Loved this book! Really brought a classic story to live in a new format! Would definitely recommend!

I love the traditional storyline and I absolutely love that it was made into a manga. It keeps with the traditional story while adding illustrations to keep even the most fearful reader engaged. It reads like the traditional manga style while keeping with the storyline of the book. It is absolutely amazing and the illustrations are perfect. I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone that loves the classic but wants to read them with a twist.

A big thank you to Udon Entertainment and Netgalley for this free copy in exchange for an unbiased review. Since it's manga I've already had a sneak peek at the animation scrolling to the beginning, and it's just so striking!

Absolutely superb! This was the first manga I've ever read and I found the format very easy to follow. This WAS Les Mis at its finest. I cried at all of the spots I typically break down. Fantine breaks my heart. I can't help it. I felt her despondency and heartbreak in these illustrations. The same at the barricade and at the end when Valjean is reunited with Cosette. Just perfect depictions. The plot was spot on and I am verging on saying that if someone was assigned this in a lit class you could just about get away with reading this version and passing a test.
This book has opened a door into a new genre for me. I'm really interested in looking for more classics given this treatment. I'm just so impressed. Great job!

*** Disclaimer: I received a copy from the author/publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review ***

Rating:4/5

Okay so out of the three Manga Classics that I requested from Netgalley this was my most anticipated one. I am obsessed with Les Miserable and I have watched every movie adaptation and musical out there. I have gone to see the musical in person in 2015 and I listen to the soundtrack regularly. I'm complete Les Mis trash XD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The only thing I haven't done is read the original work because it is a behemoth HOWEVER that doesn't mean that I never will. Its one of the only classics I still wish to read the original version of.

So you know that I had to listen to the 25th anniversary edition soundtrack while reading this and once the initial track came on I was in the zone. I opened the manga and instead of being in Toulon I was reading the back story of Fantine meeting the Mr.and Mrs. Thenardier. I was a bit taken aback at first but realized that this was a great way to start the story off too and it answered some questions about how Fantine met them. With my expectations now set that this was not going to be a manga version of the musical, I continued to read.

The art was of course beautiful and the overall plot was told well but it did introduce a side character that I never knew about which was Eponine's sister Azelma and it revealed Gavrosh as (view spoiler). I would have like to know more about both of these relationships in the book and maybe get a bit more overall background on the Thenardiers as a family. Of course doing so would have brought this manga to a page count I was anticipating it to be. I was honestly shocked that the the page count was shorter than 400 pages. Les Mis is like 1500 pages unabridged and to compress it to this size was probably no easy feat.

I throughly enjoyed this version of the story anyways and if they had added that information about the Thenardiers this would have been a 5 star read. I still think Les Mis is best enjoyed as a musical but this comes in as a close second. If you've seen the musical, tell me your fave character and song in the comments below.

Happy Reading

Jo

I have always loved the movie Beauty and the beast. I love that manga came out with a graphic novel for the live adaption of the film. As always the illustrations are beautiful and full of life. The book was a very quick light read. I read it in one sitting which only took an hour. We got to see a little bit of what happens after the happily ever after which I think is really cool. I wonder if the entranchess is Belle's mother. This book does not disappoint. Now I am off to read the Beast's tale

If you are used to the style of Manga, this book shouldn't take you too long to get your head around. I studied Japanese in university (as a minor subject) and first became interested in Manga then. Traditionally, they read books from right to left, and therefore from back cover to front cover, in Japan, so this style of reading isn't new to me and didn't cause me any major concern. However, if you are new to Manga this can be a little off-putting, as not only do you read the pages from back cover to front cover, but you also read each little strip from right to left. So, essentially, you are reading backwards. But don't let that put you off: Manga is an interesting and entertaining art and you can find some great titles both here and abroad to enjoy.

Because Victor Hugo's classic novel is loved by so many people around the world, I was so curious to see how this Manga edition would treat this famous story of love and tragedy set in 19th century France. I was also nervous, for the very same reason, because I didn't know if this adaptation would be able to capture the magic of the original work. I was pleasantly surprised, however. The artwork is very expressive and doesn't take from the true poignancy of the story. The majority of the characters work, paying tribute to the originals but presented through a Manga-style veil. The setting is mirrored nicely, again paying tribute to what was intended - 19th century France - but with Manga-style flourishes.

