So.

I loved this.

I didn't expect to but I actually loved this.

The reason I didn't expect to is because this is one of the few Austen novels I haven't read. I only know the movie version (with Alan Rickman and Kate Winslet) and while I loved Colonel Brandon in that version, I really, REALLY, did not care for Marianne. I found her spoiled and immature and just a general bore to suffer through as a character (even if I love Winslet) - this is all from memory of course, from a while ago.

But, I went into this expecting to like Elinor, bland as she was, and sigh over Marianne.

Was that the case?

Not at all.

As I said, I have not read S&S before, but the portrayal of all the characters - especially the two lead sisters - felt much more in-keeping, and loyal, to the way Austen would have written them.

They were complex, they made sense, they were enjoyable and you really felt for them! I knew what was going to happen but I was devastated for Marianne! And Elinor wasn't boring in the slightest, she was mature and rational and not too forthcoming with her emotions but you could really feel for her.

I suppose, in part, it was because you could read their internal monologues. But overall, I felt this rendition really captured the story, the unfairness of society, the different, interesting characters and the plot on a whole.

The art style was in that very unique 80s/90s manga style, with a slightly modern twist, which was fine (though some people may struggle with it). I'm not sure anything truly modern would suit an Austen novel. There's something so traditional and classic about that style, I wouldn't change anything.

There was just one, small, minute detail that I found... well, ridiculous.

Colonel Brandon cries in almost every single scene he appears in - and he doesn't appear in many. I realise it's supposed to show that he's a sensitive, whole-hearted character, but good lord man! Control yourself, you're in public! In the Regency Era. Have some self-control, you don't see the ladies with tears streaming down their faces in the presence of every heartbreak and bit of bad news.

That kind of put me off Colonel Brandon - which is a shame because I do love his character and he's so central to everyone getting their happy ending. But that was really the only thing that felt janky about the whole thing. And with 300+ pages for something to go wrong, that's a mere drip.

Also - I mean spoilers I guess if you don't know S&S but:



I really like how they showed Colonel Brandon and Marianne's final relationship and how it came about. It was done in a few short pages but it felt so natural and real, once she gave him a chance. Again, referring to the movie, I always felt like she just shoehorned herself into a decent relationship after the downfall of her last one, which didn't fit a character who so whole-heartedly believed in love. In this rendition, really nicely handled.

So, overall, a very, very good manga version of Sense and Sensibility. I think it really captured the complexity of the plot, the ruthlessness of the era and the depth of the different characters.

Extremely well done and a very enjoyable read.

3.5 stars!

While I love almost everything Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility is actually the first of her works I found and got me started on her writing. Though I do have to admit that the story is much less humorous than her other works, it still is so original that I can't not love it!

I honestly liked this manga quite a bit better than the original though, the book was very hard to get through- whereas the manga shows and describes things perfectly for us! (Another reason I usually watched the movie instead of rereading the book.)

The drawing style made certain parts just the right amount of comical, others as touching and emotional as needed- and of course I just loved how Elinor and Marianne were drawn!

I didn't think I'd find a version of Sense & Sensibility that I would want to reread again, but I found it! The emotional and harsher parts were expressed very well in this manga, without making if feel like too much or that anything was unnecessary.

I have to say there are two or three parts that were much better drawn and written in the manga than any other version I've read/watched. And they actually made me feel a lot better about some other things in the story, I was able to understand some of the side characters as well as Elinor and her sister!

If you haven't read Sense and Sensibility...what are you waiting for?! It's not just a romance, it's also a story of family and how strong the bond between sisters can be. If you've stayed away from the "classics" because you thought they were boring or that you'd have trouble understanding them, you should definitely give the Manga Classics collection a try. Who doesn't like a book with pictures? And these are really well done. Alright, let's get to the review!

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Impulsive Marianne Dashwood and cautious Elinor are as different as two sisters could be, yet both are shattered by their father's sudden Death. Elinor's attachment to the reserved Edward Ferrars is torn asunder by family opposition and his own dark secret, while Marianne's brilliant romance with the dashing John Willoughby comes to a tumultuous end in a devastating public betrayal. Can the two sisters overcome these trials to find true, lasting happiness?

Jane Austen's beloved first novel, filled with romance, redemption and social critique, is brought to life for a modern audience in this gorgeous manga-style adaptation! 

