Quirky Cat
Written on Sep 26, 2017
I love the concept of Manga Classics; I just can’t say that enough. Not only is the artwork beautiful, but it makes classics such as Great Expectations more approachable for so many readers. I’m steadily working my way through all the Manga Classics I can get my hands on; regardless of whether or not I’ve read the original versions. I sincerely hope Udon Entertainment continues to publish these works, as they’re just absolutely beautiful and brilliant.
I remember laboring my way through this beast of a book back in middle school. And I was one of the only kids in my class to actually finish the book (as opposed to pretending they did and hoping for the best). I can’t imagine how much something like Manga Classics would have helped back then. While there have always been ways to sneak around actually reading a classic, most of those methods will only give you facts, not an idea for the feel of the book or the manner of its characters. Manga Classics bridges that gap, allowing for a shorter (and sometimes more pleasant read) while keeping true to the story, characters, and intents the author has established.
Great Expectations is one of those stories that’s basically been begging for an adaptation like this, I just never realized it until I read the manga version. Suddenly I found myself reading the core of the plot, getting right to the vital points of the story. A lot of the verbal descriptions were cut from the book (to make it fit of course) but the artwork more than makes up for that. Most of the images contain the intended details anyway, so there’s no real loss when one looks at it like that.
I greatly enjoyed reading through Great Expectations for the second time, and found myself finishing it in only a couple of sittings. This is the perfect adaptation for anybody that’s either wanted to read the original but hasn’t, or has wanted to reread it again but can’t see to find the time.
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