Member Reviews

I have previously watched the movie and anime of the Count of Monte Cristo and enjoyed them both. I did want to read the book myself but I always put it off as it was quite daunting reading such an old novel. I am glad I got the chance to actually read the book especially in manga format!
I am a bit fan of manga and its great combining it with a classic novel.
The art was beautiful and I did like that you have a couple of pages at the end of the book so that if you are getting a bit lost with the character names you can look up how they are related to the other characters.

I have seen there are other books as part of the classical manga collection and in general this is a great idea. Hopefully schools will pick some of these up as I remember reading parts of Romeo and Juliet and feeling lost with the old language. I really feel that adding the Manga aspect to the story would help more children become interested in the classic literature.

Thank you for allowing me to read and review this lovely book!

Was this review helpful?

Love this book. It threw me back in time. The enter action with the characters felt complete.with each step I took when reading it. For me the storyline was full of details from the original book. Loved the graphics as it showed the storyline unfold before our eyes.

Was this review helpful?

I was auto-approved by the publisher Udon Entertainment through NetGalley to review this title.

I haven’t had the pleasure of reading the original yet, but this adaptation really got me in the mood.

It was a nicely condensed version with great graphics and not too much dialogue.

Was this review helpful?

Life could not be better for Edmond Dantes. He is bethrothed to the love of his life, and he has the promise of a great career with the prospects of a great fortune. Then, all goes wrong. Three men conspire against Dantes and he is imprisoned under false accusations. While in prison, Dantes meets a wise man who tells him of a treasure of untold riches. Fourteen years later, Dantes escapes from prison, finds the treasure, and vows to take revenge on the men who have imprisoned him.
The Count of Monte Christo is a very complex novel with an array of characters connected by Dantes' quest for revenge. Manga Classics' adaptation concisely portrays Dumas' famous novel in a visual format. Although I have never read the original novel, I found Manga Classics' version to be very easy to follow and engaging. I read the entire manga in one sitting, and now I really want to read the original novel.
I received Manga Classics: The Count of Monte Christo via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Ok I know that the original novel has some very problematic content and while it was of its time that doesn’t excuse any harm it does nowadays. That said there is something enduring about Huckleberry Finn – it’s the original con artist adventure story and there is still much to get out of it. This Manga adaptation is charming and engaging, taking the good and ameliorating the bad. I think this is now my preferred version.

Was this review helpful?

This adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’s novel ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ was excellent! The primary focus was the story of the Count, how he came to be and his revenge plans. I thought it was very well done.

Was this review helpful?

I love these Manga retellings of famous classics.

This one is no exception! I loved the artwork, and the story is well told and easy to follow.

Was this review helpful?

When looking back at my experience with “The Count of Monte Cristo” by Magna Classics, I am proud to report that my experience was a joyous one. I took my time with this magna as it was my first and slowly but surely was able to find a pace that worked for me. I have heard of “The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexander Dumas for some time and have known it to be a classic. A classic filled with the journey of a man whose retribution is found through revenge and explores themes of power, choice, and love. When researching the original text, I found that it is over a thousand pages. Whereas the magna classics edition was shy over four hundred pages. A lot of work had to be done to make that happen so I would like to applaud Crystal S.Chan for her diligence in staying true to the message Dumas expressed . Along with its source material, vivid characters, and sharp dialogue the images created were also most appealing to me. Nokman Poon’s illustrations held the story together as its illustrations revealed the characters response and emotions experienced. I hope one day to read the original and it is with this magna I now have the determination to do so.

Was this review helpful?

The best revenge story ever written is now a manga and I couldn't be happier. Follow the beautiful artwork as the tale of betrayal, love, buried treasure, and ultimately cold cold revenge is brought to life in a new way. I enjoyed this version on the story and felt it was a faithful adaptation of the original novel. The artwork added visuals that one may have missed in the novel, like small details and historic architecture of the setting.

Was this review helpful?

I recieved this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Count takes it upon himself to deliever justice to those who have wronged him. But is it justice or revenge? It is a question of morals in this story of intrigue.

The artwork is simplistic and easy to like for those maybe not as interested in manga. Though the narrative is difficult at times to follow, choppy and rushed in places. There is an overload of characters and where in a book an author can make that work, it's hard in a visual medium like manga. Overall it's a fun intro in a classic.

Was this review helpful?

I absolutely love the tale of Monte Cristo! Seeing it in this manga format brought back my initial glee in reading the novel so many years ago. It truly captures the essence of the tale and brings a fresh new perspective of the story in comic book form. The art and character designs in general are impeccable. I gladly would purchase this book for others and encourage them to read the actual novel as well!

Was this review helpful?

This manga does a great job at condensing the obviously complex story of Edward Dantès and his plan for revenge after being unjustly jailed. There is a bit of learning curve with using manga format but the artwork is superb. The explanations at the end help with understanding the decisions made and to explain certain scenes. It has encouraged me The Count of Monte Cristo on my reading list. It will definitely be great for those who want to revisit the story without reading the 1300 plus pages version.

Highly recommend.

Was this review helpful?

The Count of Monte Cristo is one of my favourite books of all time so when I found this manga adaptation, I just had to read it. With the original book containing over 1200 pages, I was curious to see how well this 400-page adaptation would compare.

I'm happy to say that it doesn't disappoint! Not only is the art stunning but it also stays true to the original. There's a page or two at the beginning of each chapter solely dedicated to a narrative of certain events. I thought this was such a great idea when it came to trimming parts of the book without losing important details.