Elinor and Marianne Dashwood have to move with their mother and younger sister to a small cottage in the country after their father dies. They could keep living with their brother and sister-in-law but...they are completely unbearable. So, the Dashwood family goes off to the country. Elinor has to leave behind her romance with Edward Ferrars (her sister-in-law's brother) and Marianne is upset to be leaving their childhood home.

But Marianne soon comes upon a distraction in the form of a handsome young man named Mr. Willoughby. He saves her after she sprains her ankle when caught in a thunderstorm. From that day on, Marianne can think of nothing but him.

But when he turns out not to be the man the Dashwoods thought he was, Marianne spirals into a deep depression.

Luckily, Willoughby is not the only man they meet in the country. Among the many sociable and gossipy neighbors, they also meet Colonel Brandon. He comes off as a serious and taciturn man, but when he meets Marianne, his soft side seems to come out. If only Marianne wasn't so fixated on another man.

After tragedy, disappointment, and plenty of sadness, the two sisters do get their happily ever after. It wouldn't be a Jane Austen novel if it didn't end with the characters getting exactly what they deserve. The nice, selfless ones get what they always wanted and the selfish, manipulative ones end up disappointed and unhappy.

This is probably the third or fourth time I've read Sense and Sensibility but it is by far my favorite. The illustrations are absolutely brilliant. I've never seen Colonel Brandon portrayed as tall, dark, handsome, and mysterious, but I am all for it! He kind of has a Castlevania thing going on. 

Marianne and Elinor are pictured beautifully and Edward Ferrars could not have been drawn more perfectly. He's always played by a floppy looking shy dude and that's how he's shown here too. He's a soft boi who, after being away from Elinor long enough, gets a backbone and proposes (This book is over 200 years old. There will be spoilers).

If you have never been able to connect with classic novels, I highly recommend checking out the Manga Classics series. I've read the Edgar Allan Poe and the Jane Eyre ones and they;re just as good as this one! I really want to check out the Pride and Prejudice one next.

I am giving Manga Classics: Sense and Sensibility 4 out of 5 stars. If you've read Sense and Sensibility already, you'll love this illustrated version and if you've never read it, it's a fun way to read the Austen novel for the first time.

Manga Classics: Sense and Sensibility came out August 9, 2016.

Thank you to Netgalley and UDON Entertainment for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Beautifully done! I enjoyed this version very much and it got my kids to read it too! I'm going to buy all of the Jane Austen manga classics.

3.5/5 stars

This was another favorite story of mine made into a beautiful manga! The illustrations were absolutely beautiful, flowery and romantic in design. I would love to see those in true color instead of black and white! The panels and dialogue were very easy to read. I didn't find myself confused as to which line to read next which has occurred in other classic manga stories.

There were parts of the story that were breezed over such as Margaret as a character and Edward and Elinor's courtship in the beginning. I found that the story didn't flow as smoothly as other classic manga stories with entire parts of the story told all in one page. This method was a bit overused and utilized to show passage of time and a way to speed the story up. It made parts of the story clipped and unemotional.

Overall, I liked this alternate take on a classic with it's beautiful, romantic illustrations, but it could have been done a bit more smoothly when cutting the story or in transitions.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Udon Entertainment for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is beautifully done. The timeless story we have all come to love teamed with beautiful pictures with that whimsical anime charm.
This would be a great option if you were looking to get your teens into reading classics without it feeling a bit dusty.

I truly enjoyed this manga version of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility.
The characters were well drawn and added quite a bit of joy to my reading of the book.
They made the translation to manga very well and I had a really fun time reading this.
I recommend this to fans of Jane Austen who want to change it up a little.

Sense and Sensibility is my FAVORITE Jane Austen book. It's a classic. And when I had the chance to read the Manga, I jumped on it. This was fantastic. The art work was beautiful and I loved it!

A pretty well done manga version of Jane Austen's classic "Sense and Sensibility". I definitely enjoy these manga classics.

I am a fan of the classics. I love Jane Eyre and Sense and Sensibility. What I adore most about this book is that it turns a classic tale into a different format that may be more appealing to the youth these days. The illustrations were stunning, and the plot stayed with the original story line. I will be encouraging my young niece to try it out and hopefully there will be more of this type of Manga available to young readers.

