While I'm embarrassed to admit that I haven't read the original text of The Count of Monte Cristo, it was also a good litmus test for me as the first Manga Classic whose original work I hadn't read. This adaptation turned out to be one of my favorites among the Manga Classics, although how fair that is might be subjective. 

I will say that the art continues to be gorgeous and the attention to details continues to be superb. Certainly, the anime and manga style might not be for everyone. While anime and manga remain a big part of my life, their styles have long stopped being my favorite due to the simplification and same-face phenomenon present in so many anime/manga styles. Nonetheless, Manga Classics' art continues to be a delight to look at, with the artists managing to make most characters distinctive. I really liked the character designs in this adaptation in particular; the Count looks every bit as elegant and regal as he's supposed to be. I also like that the villains aren't all uniformly ugly, which is a tiresome trope in a lot of mangas. 

The story does feel a bit rushed in some parts, but that can't be helped given the adaptation and the need to trim the original story. This Manga Classic definitely has piqued my interest on the original text though. The accessibility of a manga format might very well be a great way to introduce the classics to potentially hesitant readers.

I have always wanted to read the count of monte cristo but was always intimidated by how long it was. The writers/illustrators did such a good job condensing this huge classic into a 400 page manga, making it accessible and also really fun to read. The artstyle was gorgeous and so immersive too.

It has been years since I read The Count of Monte Cristina, this was a fun way to return to the story. I don’t read much Manga but I’m trying to expand my reading genres. This style allowed me to get through the story quickly.

I’ll be honest, I don’t usually read manga. However, it was part of a reading challenge and this one was “read now” on NetGalley so I decided to give it a try. 

The Count of Monte Cristo is a classic that I remember enjoying in the past and having it retold with these fantastic illustrations was great. The story was covered well and told in a way that holds the attention more than a classic writing style. So if you want to read the classics but can’t handle the style of the classics, give the manga versions a try! They’re solid!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ because it is a pain to read manga as an ebook since they start at the end - the app kept marking it as “complete” because I started at the typical end.

It`s sad, I could not read the book because graphical designs do not work with the ebook reader. But I am sure that the book is good, I do love classics and I read manga sometimes. I'm sure that people who don't usually read novels have a good chance to appreciate classics in another way. Love to see it in the bookshelves.

I loved this manga so much. I’ve never read a manga before but I’m glad this was my introduction into the world!

I didn't like the art style!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Thank you to NetGalley and Manga Classics for access to a digital copy of Manga Classics: The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas in exchange for an honest review. 

CW: imprisonment, murder, violence, see full list on StoryGraph. 

Not having read the original text, I would say this Manga Classics version of the Count of Monte Cristo is a great introduction to this classic novel of revenge. This would be a great way to get teens to read this book and get the broad strokes of the plot. 

Personally, I didn't love the simplified version of this book in manga form. It wasn't poorly produced by any means, but I feel like I lost a lot of the nuance of the book because a manga is primarily action and dialogue.

I don't have much to say about the story itself since it's a classic, of course. But let me just say I absolutely adore the art style! I've always wanted to read the actual classics but delay them anyway because I don't have the time and the mental bandwith but this is an awesome way to start reading! I liked this art style better than the Romeo and Juliet one.

So I've read Le Comte de Monte Cristo before, and let me tell you I didn't enjoy it. I enjoyed this version a lot more. Is it an abridged version, yes, but the main story and plot points are there, and the added traditional Manga elements helped move the story along, and it was overall a much more enjoyable read. I would definitely read more Manga Classics.

I went into this adaptation with high hopes after reading other Manga Classic adaptation and unfortunately I was let down. While the art was well done I feel like the intricacies of the story and deceptions were hard to keep track of in manga format and did not translate well into a great reader experience.

❗This is a spoiler-free ARC review from NetGalley❗

I tried to read The Count of Monte Cristo when I was younger and could not get through it. That book was huge! But, most Manga I can read in one sitting. So when I saw this version on NetGalley. I wanted to read it immediately. It did not disappoint. 

A lot of thought and care was taken in creating this Manga. They kept true to the time period dress and setting. The language was more digestible and interesting. I couldn't put it down! A very simple rundown of the plot is a good man who was betrayed and now wants revenge. I will be picking this up and reading time and time again.

To start out, The Count of Monte Cristo is one of my favorite books of all time. This adaption to manga must have been a massive undertaking and I would just like to take the time to commend the art and the artist, With abridging something and plot heavy and long as the source material some risks are always taken, Personally i think the manga does a good job maintaining the main spirit and essence of the story. I think this is something that would be a pretty good jumping off point in getting someone who may not be interested in reading into literature.

The art is nice and I am always happy to explore a classic in a new form.  My one complaint is with formatting when I downloaded the book and opened it it starts immediately at the end of the book which took me a second to figure out that I needed to scroll to the "end" to actually start the book.

An old story, a style of our time
I first discovered this story in musical form, falling in love with the songs, the characters, and the plot. Now I got to experience way more details and elements of Dumas’ heritage, falling for this story once again. Although I do not count myself as a fan of manga (not anymore), I was highly intrigued by the opportunity to read this adaptation. The Count of Monte Christo is known to be a very long, detailed book, so I took the advantage of discovering it in a shorter, condensed version. Nevertheless, I had my pleasure with the many twists and characters the manga could, despite its decreased length, convey.

Reading through the notes on the production of this manga at the end of this book, one gets to know about some of the changes made to Alexandre Dumas’ novel. Still, I believe that this manga has caught the essence of the story and the main characters quite well. Although I seldomly appreciate this art style nowadays, I was intrigued by the Count’s detailed expressions and his handsomeness, as well. But he is not the only figure of the book that comes to life on these pages. Although condensed, the manga does not fail to convey many side stories, motivations, and faults of minor characters.

