Sense and Sensibility: Manga Classics

by Austen

Stacy King and Tse (Artist)

When Elinor Dashwood's father dies, her family's finances are crippled. After the Dashwoods move to a cottage in Devonshire, Elinor's sister Marianne is torn between the handsome John Willoughby and the older Colonel Brandon. Meanwhile, Elinor's romantic hopes with Edward Ferrars are hindered due to his prior engagement. Both Elinor and Marianne strive for love while the circumstances in their lives constantly change.

• ISBN13: 9781927925638
• Publish Date: 4 September 2014
• Publish Status: Transferred
• Out of Print: 13 June 2023
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Udon Entertainment Corp
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 308
• Language: English

Reviews

[Steph L]

If you're a fan of Jane Austen, I think you should pick this book up. If you love Manga or have always wanted to read one, I think you should consider picking this up. I am of both the first, being a fan of Jane Austen, and the second, always wanting to try a Manga, but never knowing where to start. This book has been sitting in my books since last year, if not before that. My reason for starting it and finishing it now was the Net Galley Book Shelf app, I remembered about it, and it piqued my interest when I saw it there. Before I go any further, I feel it needs to be said that I have never read this story before. This was my introduction to the characters and the plot of Sense & Sensibility.

Plot

The plot of this story is juicy, and I feel it comes across in the Manga. From the first chapter, the plot intrigued me, and I wanted to know more. I feel like that was what this me all throughout the book, wanting to know more, and know where the plot was going to go next. Just because this was a Manga, didn't mean that this was short of plot and details about the story following the characters. In fact, I think this being a Manga version enhanced the plot, because we could see the characters' facile expressions and the reactions to what was happening in actual time.

Characters

The other thing that made me fall for this book was the characters. Each Dashwood sister is written differently, and that makes them unique. They each have their flaws, and their strengths, which make them characters you want to keep reading about. The depth in the characters doesn't stop with the sisters, The men in this story also had their fair share of strengths and flaws, and these are what make you want to keep reading the novel. I enjoyed all the characters, and because I had not read a Manga before, I didn't know how the characters would come across on the page. I can now say that these characters feel just as alive as ever.

Writing

As with every classic novel, the writing will be what makes or breaks the story. The writing in this book feels fresh and is easy to follow. With that said, the story still feels classic, and I think the feel of Jane Austen's writing is still kept intact when you read this. I was not sure what the writing was going to be like, but from the first chapter, much like the characters and the plot, I was drawn to and engaged with the writing in the story.

Art

The art in this book was excellent. I loved seeing the characters' expressions and how they were styled in this book..

[Quirky Cat]

I received a copy of Manga Classics: Sense and Sensibility from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I am constantly amazed by Stacy King and Po Tse and the work they put into adapting classic novels into manga. You can really see dedication and devotion they put towards their works – every adaptation I’ve read still carried the feel of the original novel, with the added beauty of artwork to support it. It truly makes for quite an experience, regardless of if you’ve previously read the original story.
What I love the most about Manga Classics is how approachable they make the classics. I hope that more people feel encourage to read these stories thanks to the work being done here. I can honestly say that while I have read many classics, I haven’t read nearly as many as I’d like. Reading them in manga form (and thus usually a shorter experience) helps me to bridge the gap and read some of the novels I haven’t had a chance to get to yet. It’s really quite wonderful.
Sense and Sensibility is no exception; the drawings are absolutely stunning, and I still cannot believe how much Stacy King was able to condense without losing any sense of the story. There’s even an addendum in the end, apologizing for having to cut so much of Colonel Brandon’s dialogue – but the truth is I’m not sure that apology was necessary. Yes, there was some dialogue cut, as she stated, but we still get an accurate sense of his character without those lines.
I honestly believe that Sense and Sensibility may be my favorite Manga Classic to date. It’s so beautiful and immersive. I actually found myself reading it all in one sitting! I do hope that eventually the rest of Jane Austen’s works get adapted, as well as many more classics! I can’t wait to read them all.

For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks