Member Reviews
Personally, I always struggle a bit with Classics. Usually, I want to read because they are Classics, however, just because a book is a classic does not automatically mean one will enjoy it.
Case in point, Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen. It is a classic and I wanted to read, however, reading a classic because it's a classic usually leads for me to just not be interested in the story. So I tried a new approach with reading the manga version here. I enjoyed it but I can say nothing more than that.
The manga was very pretty drawn and helped me to stay engaged with the story.
I would recommend this adaptation of Sense and Sensibility to any manga lover or Jane Austen fan out there. And those, like me, who want to try and stay engaged with classics where they may have trouble with this sometimes.
I knew I would enjoy the illustrations, but was surprised to find I enjoyed the story as well.
I, likely, would not have chosen to read this book had it not been available as a Manga Classic.
Much love to NetGalley and Udon Entertainment for my DRC.
This is a Japanese comic book. (It is read opposite of the conventional way) This is an easy read and it has awesome pictures. Short and simple lines make it an easy/fast read. The author gave tidbits of the history and the creation of the characters. Not sure if this has a book version, but that would be an awesome coloring book. Loved the story and the characters and slight changes. Loved the sensible and supportive Elinor. Another JA love story that has two different ways of showing second chances.
I thoroughly enjoyed this graphic novel adaptation of Sense and Sensibility. I think that Stacy King and Po Tse do a wonderful job of adapting classic stories to this format. I feel the story is told in such a way that you could clearly understand it without reading the original, yet I can also enjoy it as a different perspective on the classic I have read. The art portrays the characters beautifully and uniquely.
Another book from Udon that has beautifully captured Austen's story in Manga form. Sense and Sensibility was one of my first Austen read in unabridged format and it has forever remained a favorite. Add to that, all the TV and movie adaptations. This book has successfully captured the free spirit of Marianne and the stoic nature of Elenore. Dashwoods and their acquaintances come to life in this story that can be a great starting point for any new Austen enthusiast, who is a bit apprehensive to dive in to the original classics.
I had been hearing amazing thing about these versions of the classic. Manga plus Jane Austen? It seemed like a great idea, and you know what? It is. I enjoyed this one a lot and I will definitely try with more, next is Jane Eyre.
What you need to know is that this is a reduce version, the main lines in the story are there but a lot of text is obviously skipped. So it is a great complement if, like me, you have read the classic. Or a great wait for young readers to get familiar with these stories.
Totally worth it!
The number one reason why I wanted to read this Manga Classics version of Sense and Sensibility was because I have watched the film starring Emma Thompson with my sisters more times than I can count. We are all slightly obsessed with that film, partly because it also stars Alan Rickman. But anyways....
Reading this version of Sense and Sensibility was like watching the film all over again. The drawings were absolutely lovely, and some of the characters looked similar to the actors. I couldn't help but read the whole thing hearing the actors' voices for the characters they had portrayed!
I think that one of the reasons this story has always enchanted us is because of the pure simplicity of it. And the stark contrast between the two sisters. I always admired Elinore's silent courage in the face of hardship. And the girls both go through quite a lot.
I don't really know what else I could say about this book, other than it has warmed my heart to read it, just as the film did. And it has made me even more determined to pick up the original and read it someday.
I had never read this story before but it is a popular classic title that came up in my English Literature classes. I'm glad that I was able to read this book in this format as it made it easy to understand the events. However, I think some of the dialog needed to be revised as it was harder to convey the meaning using old English rather than the English used today. Maybe in the book it is clearer, but since I didn't read the print version, we'll just leave it at that.. I did create a couple of different pairings in my mind while reading it and that only increased my desire to read more. While the couple pairings I created did not come to pass, the reading was enjoyable and the artwork even more so. The ending left me satisfied and I'm excited to read the print version.
A very good adaptation. Sure, because of the format you lose a lot of Austen's signature wit and biting commentary, but every plot beat is hit and most of the best lines are kept. I can see how this would be a great choice for a student who found reading the novel to be slow going. A lot of Austen is about women waiting around for things to happen to them, and in my opinion that's part of the point, how frustrating it was to not be able to make your own destiny, to not be able to introduce yourself to someone or show interest or write to a man you aren't related to, but it's asking a lot for teens and readers new to the era to appreciate it. This adaptation tells you about those frustrations but moves the action along briskly, much like a movie adaptation.
