**Review of *Manga Classics: Romeo and Juliet* by William Shakespeare (Adapted by Various Artists)**

*Manga Classics: Romeo and Juliet* is a stunning and modern adaptation of William Shakespeare's timeless tragedy, bringing the story of love, feuding families, and untimely death into the world of manga. For readers who are familiar with the classic tale, or those encountering it for the first time, this version provides a fresh and visually dynamic perspective that adds an extra layer of depth to the original narrative.

The manga format brings Shakespeare’s 16th-century play to life in a way that feels both familiar and new. The artwork, drawn in beautiful, expressive manga style, captures the emotion and drama of the story with striking detail. Each scene is infused with energy and passion, from the intense confrontations between the Montagues and Capulets, to the intimate, heart-wrenching moments shared between Romeo and Juliet. The character designs are vibrant, with Romeo and Juliet’s youthful exuberance contrasting with the more mature and often stern expressions of the adult characters, giving the artwork a visual depth that perfectly complements the emotional arcs of the characters.

The story itself remains unchanged from the original play. The narrative of the two star-crossed lovers, whose families are embroiled in a bitter feud, unfolds as they defy their parents to marry in secret. However, their love ends in tragedy as a series of miscommunications and unfortunate events lead to their untimely deaths. The adaptation stays true to the original script, preserving Shakespeare's beautiful language while making it more accessible to a new generation of readers.

One of the strongest elements of this adaptation is how it makes Shakespeare's language feel alive, using the manga format to add visual cues and reactions that enhance the emotional beats of the play. It is a perfect bridge for young readers, especially those who might find the original text daunting. The characters’ facial expressions and body language are crucial in conveying the intensity of emotions such as love, anger, despair, and loss, making it easy to connect with the tragic beauty of the story.

The pacing of the narrative works well in the graphic novel format, allowing the drama to unfold at a swift pace while maintaining the tragic weight of the original play. Readers can feel the inevitability of the tragedy building with each panel, and the artwork helps emphasize key moments, such as the famous balcony scene, the duel between Mercutio and Tybalt, and the final, devastating conclusion.

For fans of Shakespeare, *Manga Classics: Romeo and Juliet* offers a delightful new way to experience the play, and for manga enthusiasts, it opens the door to classic Western literature in an accessible and engaging way. The book does a fantastic job of bringing Shakespeare’s themes of love, fate, and familial loyalty into a visual format, while staying true to the essence of the original text.

Overall, *Manga Classics: Romeo and Juliet* is a brilliantly executed adaptation that breathes new life into one of the most beloved tragedies in Western literature. With its captivating artwork and faithful rendering of Shakespeare’s play, it serves as a perfect entry point for young readers, manga fans, and anyone looking to experience this timeless story in a new and exciting way. Highly recommended for those who want to experience the magic of Shakespeare's classic work with a modern twist.

Romeo , Oh Romeo , Why are you so much more heart wrenching in manga form.
I LOVE these manga classics. they are a wonderful way to re-read or read for the first time a beloved classic.
The art work is *chefs kiss * Beautiful. Romeo will make your little heart swoon.

This is the full text version. There is a modern English version as well.

If you enjoy the Shakespearian experience and want the original dialogue, read this copy. If you are some one who has a hard time with navigating old English and the heavy poetic language, check out the modernized English book. Personally I enjoyed this one a tad more, just because I have read the original before and had discussed it Heavily in an educational setting.

Romeo and Juliet is one of the original forbidden love tropes, and has had some of the largest influences on forbidden romances to this day.


Thank you UDON Entertainment and Net Galley for the advanced digital copy to review!

#RomeoAndJulietMangaclassics #NetGalley

This was a fantastic romance. Hearts, love, tension. . I . Right away, I was hooked with how odd this situation was, and things only increased, which had me on the edge of my seat.

This graphic novel adaptation of Romeo & Juliet added a picturesque background to a long-told classic.

This manga adaptation of classic literature offers a stunning and accessible way to experience timeless stories. The art beautifully captures the emotions and atmosphere of the original works, immersing readers in the setting and characters. Staying true to the essence of the source material, these adaptations make complex texts more digestible while preserving their literary value.

Whether you're a fan of classics, new to the genre, or simply enjoy manga, this collection is a fantastic way to connect with these beloved tales in a fresh and engaging format. Highly recommended for both seasoned readers and those exploring classics for the first time.

Thank you for the opportunity to read these amazing adaptations. This review has also been posted on Goodreads and StoryGraph.

The manga is a retelling of one of Shakespeare’s most wellknown plays. The art style brings a twist to the well-known story, with expressive characters and dramatic layouts. While the manga stays true to the original plot, the adaptation adds a layer of accessibility for new readers. It's a captivating version of a timeless love story, blending tradition with contemporary art.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A Timeless Tale, Beautifully Reimagined

This manga adaptation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is an absolute masterpiece. The art style is stunning, perfectly capturing the emotions and drama of the original play. The adaptation stays true to the original text while making the story accessible to a modern audience. The characters are relatable and the pacing is perfect. If you're a fan of Shakespeare or manga, or both, you absolutely need to read this. It's a beautiful and tragic love story that will stay with you long after you've finished reading it.

