I enjoyed the art but haven't enjoyed the story very much. I'm not familiar with the original, but this adaptation took me too long to read it. And we're talking about a manga book, which reads much faster. Points for adaptation of classics to a more friendly format for reading them.

I only read Great Expectations once in high school but for some reason I remember it very vividly. To this day, years and years later, I can still recall exact phrases used in certain scenes. I adore this book and when I saw that there was a manga I knew I needed to get my hands on it.

I flew through this (reading it in a day, as opposed to the weeks- or months?- it took me to read the original tale) and for the most part genuinely enjoyed it.

It was, however, too short. There were parts where I felt like we lost important things, even small lines, that added depth to the story, and I missed them. If we were given another 50 pages or so, I would have given this book 5 stars. I was also disappointed that narration was told in third person and we often got snippets of thought from different characters; I missed the first person view of the original (especially since I know it can be done in this format- as proven by the Jane Eyre manga).

And I would be amiss not mentioning that the author chose to not go with Dickens’ second ending, leaving it more open ended. I understand the choice but that last line is one of my favorites in all of literature so it was a little heartbreaking to get to the end and see it not included.

I did like it however and felt it a faithful adaptation to Dickens’ classic (which is surprisingly rare- so often people get this one so very wrong). The characters were well drawn and the story had good pacing. I loved diving into the story again and getting to see all my favorite characters once more- I truly forgot just how much I adore all these people and I wanted to hug them all up now and never forget just how much they mean to me. Pip and Estella and Biddy and Joe Gargery and Herbert Pocket and all the rest. And this story. I always forget just how complex and amazing this story is.

But I also think this manga would be enjoyable to someone unfamiliar with the original work. As much as there was stuff I felt missing the bones and a good deal of the heart of the story are there and it’s a wonderful way to get the story at least in part. I would recommend this to people, though with the warning- as always- that the book is better. But as I only have an e-copy as is, you can bet I will be getting my hands on a paperback as soon as possible. This is one I will enjoy rereading again and again.

(I received a free copy of this from the publisher in exchange for an honest review)

**I got this book from Netgalley for my honest review!**

I feel like this adaptation of the original stuck pretty well to the original. It made getting through the story not only quicker but easier. Obviously I wouldnt recommend replacing with with the original for study but I still recommend it if you want to read the story

Hello,
Disclaimer, received this book in exchange for an honest review!
I LOVE CLASSICS, or at least most of them.
I knew that any Charles Dicken would be difficult for me to get into due to the writing style, the length and the fact that he was paid by the length of his books rather than the plot which made his book excessively long.
I really enjoyed the story, the manga format really made it come to life.
I would recommend to anyone who finds classics or certain classics daunting to give these manga a try.
While it isn't exactly the same, and doesn't contain the same amount of details, it truly gives the reader a new or amazing experience of a classic read/never read before.
Overall great, I gave this ; 3.9/5 stars
-Bookarina

Rating: 4 stars for the gorgeous art,
2 stars for the actual story.

I'm grateful for these manga classics because now that I've read this in the manga format, I know how boring the book is and I can happily give the long format a miss without feeling left out.

I didn't like the protagonist and his 'great expectations' nonsense (possible I just dislike the good ol' British classism and elitism)
All the female characters were terrible, come to think of it, I didn't like any of the characters! (with the exception of Joe Gargery maybe) but the artwork kept me going and I was able to finish it in just a day. I hope to see many more classics converted to manga, because they make for such fun reading!

Thanks to Udon entertainment for providing me with a Netgalley copy.

I haven’t read the original “Great Expectations” , so I can’t judge how this adaption compares to the actual novel, but I enjoyed it a lot. The art style is great and the format is a good way to get people to read more classics.

I loved this movie and I loved this graphic novel. I read A Christmas Carol every year, but have never been able to read any other Dickens novel as it was originally set. This book made me want to watch the movie again.

Finally got into this story! OMG I love the style and artwork in these manga.

This I have found to be the best way for myself to read classics. I cant seem to get into the hovels, but these manga keep me reading!

I am so excited to find more manga classics!

I really loved the art style for this!! These mangas are some of my faves. A new way to present this awesome classic!

Great alternative to regular book! It brings this great classic to a new level and to life! One of my favorite classics!

Introducing younger readers to classics like the Charles Dickens novel is not small feat but it is the texture in adaptation especially with so much establishing material that can get in the way. Adapting “Great Expectations” [Editor: Stacy King/Udon/304pgs] is no small task since the very aspect of movement can dictate character development within the story. The intention of Pip’s journey is one of conflicting emotions since the character has always been pulled between what he thinks he wants and what is right in front of his face. The artists/editors do a good job of representing this by establishing the different aspects of his life between the benefactors that help him and the dexterity of those that raise him. Like most people, he only understands his loss and error after the fact. MIss Havisham, as with most spurned by love, is the puppet master who is at edge of most of Pip’s problems. However it is his assumptions that always lead him awry. Pip has a good heart but the wrong instincts. His ambition is bigger than his heart which can cause issues. There are, like in the book, places where the audience can fill in their own perception. However with the manga, which is considered unusual, Pip narrates his own story. So the life he leads and the decisions that he makes are only from his point of view. The panels do their best to represent this though sometimes Pip’s thoughts become too repetitive in terms of what his actions dictate. One specific scene where his benefactor and the man’s nemesis duke it out in the midst of large seas and a boat offers an archetypal structure that can be visualized here and would be more difficult to do in say a film. The 1994 film with Ethan Hawke (which is more this reader’s reference to its visual storytelling) does mirror the grasp of beautiful loneliness with a sense of dread that permeates the entire manga leading the reader to feel a love forlorn but also an opportunity missed.