Not all of the art was my favorite, there's some character design sketches and I preferred other possible designs for a lot of them, but I also haven't read much manga in a while and I've forgotten some of the shorthand character archetypes that tend to go with certain designs, so perhaps a more regular manga reader would appreciate them better.
As a huge Janeite who has read S and S multiple times, I enjoyed revisiting it without the time commitment of reading the whole book, in the same way I enjoy watching the movie or the miniseries. It still feels satisfying, and none of the edits left me unhappy.
The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I'm a big fan of Jane Austen. I read all her books and watched every single movie or TV series adaptations. So, when I bumped into this manga I couldn't help but dive into it! The illustrations are really amazing. It was cool reading about Elinor and Marianne and seeing her faces and expressions.
This manga is true to the story and gives it justice.
It's really an amazing product and a good and innovative way to discover or re-discover this heart warming classic.
This is the first manga I've ever read--I know, I'm very late to the party! It's a story I love in Austen's original form, and I think they've done justice to covering the story points. The characters have an idealized beauty that differs a bit from how I saw them in my head. But still, a fast and pretty story to read!
Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for a digital ARC.
I would have read and understood the classics if I could have read this book as a kid. The artwork and story blend together perfectly.
~This digital copy has been gently provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review~
Sense and Sensibility is one of my favourite novels by Jane Austen, and I absolutely liked this manga adaptation. It's amazing how the story is summed up without losing its essence. A lovely and beautifully illustrated version of this remarkable classic. I wonder, what would Jane Austen think of this adaptation? Well, I'm sure she'd love it!
The story is about two sisters, Elinor and Marianne, both represent very contrasting temperaments. On the one hand, Elinor symbolises sense; she is able to keep her feelings under control, even in the hardest times, so as to help others. On the other hand, Marianne symbolises sensibility; she is totally spontaneous. These characteristics are clearly depicted when they fall in love, for example. Although, we can see that through the story, Elinor and Marianne are not entirely sensible and sensitive, respectively. We can see a bit of both in them.
Sense and Sensibility (Manga Classics) art by Po Tse, 297 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL
Udon Entertainment, 2014. $14.
Language: PG (4 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
The Dashwood sisters don’t have fortune or high social status, which makes them more excited about those gentlemen who do show interest. However, wealthy family members work to tear apart the unseemly matches and hidden secrets are revealed at inopportune moments. Can the Dashwood sisters continue to hope for love?
I enjoyed reading this adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel, and the elegant illustrations enhanced the experience for me. Tse skillfully shows readers what is going on even during scenes that are easier to write than to illustrate, like when characters are pondering. My only complaint concerns the abrupt time skips that made for choppy transitions, but even that wasn’t a huge bother.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen
I have never been a huge Manga lover. I do not know why. There is nothing that puts me off, I just do not gravitate towards them. Then I saw a Manga version of Sense and Sensibility and, I had to give Manga another try. Overall, I loved this adaptation, however, there were a few things I did not.
I was glad for the initial refresher at the beginning of the book, demonstrating the proper way to read Manga, as well as a little back story.
Sense and Sensibility, while I do enjoy it, remains my least favourite novel of Austen’s works. I find there are bits in the original story that drag. My favourite feature of the Manga version is that all the little slow bits are taken out. The story reads quickly, with no lag, at any point. This version was very straight forward and easy to understand. The writing was modern, but it still included little customs or phrases from the Regency era. Of all the character portrayals, Mrs. Jennings was my favourite (never thought I would say that.) The illustrations of her were beautiful, yet they did show her ridiculous side. A scene I think worth mentioning, that I found extremely well done, is the scene were Col. Brandon shares his family secret. I will not write it out due to spoilers. However, the first two times I read it in Austen’s novel, I found it extremely confusing, and I did not quite understand what was going on. I could only ascertain that there were connections, between two majour characters. This Manga version made it so straight forward and easy to understand. Lastly, I did find this adaption focused more on Eleanor and Marianne. Which does lead me into what I did not enjoy as much.