This adaptation is perfect for readers new to The Count of Monte Cristo. If you don't feel like reading the original but have time for this adaptation, I highly recommend it! (It may just entice you enough to read the book if you find the manga too 'short' ;D) Readers who have read the original book will love this too. It's the perfect way to 'reread' when you don't have time for 1200 pages and I have a feeling I'll be doing just that whenever I miss this story.

Was this review helpful?

Once again, a brilliant adaptation of the original into a Manga Classic! It keeps the dramatic atmosphere and the gripping suspense of the most complex classic revenge story.

This is the story of a young man that had a bright life ahead of him. He was to become captain of his own ship, marry the love of his life and save his father from poverty. Until, on his wedding day, he's arrested for a crime he didn’t commit and is sent to an isolated prison with no contact with the outside world. After digging into the cell next door, he becomes friends with an old man that helps him discover the truth about his arrest and carefully plans his revenge. Giving invaluable information about a hidden treasure, the old man teaches Edmond everything he knows. As the years' pass, Edmond Dantes is a changed man with a single goal in life: make the people that betrayed him suffer as he did and take everything from them.
A masterpiece that still gives me pleasure in reading. It’s a complex story full of betrayals, murder, blackmails and hidden businesses.

The story is engaging and the complexity of the plot is addictive. Much like the original, the manga was able to keep the same emotion and suspense that defines this French classic in 400 pages. In end, it motivated me to read the translated version of the original again.

The story has been shortened quite a bit but Crystal was able to keep all the important details that keep the story attached and that leave no loose strings. The plot follows the story of the Count and his path to execute his revenge. This is the perfect book for the readers that don’t want to go through the 1000-page original.

The style of writing is faithful to the translated copy but the language is simplified in certain scenes. I imagine that it’s for the reader to be able to fully understand the story.

There is a big number of characters in the manga and for me, it was easy to recognise who is who. The designs are unique to each character, going from facial expressions to the dressing details. I’ve read the novel before and the drawing of these characters go in line with the way I imagined them.

The visuals are captivating and beautifully created. There is a special attention to detail; from the dresses and the suits to the prison itself and Edmond’s home. I could hear the noises in the street and walk around in this world. It definitely pulls the reader in and doesn’t let go until they fall in love with the story and this reality.

I highly recommend this adaptation to both readers that already know the original story and those that didn’t read it yet.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Udon Entertainment, and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book.

Was this review helpful?

3.5

This story is too long and has too many characters to make it into one manga, but the author did quite a good job of it. I haven't read the original, and I was confused a lot of the time, but it was still enjoyable. I wish there was a character list (instead of a family tree-esque page) so it would have been easier to keep track of the characters and who they were.

My favorite character had to be the Count - he is so extra, I love it. The plot was intriguing, especially since I had no idea what was going to happen, and I did not expect it to end the way it did.

All in all, I think this is an excellent way to enjoy classics without reading the super boring originals LOL

Was this review helpful?

It took me quite a long time to finish this Manga, it wasn't really the stories fault, more my own. First I had a bit of a reading slump, then I forgot to pick it up again. But I finished it today. And I truly enjoyed the story.

I LOVE a good revenge story, not going to lie. Granted, sometimes the revenger can go a little bit too far, people react differently and really bad things happen that he or she didn't want to happen. As was the case in this story.

I never read the original, I think it has tons of pages, so I probably never will read it, so I can't say if it was true to the original and if all the important things are mentioned. But I can tell you, that I felt like I really got to know the story very well and that for me, everything that was important was mentioned.

Once again, the artwork was just so damn stunning.

Was this review helpful?

This adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’s novel ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ was excellent. The visualization of the characters and plot made it so easy to follow and enjoy 1200+ pages in the condensed Manga version with the right trimmings. Therefore, the primary focus here was the story of the Count, how he came to be and his revenge plans.

Young Edmond Dantes had a lot going for himself in 1815. He was to become the new captain of a ship, marry his fiancé and save his father from poverty with his new earnings. Excitedly he looks to his bright future, but on his wedding day he is detained for crimes unexplained and incarcerated in a dark cell at Château d’If without any human contact. As the days, months and years pass, he endures through all stages of emotions and finally starts digging towards the neighboring cell. When he unites with the older man from the other side, they become very good friends and spend a lot of time together. He is the one who teaches him how to be patient and plan his revenge. He also gives him details for a huge treasure to take so he can move forth with his plan.

“All human wisdom is contained in these two words - Wait and Hope”
― Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo

After his escape and obtaining his new riches, he becomes ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ and learns of the fate of his father, his fiancé and the conspirators and traitors behind his arrest that ultimately destroyed his path in life. But he has suffered much, endured and prevailed, and he is looking right into the eyes of his betrayers, and they do not know who he really is. His plans work out beautifully, as he avenges them all behind their backs and plays them.

***
There is a fine line between what parts to leave out of the novel, which sub-plots to keep and what elements to foreshadow so they make sense. I thought that this was very well planned out and executed. I did not feel like I was missing anything and the art was captivating.
This adaptation is definitely very appealing especially if one has been shy of reading the original tome. It would serve as a great introduction and create and interest in the more hesitant.
I thought it was very well done.

Was this review helpful?

I have loved the Count of Monte Cristo since I watched the movie about 12 years I believe. So I was excited about this book but I can't review it because the file keeps messing up every time I try to download it. However, I will be picking this title up soon so I can finally read it.

Was this review helpful?

*** I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.***

I have read this before of course, but reading it in this manner was very exciting. I love seeing the expressions in the pictures. Very exciting and entertaining way to read this classic story. It's almost like reading it for the first time.

Was this review helpful?