Generally I love the idea of these Manga Classics selections to help open classic works of literature up to those who would not usually pick them up. In my library, many teens and honestly, a lot of adults like to pick up these are read them as a quicker summary of these books that are quite dry to read otherwise. I've read a few of the Manga Classics series so far, and this one read okay to me. It wasn't the most exciting adaptation, yet it's also not my favorite of Jane Austen's works. I find these books hard to review at times, because it's not the adaptation's fault that the source material isn't the most compelling. I can however judge it on the art, which is fine. It's very traditional, nothing to write home about, but it worked in getting across what needed to be explained. I think the adaptation of the story took some liberties in making the characters more over the top than in the original version, but to change it up and make it more interesting for a younger audience makes sense. Overall not the best Manga Classic, but a solid addition to the series.

Captures the sensibilities of a present day young adult while taking the young adult through the main plot points to grasp the big themes. If you have a high school reader who cannot seem to grasp what is going on in comedies of manners, this visual storytelling method is a good way to get that reader part of the way there to understand the language. Of course, the original text has in it a level of linguistic artistry that a Manga Classic would not, but that is not the point of these works.

Manga Classics are always delightful, and this version of Sense and Sensibility is no different. While Pride and Prejudice will always be my favorite Austen novel, Sense and Sensibility holds a special place in my heart for prioritizing sisterhood over romance, and softness and understanding in men over anger or power. This adaptation beautifully portrays this aspect of the beloved Austen book, and I thoroughly believe any Janeite should pick up the Manga Classics versions of Austen in order to spend time with these beloved characters, perhaps cast in a new and illuminating way.

This book was provided for me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I think the most amazing part of the manga, besides the artwork alone, is the fact that the whole classic Jane Austen story was able to to be told in 300 pages!

The artwork was beautiful and I felt it really helped bring the story to life and captured the personalities of the different characters.

Sense and Sensibility has been a huge part of my life since I was a girl. My sister and I used to compare ourselves to Marianne and Elinor, respectively, and while we've both grown and changed from those girls the story still holds a very special place in my life.

I was really excited to dive into this book- since manga and Jane Austen are two of my favorite things and I love the idea of combining them- and am sorry to say I've found myself coming away disappointed.

For starters, I wasn't a huge fan of the design of all the characters. I've read my fair share of manga so I thought I knew what to expect but honestly the characters all seemed more caricatures than manga. Elinor was the best done but I found myself cringing at most everyone else.

And as with their features so were their characters portrayed- as if not quite real people and instead actors in a melodrama. It felt too as if all their faults were more focused on so that characters I've loved for years were annoying or even downright unlikable.

I'm not entirely sure who this manga is for- those who love the story won't find much here and those unfamiliar with it might get a feel for the story but are just as likely to dislike or have trouble connecting with the characters.

I'm going it 3 stars because it wasn't exactly bad? It told the story, stayed with what Jane Austen wrote and certainly wasn't bad. It just also wasn't great either. I would be hesitant to recommend this to anything, but also don't know that I'd tell anyone they shouldn't read it. This is one of those books that I supposed you have to read and make up your own mind about...

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

I love reading these manga classics because I would never read the actual book unless I was assigned to in school. They're so fast and entertaining. I read this book in one evening because it is fast-paced and leaves out all of the slow boring parts of a classic. They are adapted well and this one made me want to watch the movie too. The artwork brings the character to life and shows how expressive they are even when they're not talking.

I liked this version of the classic novel (Which I haven't read, don't know why). The expressions were wonderful, some just on the borderline of funny. I loved Elinor's dress. I was trying hard to read the dialogues and not stare and the dress. It was so simple and sophisticated, just like her. Every character, no matter their personalities had to take decisions based on sense and logic. This comic is urging me to read the novel now, so a plus point!

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'll be honest I've never read the original Jane Austen story but now I feel like I can appreciate the time this was written during and all the socio-political intricacies without the stress of reading the original. That and these are more fun, I feel like I could give this to my youngest niece and even she would enjoy it.

This was a really great adaptation of the original book. It was fun to read it as a manga version, and actually easier than reading the original. Sometimes the classics get really long-winded and somewhat boring in places but getting to "see" the scenes instead of just reading about them made this version an absolute pleasure to read. The illustration is really great as well.

Jane Austen is always a win. Jane Austen in graphic novel is even better! It was great to see such iconic characters, and the art is absolutely beautiful!