I found some of the relationships were not quite up to the original text. I did read at the end, in the authour’s notes, that some things, unfortunately, did have to be cut due to various factours. I found Brandon and Ferris to be a little distant in this version, for the sole reason they were just not mentioned or brought into the story as much. This was something the creatour does address. Another relationship I love, but I find most adaptions take it out, is the friendship between Eleanor and Brandon. Lastly, Marianne’s feelings towards Brandon at the end are creatively written, but the point of her heart changing does come across.
I enjoyed this adaptation so much; I intend to buy one of each of them for my Jane Austen collection. The overall story flowed well and was fairly true to the original novel.
I received a review copy of Manga: Sense and Sensibility at my request, and I have voluntarily left this review.
Sense and Sensibility is probably my favorite Jane Austin story next to Mansfield Park. I love the relationship between the sisters, their family, and their prospective matches. It’s probably Austin’s most complex story in my opinion and it was lovely to see it done justice as a manga. I have read the Pride and Prejudice adaptation and enjoyed it, so imagine my joy at a S&S adaptation. I felt the artist did a good job with portraying each character, particularly Marianne in all her dramatic glory. The book also does well at keeping all the significant parts yet doesn’t cut out all the extra aspects that make the story enjoyable.
As a thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader copy I shall give an honest review of manga classics: “Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, story adaptation by Stacy King, and art by Po Tse. As the tagline suggests the reader experiences classic tales in the manga. Sense and Sensibility was one of the Austen books I read in 2019, and have seen multiple adaptations of the novel on screen. Coming into this format I was excited to see multiple characters given their moment to shine and they did. Condensed into a smaller format Stacy King was able to bring the heart of the novel to this Magna. The illustrations depicted showcase emotions suggested in the novel and to see it materialize is an amazing gift in which Po Tse has given us. If you already know the story, seen the movie, or read the book you owe it to yourself to explore another format in which Jane Austen’s timeless story has been told. Out of five stars on Goodreads, I give this Magna five out of five stars.
Thank you Netgalley and Udon Entertainment for the ARC of this beautifully illustrated Manga Edition of A Classic. Sense and Sensibility is Jane Austen's first full-length novel. I enjoyed the story and loved Colonel Brandon the most in the story. I liked how he was helpful and honest. He was honorable and had high regard for Marianne. Marianne was young, naive and inexperienced and her naivety gets her in trouble and leaves her with a lot of heartaches. Elinor was mature, more sensible but she was also emotionally closed off in the book. Edward was, in my opinion, my least favorite and he seemed to be indecisive and not very sure of himself. I did not like his pairing with Elinor as I felt she could do better. Willoughby is the perfect amount of good and bad. He is vain, spends money lavishly on his pleasures, flirts and seduces young women without thinking about the repercussions. Overall I think we get a picture of the characters from the Manga. I enjoyed the format and how they were depicted. I am giving it 4 stars.
My favorite is Stacy's thoughts on how she came to write the script and design the characters. I t gives us a unique insight into her mind and helps us understand it from the author's point of view.
I'll always say it, Sense & Sensibility is a better book than Pride & Prejudice.
Strong sisterhood? check.
Love story that isn't toxic?check
It has anything, so when I saw it on NetGelly in the Manga Classic, combining the two things I love the most; Manga and Jane Austen, I didn't hesitate to drop everything and pick this manga that I read non-stop. I loved how they didn't stray a lot from the orginal book, which I had read and loved.
The story Evolved around the two eldest Dashwood sisters, Elinor & Miriame, one who's Always selfless, holding back her sorrows to not trouble her family, and the other who is after the sensitivities of life; music, poetry, and true love.
Elinor is my favourite sister, because she's just too strong and always there for her sister and family, even when she was fighting demons of her own.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I found this to be a pretty good story. While I wasn't able to actually get into it until about halfway through I found the ending made for it a bit. After reading this version of Sense and Sensibility I don't have any desire to read the original classic. It was fine but didn't spark and further interest.
The artwork is absolutely beautiful. I'm a big fan of manga style artwork and this is no exception. It was so lovely to look at and I really enjoyed it.