B

By Tim Wassberg

Rating: 3.5 stars
The art was good, but story drags a times, especially the last third. Strong start thought. It drew me in quick.

Great Expectations is about Pip who becomes a gentleman through a mysterious benefactor. He falls in love, tries to discover who his benefactor is, and deals with the family he left behind and how he has changed from the boy who wanted to be a blacksmith's apprentice.

This is a great example of why I like the Manga Classics series. If I was reading the original book I would have most likely DNF'd it. I wasn't a fan of the story line and it's not a book I would read again. What kept me going was the artwork and how fast-paced the manga is.

Beautiful adaptation! I really liked the condensed version of this rather depressing classic tale, the artwork makes it a far more pleasant read than would be the case with the original version, but then I'm not a fan of Great Expectations.

Both Pip and Estella are quite awful, each in their own way. I dislike Pip more for how he turns out, because he is loved by Joe and has a great friend in Biddy, so he has less of an "excuse" to grow so weak-willed and shallow. He is given a lot of chances in life, but does nothing but live beyond his means, look down upon his former friends and be less than grateful once he finds out who his true benefactor is. Estella is brought up very differently, taught to hate and use men, to turn away from love. So even though she hurts Pip & others, she is herself also a victim of her warped, loveless upbringing.

I'm not a fan of the story itself, but I do admire the way it was adapted into a manga and really love the drawings!
Pip stays very recognizable as he grows older and starts dressing in a more sophisticated style. The same holds true for Estella, Biddy and Herbert. Very well done.

Visually it's the scenes at Miss Havisham's house, when Pip speaks with Miss Havisham and/or Estella that are the most interesting. The artist really knows how to capture the tragic, poisonous mood and Estella's beauty stands in stark contrast to Miss Havisham's faded looks.

This book is generously provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

My star rating is in regards to the story and characters than the art. The characters I only liked were Joe and Biddy, I found Pip really annoying. To be honest I don’t really get the point of the story of the book. I love that these classic stories are turned into manga as it’s a good introduction to the stories without wasting the time to read the novel and not liking it. I loved the illustrations and the use of the black and white.

Another win for the Manga Classics line. The classic Dickens story works perfectly in this format. The main story stays the same, though they may have skimped on some details. Still, someone who reads this will have a working understanding of the story.

A young boy, Pip, is offered the chance to become a proper gentleman and, you know, the grass is always greener so he jumps at the offer without truly knowing who made the offer. He thinks he knows. He thinks it'll get him the girl. Convicts, a scorned woman, and his meager upbringing all combine for a sometimes dark and sometimes hopeful story. The art work is beautiful and very fitting.

Highly recommend this book (and series in general).

The last time I read Great Expectations was in one of my high school English classes and I remember not being a fan of it. I really enjoyed this Manga and the storyline! In high school, I remember not being able to get into the story because of all of the descriptions. I am a very straightforward person and it definitely led me astray from the theme of the book. This was very enjoyable because the reader was able to find description in the art, but, in this case, actually added to the story, for me. Maybe I’ll take one more crack at the novel because I had such a positive experience with this Manga!

We start in the early nineteen century following Pip browsing through a churchyard in rural Kent, England. While perusing, an escaped prisoner looking for some food stops him and demands to see Pip’s parents, however, Pip lives with his sister and her blacksmith husband. Pip sees the man taken into custody and later is sent to live at Miss Havisham’s house.

Miss Havisham is a bipolar, old lady who still lives in her past when she was to be married. As a revenge of sorts, she has a young girl, Estrella, make Pip fall in love with her. But, the more time that Pip spends at Miss Havisham’s, the more he wants to live a life like the elite.

In his favor, Pip receives a message that he will fall into an inheritance, so he starts living like he always dreamed. He assumes Miss Havisham is behind this.

One day, an old friend visits, and he treats him like a commoner. When in reality, this friend was just delivering a message that benefited no one else but Pip. Ugh! He is so intolerable and probably the worst character ever created!

Who is Pip’s benefactor? What is the deal with Estrella? What is the relationship of everyone in the story? Will Pip ever realize his actions and change back to his old self? What price will Pip pay to reach his aspirations?

What a beautiful story. I had never read the original and I'm so glad I read this manga version because I thoroughly enjoyed reading through illustrations. And from my previous experiences reading manga classics I have understood that they are accurate when compared to the original.

The illustrations were spot on. Every character felt like they were actually meant to look like that. Estella looked gorgeous. Biddy not as pretty as Estella but cute. I loved these detailing and accuracy. I also like how fast you can finish reading these when you can days and months reading the original.

I wish more and more classics in the manga version. I'm religiously going to read all of them. And also recommend them to others.

Thank you Udon Entertainment and NetGalley.

3.5 stars! I am so glad I found these adaptations of classics in manga form because I have always been interested in these stories but not a fan of reading the actual classics so this series works out perfectly for me! The Great Expectations is a very interesting story I’d say, I wasn’t sure what to expect going into it but the characters and plot are very well written. The ending didn’t quite satisfy me and I wish there had been more romance but it was nice to see a change in Pip’s character, considering how much of a brat he was at some parts of the story. The art is absolutely beautiful and I will be definitely be picking up more of these books in the future.

Beautiful book and illustrations. Such a fan. This was my first graphic novel and I am so glad it was this one because I love this book so much. 5 stars