I have never read les miserables or seen the movie so i was excited to see this as a manga and to be able to experience reading a classic in a format that I enjoy. This is the point of these adaptations and it did its job well. I am not able to comment on its relation to the original works since i haven’t seen/read them but i liked this story where these characters were interconnected in life across the years. The art work is cute at some points it feels very pokemon esk in style but works for this period piece. Perfect for someone who wants to know a classic but doesn’t want to read outdated prose. Would love to see more classics done like these.

CW: death, abuse, poverty, revolution, guns, su!cide,

Les Miserables is one of my all-time favourite books. It's dense and it's dark and it's tragic, and yet there is hope in amongst the darkness.

Manga Classics: Les Miserables is an ambitious retelling of the classic French novel, in classic Manga style. I'm not generally a fan of manga and this art style, but this was done very well. The grim realities of this story - so much death and poverty and abuse - are portrayed on the page and highlighting more starkly the divide between the "haves" and the "have nots", and the themes of justice that run through the tale. And yet while the grim realities are there, the horror of Fantine's fall from grace is tastefully done, keeping things implied.

The artist effortlessly drawing emotion from the reader. I know the tale well and yet I still shed a tear for Fantine, Gavroche, Eponine and, ultimately, Valjean. Gavroche's song (which is different to the version in the musical) - oof. Right in the feels.

If I had a criticism of the book, I found the pacing and flashbacks to be somewhat jarring. I would have liked to have seen more on the page of the ABC society - who they are what they are fighting for. As someone with a solid understanding of the story, I know this already, but for someone new to the tale, these characters and insurgency are presented with little introduction after the bulk of the book covers Fantine and Valjean's lives.

Overall, a good read, and a different take on the classic story.

~ Many thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review~

I did like the art, but the story itself made no sense and I already know the story,
I wish it didnt jump all over the place like it did.

The art for this was what drew me in. This was a great way to read a classic that may have been a little harder to do in novel form. This is a true classic and many people shy away from due to it being a little bit of a "harder read" I've read the novel and seen the play. However, this was by far my favorite way to immerse myself in the story. Manga classics will be come even bigger as the new generation discovers them. My soon to be 11 year old was begging to read this and found her self really enthralled with the characters in a way i don't think she would have gotten reading in a novel format. I cant wait to see more classics done in manga.

Beautiful art, beautiful and sad story.
I remember when I first learned this story I was very young and became very sad afterwards.
I hope that more Manga Classics come out in the future.

Very digestible format. The art work is beautiful. The story heart wrenching. Though it is still vary poignant social commentary for our day. I rather enjoyed the story over all.

Manga Classics: The Scarlet Letter. I love these Manga Classics. Really hope they are going to do more of them. This was another great addition to the Manga Classics. I love Les Miserables and this was a great version of the story
Loved the story and the drawings

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Manga Classics: Les Misérables breathes new life into Victor Hugo’s epic tale of love, sacrifice, and redemption, masterfully adapted by Crystal S. Chan and illustrated by SunNeko Lee. This manga adaptation captures the essence of Hugo’s narrative while making it accessible and engaging for a modern audience.

The story follows the lives of several characters, most notably Jean Valjean, an ex-convict seeking redemption, and Inspector Javert, who is relentless in his pursuit of Valjean. The manga format, with its expressive and detailed artwork, brings a new dimension to these characters and their struggles. The illustrations vividly depict the grim realities of 19th-century France, from the squalor of the Parisian underworld to the grandeur of the barricades during the June Rebellion.

One of the standout aspects of this adaptation is how it condenses Hugo’s sprawling narrative without losing its emotional impact. The manga focuses on key moments and relationships, such as Valjean’s transformation, Fantine’s tragic downfall, and the love story between Marius and Cosette. The visual storytelling enhances these elements, making the characters’ emotions and the story’s dramatic turns more immediate and powerful.

The artwork by SunNeko Lee is both beautiful and evocative, capturing the intensity of the characters’ experiences. The use of light and shadow, along with the detailed backgrounds, adds depth to the scenes, making the historical setting come alive. The character designs are also noteworthy, with each character’s appearance reflecting their personality and journey.

For readers new to Les Misérables, this manga serves as an excellent introduction, providing a comprehensive yet concise version of the story. For those familiar with Hugo’s work, it offers a fresh perspective and a visually stunning way to revisit the classic. The adaptation remains faithful to the original while making the complex narrative more approachable.