This manga is a must-read for any fan of classic literature.

I'd like to express my profound gratitude towards Netgalley for providing me a copy of this amazing piece of work.

Trigger warning for suicide and death in general.

This book is a manga adaptation of William Shakespeare's tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. This piece of work is widely known around the globe, which revolves around a young couple who fall in love immediately when their eyes meet, but their families hold a deeply rooting grudge against each other which threatens to tear them apart, and to sooth a loathe so profound, sometimes only a true tragedy is enough...

What I liked:
- Faithful adaptation of the original text
- Literary value, truly a story you never get bored of.
- Mindblowing drawings, great representation of emotions

What I did not like:
- Although it didn't strike me as a surprise, sometimes the language of the text was tiring to read.

I recommend it for anyone who finds the original story interesting. With this manga the whole experience this story can give becomes even more immersive.

Manga Classics: Romeo and Juliet is such a cool way to experience Shakespeare’s famous play! If you're not into the old-school language of the original play, this manga version totally makes it more accessible and fun. The story is still the same, two teenagers from feuding families fall in love, and it’s all kinds of tragic, but the manga style brings a new energy to it.

What I really liked about this version is how the artwork brings out the emotions of the characters. You can really feel their love, pain, and all the drama just through the art. The pacing is quick, so you get through the story faster than the original, but it still hits all the major points, and you won’t miss the key moments. The characters’ expressions are super dramatic (which is perfect for Romeo and Juliet), and it really adds to the intensity of the story

I'm not a big fan of Romeo and Juilet to begin with but this manga was pretty good. Alittle difficult to read at time but it's a typical manga.

If you like the story you will love the manga! It stays true to the original. The art work is what you would expect in a typical manga.. For me it didn't work. I was looking for something more accessible, more easily understood. Honestly it just made my head hurt. But I know it's me and not the book. So if you love classic Shakespeare defiantly give it a go.

I recently finished Manga Classics: Romeo and Juliet and loved it! One of the reasons I enjoy Manga Classics so much is because they take the stories we all know (and may have been forced to read in school) and transform them into something more engaging and enjoyable. The manga art style really brings these classic stories to life, making them feel fresh and accessible. This adaptation was just as impressive as Manga Classics: Sherlock Holmes, maintaining high-quality art and storytelling throughout. I’d highly recommend this to anyone wanting to get into manga but looking for a familiar story to ease into the genre. 5/5 stars!

I am not a huge manga reader but I love R&J and thought I would give it a try. The artwork was pretty and it was cute.
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the ecopy!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6939570159

Not much to say....This is a manga adaptation of the famous Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare.

While reading this I wished that I could have read it when I was much younger. At that young age when I was having a hard time reading and understanding even the abridged version of this story, this manga would have been a great help.

The art is beautiful....the dilogue are not modern English but still understandable. But it was not my favourite adaptation. Still I enjoyed reading it. Waiting to read more from Manga Classics.

Another Great Manga classic. I really enjoy these and appreciate the copy to review. It's a true to Shakespeare version of the story not a retelling and is a fun way to consume a classic.

This is a gorgeous adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. I think this art style compliments the play itself and sets the tone for this tragedy perfectly. I think this is a great way to enjoy the language of Shakespeare but finding support in the artwork so it is easier to follow the story. So I would recommend this to anyone studying Shakespeare in school but struggling with purely textual adaptations.

I have seen quite a few adaptations of this play, in different media (plays, movies, books etc.) and I think this might be one of my favorites. It is definitely the best text based adaptation so far.

Thank you to NetGalley and Udon Publishing for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review

I enjoyed this manga. I love shojo manga and seeing a classic portrayal was refreshing. The art is beautiful and the dialogue captivating. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys classics, shojo, and / or wants to try reading manga.

One of my favorite to read. Sorry for the late feedback. I kept rereading it. Loved it so much. 5 star book. Beautiful art

Good adaptation of the classic tragedy, even though, as for the original story, it's not my cup of tea at all... The whole story take place in a few days and it's called the greatest love story of all time when easily it's not.

This is my second Manga Classics and I am sad to inform you, the experience of reading the book was dreadful.

If I make a comparison maybe then it would be easier to convey what I am actually trying to communicate. The first Manga Classics I read was A Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorn. If you are familiar with the original text, you must be aware with how difficult it reads to the non-native English speakers. Reading the manga version helped me learn the story without the difficulty of going through long big texts. I hoped something similar from Romeo and Juliet.

Even after watching countless retellings and adaptations, I have not read the original text by William Shakespeare. I always found his writing to be in a completely different language and I am a tiny bit ashamed of for my lack of understanding. But I hoped with this manga I can get the essence of the original story without the language barrier. But the texts here read like latin or may be Hebrew. It was tedious and not at all worth my time and energy.

I hope in the next books they make the language easier for us noobs to comprehend.

Thanks to NetGalley and Manga Classics for sending this book to me in exchange of my honest opinion.