ones. There are also some afterward pages detailing the process of adaptation and the reasoning behind certain panels, handling of characterization, etc. It’s easy to see how much effort went into this. Highly recommendable.

This is one of my favorite stories of all time. (I mean, I grew up watching the 6h movie so many times I can’t even remember.) And of course I read the original The Count of Monte Cristo.

In a nutshell: The manga is not long enough. :D

It is doing a good (but not great) job introducing readers that are turned off by 1200 p tome to a story that is absolutely worth reading. The drawings are good, too. I like the way Dantès looks but I have to say, it was funny to see Mercédès in Manga-style. However, due to streamlining 1200 pages of awesomeness into 401 pages of mostly pictures and a little bit of text, too many characters were introduced too quickly for my taste, the reveals were lacking suspense (e.g. Dantès figuring out who betrayed him in under 1 minute reading time), and back stories were cut short and thus lacked depth. I am actually surprised this book got so many 4 and 5 star reviews. But maybe it’s just me because I live for a good, suspenseful build up with details that make me gasp and I love a surprising climactic reveal. I guess some people are happy when a back story is explained in one or two bubbles, not realizing it takes the ‘wow’ out of it. And if you haven’t read the original, you don’t really know what you’re missing out on. (That’s probably the reason for the very positive reviews). I was much, much more invested in Edmond’s quest for reward and retribution in the original and a Manga series would have done the plot more justice.

So, if you are not going to pick up the original, read the Manga! The story is AMAZING! And if you enjoyed this Manga Classic, you should definitely read the original as well. It will blow you away!

Thank you NetGalley and Udon Entertainment for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas in manga format published by UDON Entertainment is such a fun and amazing read. I absolutely love the concept of classics to be adapted in manga format. This makes the whole reading experience so much fun.

It is such an enticing read especially because of the illustrations in manga. The illustrations were just so 👌😍.

I am also a huge fan of art present in comic books, graphic novels and manga. The art is just amazing here.

I definitely recommend this to anyone. I recommend especially this to:

> Students
> Teachers
> Teachers who want to get students interested in classics
> Those who just love classics (like me) a
> Manga lovers
> Those who want to give classics a try but are not sure where to start
> Those who want to introduce their children to classic stories but children are mostly interested in reading picture books and short stories (this can be a win-win. You would get your children to read, introduce them to classic books and they would get to read in a way they like).

Blogger at Momotips

Thanks to Netgalley and Udon Entertainment for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. It has not influenced my opinions.

Thanks to the Manga Classics collections, readers can read international literature’s classics in a new guise. It is perfect not only for those who loves classics novels but also for those who would like to read classics but are afraid by big books and sometimes dense stories. On the contrary, a manga format is the perfect way to approach classic books in a different look, more simple, easy, funny and fast to read.
What I loved most of The Count of Monte Cristo is how has been reinterpreted and illustrated. I was concerned of missing parts, on the contrary I feel the story has been told in a proper way attentive to details. The manga is divided in 15 chapters with some bonus materials at the end. All of it is in a classical manga edition so black and white.
I do not have negative remarks, on the contrary I will search for other manga classics, and I will definitely recommend to everyone loving classic novels.

I read the original version of this YEARS ago, and remembered pretty much nothing of it, other than that I really liked it, so when I got the chance to read an ARC of this manga adaption of it, I jumped at the chance - especially as I have had the opportunity to read several of Stacy's adaptions by now, and have generally been impressed by how true they are to the original.

As always, when adapting such a dense story to a graphic novel, allowances had to be made, and a lot was cut out, but nothing - I felt - which distracted from the main plot, and unlike some of the other adaptions, I didn't feel like the story was too disjointed to follow easily. I liked the drawings, and found it easier than usual to tell the different characters apart.