Overall, Manga Classics: Les Misérables is a remarkable adaptation that honors Victor Hugo’s masterpiece. It is a must-read for fans of classic literature and manga enthusiasts alike, offering a unique and immersive experience of this timeless story.

I think this is the first time I have truly enjoyed the story of Les Miserables. I watched the movie when it came out and I don’t think I ever really understood the story until I read this. It is the tragedy of being a husband less mother in a time where that left you penniless and destitute. It’s a mother’s love for her child and her willingness to do anything for them.

I love how the writing and the artwork work together to tell this story and I feel it wasn’t an uncommon one of the time. I think that it was probably very important to the ideas of today that Victor wrote this story and shed light on the tragedy of that mindset. Fantine is a good mother even if life took her on a path that led her to the poor treatment she receives in her life.

This story is a tragedy but with a bittersweet ending and I very much enjoyed it. If you have trouble getting into Les Mis, but enjoy manga I very much recommend this adaption. I feel that it serves its purpose perfectly.

Good read, this was fun but nothing crazy I'm still mulling over my rating but I'd say it'll be between a 3-4 star check my goodreads or storygraph for my final rating😁🫶🏻

I love this idea! I love a lot of classic books but some of them can make you feel bogged down or disinterested so I love the idea of having them in manga/graphic novel form! I will say you do miss out on the more in depth pieces of the story but I feel that's to be expected and this should be viewed as more of a summary of the book with some beautiful art

Les Misérables is a classic story brought beautifully to life in this manga format. The manga condenses Hugo’s formidable novel into a short digestible story. It remains fairly faithful to the original source material given the format, though it focuses most heavily on Cosette and Marius’s love story rather than on Jean Valjean. The manga adaptation has done its job perfectly in creating a new, more accessible, version of this timeless classic.

This book offers a visually engaging rendition of the timeless tale of redemption and social justice. This manga adaptation successfully captures the essence of Hugo's intricate narrative through dynamic illustrations and a streamlined storyline that makes the classic more accessible. The art style complements the emotional depth of the characters, from the brooding Jean Valjean to the determined Inspector Javert. While it condenses some of the original's complexity, it remains faithful to the spirit of the novel, making it an excellent introduction to Hugo's masterpiece for both manga enthusiasts and classic literature lovers.

Les Misérables gets a manga makeover, and it’s surprisingly faithful to the original novel.

Pros:
Character Designs: SunNeko Lee’s art captures the essence of each character. Valjean and Javert are realistic, while the Thénardiers are delightful caricatures.
Expanded Story: Crystal Silvermoon dives deeper into Fantine, Marius, and Cosette’s lives, making them more than mere side notes.

Cons:
Choppy Transitions: The right-to-left format occasionally confuses readers, disrupting the flow.
Simplicity Sacrifice: While streamlined, some complexity is lost, leaving room for improvement.

Jean Valjean, emprisonné après le vol d'un morceau de pain, se retrouve seul et démuni à sa sortie de prison. Pourtant un homme d'église lui tend la main faisant naître chez l'ancien bagnard le désir d'aider les plus démunis. La première d'entre eux est Fantine, une mère célibataire victime de la cupidité d'une famille, les Thénardier. Mais Jean Valjean doit aussi affronter Javert, un inspecteur de police...

Pour aborder de nouveau ce roman fleuve je n'ai pas choisi la facilité puisque je l'ai lu en anglais et en manga, deux formes que je maîtrise moyennement. Pourtant j'ai apprécié cette lecture où Victor Hugo revient sur des thèmes qui lui sont chers, comme l'injustice sociale et le nécessaire combat politique pour y mettre fin. D'abord parce que Stacy King et TszMei Lee ont réussi à condenser cette histoire aux multiples rebondissements, sans perdre le lecteur, notamment avec des personnages facilement identifiables. Ensuite parce que les scènes historiques sont précises autant qu'esthétiques. Enfin, et ce n'était pas si évident, parce qu'elles ont rendu le pathos hugolien presqu'aussi beau et convaincant que dans l'œuvre originale… Alors bravo aux auteures !

Thank you to UDON and NetGalley for the DRC, I appreciated it.
For review purposes: I want to iterate that it was important for UDON to promote how to read manga on a digital e-reader, which was helpful. I'm a fan of manga, so I was familiar but often when Japanese publishers do to cater to the Western audience is flip the manga and content. In this case, UDON did not do that and instructed readers to start from the "back" (traditional in Western culture) and flip to the front. I also liked that the team who adapted Les Mis explained their process at the end of the graphic novel. Trying to fit an epic like this and adapting it to a manga format is DIFFICULT. There is a lot that needed to be cut and condensed, and they were correct in doing so. Parts of the manga are more in depth than the musical covered (yes I'm a fan of the musical, okay) but less explanatory than the novel (obviously.)