This could work as a standalone story of Les Misérables but, personally, I would recommend a reading of the classic novel before you take this on. I'll explain why: Hugo's novel is dense and detailed. This Manga version tries to pay tribute to that and cram every little bit of necessary information in, but as a result there are details being introduced at a lightening pace, so it is easy to become overwhelmed.

For what I think is likely for dramatic effect, the writer has moved key scenes around, creating a reshuffling that may deter those who are in love with the original story. I tried to go into my reading of this with an open mind, so I didn't let this bother me too much. However, I can completely understand why this may put some readers off (then again, those who choose to read these kinds of Manga comics will be fans of the genre and, therefore, understand).

Overall, it basically works. The artwork, as I have mentioned, is good and expresses the emotion central to the story. The characters look like they should and the effort to remain true to the original is commendable. I don't think I would recommend this as a replacement reading for Les Misérables, or as an introduction to the original text, but I would certainly recommend it to fans of the Manga genre or anyone interested in opening their mind to a reimagining of Hugo's classic.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

This is just such a fabulous and accessible rake on one of my favourite b9oks of all time. The artwork is exquisite and all the important plot points and more importantly the underlying themes are hit. I am well aware that 19th C literature is hir and miss for most people but Les Miserables deals with such important examinations of personal choice, forgiveness, mistakes and triumphs and morality that I am delighted it has been made accessible to a new group of people in this format. Our budget at the library is very small for graphic novels but I will deginitely attempt to squeeze it for a copy of this - if nothing else my teenaged reading group would love it. A beautiful book.

I love these Manga Classics. They provide an accessible entry point for classics that can seem too complex and a little dull to teens. Highly recommended.

A classic brought back to life in stunning manga style.

I have a lot of hesitant readers in my library and it's difficult enough to get them to read a book let alone a classic. This adaption however was well received and I think the manga style makes it a more friendly read.

Well done - love these reproductions of classic titles.

This review was originally published on NetGalley.

I’m not a fan romantic tragedies but Les Misérables is a classic that needs to be read at least once for the people that studied literature, which was my case. I read it during my bachelor degree and I didn’t like at all, it was a long, boring read. Still, in the end, I was able to appreciate the magnificent style of one of Victor Hugo’s finest works.

Like all the manga classics I’ve read so far edited by Stacy King, I wasn’t disappointed and I was actually able to like the story of Les Misérables.

The story is well known if not for the play, for the films. The 19th century tale, centres on Jean Valjean a peasant released from the galleys after 19 years of imprisonment and his path to become a wealthy man and a better person. It’s a story about unconditional love, tragedy, second-chances and redemption.

The manga adaptation has a length of 350 pages and the original story is very well adapted just like all the previous ones. For someone that wants to know the story of Les Misérables, I definitely recommend this adaptation. The drawings match perfectly the dark atmosphere of 19th century France with the coldness and cruel reality of the period but also the light that comes with hope and redemption. All the emotions of the original novel are there and for me it was even more emotional since it’s not just descriptions but illustrations as well.

A moving story that shows the dark parts of French society for those that weren’t born with privileges and that suffered the injustice of society and life. Valjean that was arrested for 19 years for stealing bread to feed his family; Fancine, abandoned by the man she loved to face the judgement of society for having an illegitimate child, only to die after a battle that she could never win.

A beautiful classic adaptation of a classic made simple with all the emotions of its original. I highly recommend it!

Disclaimer: While I've seen Les Mis on stage and watched the movie, I've never actually read the book before, so I cannot make any claims as to how much has been changed for this Manga adaption.

That said, I was glad that I knew the story in advance, as I fear there were some aspects I wouldn't have gotten otherwise. Out of necessity the adaption was rather abridged, and some things were left unexplained.

I still really enjoyed it though, and was pleased to finally get my hands on the "source material" to one of the greatest stories in musical history. The drawings were clear and very pretty, and without the sudden change to more doll-like figures that I've often seen in other mangas. I appreciated that deviation from the norm.

What a beautiful story...it breaks my heart every time I experience it, be it on stage, on tv or in a book. This is a wonderful translation of the Les Misérables . The artwork is gorgeous, and the story holds very true to the storyline of this script. When you settle down to read it, just don't forget to grab the tissues!

I remember reading this book years ago and being overwhelmed by language, size and a history I knew nothing about before giving up. This manga has made it a million times more accessible to me and has encouraged me to find the novel and give it another go. I hope it does the same to other readers.