I did enjoy that the manga did not shy away from the more provocative themes, and also explained the Thenardier family line. I think this is a wonderful way to introduce younger readers to some of these Classics though, and this one would be a good starting point for someone to get interested in Victor Hugo's epic novel. I enjoyed the adaptation and would love to see it in HQ! Thank you for allowing me to read this.

Thank you NetGalley for access to this manga , I have been meaning to read the novel of this book and watch the adaptation as well but for some reason I never did , so once I saw that it has a manga I immediately jumped at the opportunity to, this was so heartbreaking especially the ending the fact that he spent his last breath making sure he kept Cossette( I am definitely not spelling this correctly sorry) and just being a good person to the end because he never let people’s ideas of him change him and all because he received kindness from the priest and dedicated his life to being a kind person even though life was never kind to him , I definitely will be reading the novel and watching the adaptation now

Manga Classics is a great idea that brings manga and classic literature fans together.
I can read Les Miserables in a format and medium, and I previously read a few Manga Classics, which I liked.
This one did not disappoint as well. The adaptation between mediums come with some changes - as long as the adaptation stays true to the spirit of the original work, and offers a new experience, they are enjoyable and this one was a great adaptation.
The art style is cool as well. Jean Valjean and Gavroche - heart heart.

Incredibly illustrated work that brings to life the brilliance of Victor Hugo’s work. A must read for anyone who wants to experience the story but has a hard time reading the full novel.

Post-Napoleonic France. The country is riddled with social injustice, as everyday people fight to survive in the world of the new monarchy. Doing their best to find a way to protect those they love, good people are faced with impossible choices, while others capitalize on the upheaval to make quick money through conniving and deceit. Thrust into this harsh environment is tiny Cosette, a child who endures the abuse of those charged with her care as her distant mother gives her all to find a livelihood. But no one is there to help little Cosette, until her path crosses with former criminal Jean Valjean, a bold antihero determined to help others even at the cost of his own life. Paths will cross, and destinies entwine, as France finds itself once more on the brink of open revolution.
Manga Classics: Les Misérables adapted by Crystal Silvermoon is an excellent introduction to Victor Hugo’s classic tale of woe. The art by SunNeko Lee is simply brilliant; each character is full of expression and life that adds another layer to this intricate story. I love the Manga Classics series, and unlike my review of Macbeth, which I am very familiar with, I have no prior experience with the works of Victor Hugo. I had very little idea what to expect, and I have to say that this adaptation is an excellent first experience with the tale of Cosette and those around her.
This manga version does an amazing job of showing how nuanced the characters truly are. My soul wept for Fantine, a mother pushed to extreme lengths to protect her tiny daughter, and I loved Jean Valjean’s fatherly compassion as he looks after Cosette in a world that hates and fears him. Even Inspector Javert, who spends most of the book as Valjean’s stalker, has multiple sides to him that make the reader think. People, in this war of poverty and injustice, often find themselves faced with choices that are not black and white, and must attempt to find the right decision in a world dyed in shades of grey. It’s an incredible outcry against social injustice and a call to action. This manga version showcases just how amazing Victor Hugo’s classic story is, and how much it is still relevant today. It’s what I always wanted Marvel Comics to be, and I am so glad I took the time to delve into this remarkable story. The only issues I had were, firstly, that it was very hard to keep track of Cosette’s age. Also, the scene with Javert dressed as a beggar transitions so suddenly that it looks like Javert has exceptional quick-change skills and convenient spawnable minions. Both of these problems could have easily been solved with a text box, but otherwise, the story is easy to follow and highly engaging.
This manga is recommended for ages 16 and up due to some mature content. Since it is based on a classic work, this story contains blood, violence, abuse towards children, suicide, and fatalities, all of which are part of the original narrative. Additionally, Cosette’s mother Fantine is driven to some extreme lengths to provide for her daughter, including some very morally compromising situations. Although the manga avoids being outright explicit, it’s still pretty clear that she was forced to become a prostitute. With that said, this manga is not suitable for young readers, but is a great way to introduce the world of Victor Hugo to readers high school age and above. A brilliant manga adaptation that keeps the reader turning page after page, this tale of injustice and finding the right solutions earns 4 out of 5 stars.