Experiencing the story in this way allowed me to discover the genius that is Alexandre Dumas without suffering through hundred and hundred of pages. I loved every twist and turn of his story that I read and saw in this manga. I was pleased by how the plot turned out and how one could, respectively, recognize many details in one single frame. Surprisingly, this manga is not only for lovers of this artisan genre, but also for admirers of the writing of classical authors like Dumas.

In conclusion
I fell in love with this story due to its highly simplified adaptation as a musical, but now discovered more and more details. Enjoying the many shades of the characters and the depth of the story itself was fully possible within this condensed version that did not omit the most shocking, surprising twists. I will surely pursue some more of these amazing adaptations that are the Manga Classics.

I always wanted to read some of the classic stories such as Les Miserables and The Count of Monte Christo - thinking that I would most likely really enjoy the stories but might not enjoy the classic writing style as much (and then having to commit to a heavy tome to get through it). When I saw there was a Manga adaptation I thought this must be the answer to my prayers - And. It. Is.

The adaptation is done so beautifully. Granted - I cannot really compare it with the original story since I have not read it but both Les Miserables and The Count of Monte Christo were so incredibly enjoyable that I am definitely considering giving the original books a try! I really think that there might be a lot of others that might give a classic a try if it is in Manga format! I am curious to read other peoples reviews who have read the original book to understand how it compares. I feel like with a Manga on so little pages (compared to the original) they must have left major events and background information out. I am not sure how much one would enjoy this Manga after reading the real deal. But I do think it might be the perfect entrance point into the story.

The art is beautiful and I would consider it to be enjoyable for manga enthusiasts as much as people who are new to the manga style and more of the typical western reader.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of the book in exchange for this honest review.

One thing I love about Manga Classics is they introduce me to classics that I’ve never read and give me enough of the story that I feel like I’ve got a handle on the basics. They also give me a better idea of whether I want to go ahead and read the novel or not. Then there’s the fact that they’re manga, a format I love more with each one I read.

I’ve picked up the general story of The Count of Monte Cristo over the years but couldn’t even tell you how. I haven’t read the book or watched the movie.

I think in this case it would have been helpful if I did know more about the story before I read the manga. There are so many characters that there’s a character relationship guide at the end of the story. Even with this, I was a bit lost at times. While I got the gist of the story, I’m sure I missed a lot. I am interested enough to try to tackle the book at some point.

I love manga illustrations. The characters are always expressive and I’m just a tad obsessed with doe eyes. This story is illustrated beautifully. I particularly liked the detail of the clothing and the backgrounds.

I’m definitely going to be reading more Manga Classics.

Thank you to NetGalley and UDON Entertainment for the opportunity to read this book.

Full disclosure, I have never read the original, not seen any of the movie adaptations or plays that exist. I understand that quite a lot was cut out from this version.

That said, I quite enjoyed it. There was no way I was going to make it through the full book for my book club, revenge stories are not my thing at all, but with this reading I think I can follow the discussion and even contribute some to the discussion. The story arcs and character development appeared to me to be conveyed in a meaningful way. There were no obvious gaps in the storytelling, although after learning that the original tells how the hero searches out the treasure, I do wish more of that part had been included here.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC

The Count of Monte Cristo is a classic that I've been meaning to read but have always been too intimidated to actually pick up, so when I saw this manga I immediately jumped on it! Surprisingly I realised I didn't really know the specifics of the story when I started reading it and since I haven't read the novel I also can't attest to how well the manga actually adopts the classic. I do however know that it's a fairly chunky text and I have no doubt that it has some very complex plot lines and in-depth character studies. Based on that, I think that the manga artists did an amazing job in condensing everything into a more simplified text. It took me a couple of hours to read this 400 page manga while I'm sure it'd probably take me one month+ to finish the original!

The story was perfectly illustrated! Sometimes I wish that manga was done in color because I would've loved to see what type of colour palette the artists would choose for the story. I definitely felt a darker more gothic tone to the story and I think the illustrations would've been made even more amazing with rich and dark reds.

I'm sure that there are probably big sections of the original story that were left out but I thought the story still flowed very well from the start. There were parts that initially confused me, especially where there were big time lapses between sections that introduced new characters, but my confusion didn't last long as everything was quickly explained. For the most part, I really couldn't stand many of the main characters in the story, especially the Count's enemies, but I think the story of revenge more than made up for it! I loved the Count of Monte Cristo's character. Even in manga form you can tell that he's such a complex character that has a lot of different layers to his personality and I continuously wanted more scenes with him (that's not to say he's not in many scenes because he's actually in 95% of them lol). I do enjoy a good morally grey character and the Count really delivered on that front. I don't know what it says about me, but it was surprisingly satisfying to see him exact revenge on the terrible individuals who saw to his unjust imprisonment for their own selfish interests, for over a decade.

One character that I wished we got to see more of was Haydée. The manga only shows glimpses of her, mostly about her past, but based on what happens with her character in the manga, I can tell that she must play a bigger role in the original text. Although she was a 'slave', she seemed like a strong and courageous character and I wished we got more of that from the women in the story. I couldn't get on board with the romance that ends the story. The Count's sudden turn around in his feelings for Haydée felt forced because in my opinion, the build up on their connection was missing.

Overall, I'm so glad that this book was adapted into a manga. I now feel like if I ever decide to read the full text of The Count of Monte Cristo I won't end up being as confused or intimidated. I'm definitely keen to check out more Manga Classics (I see they have Les Mis!) because this was such a fun and simple read! I would highly recommend checking out these mangas if you're intimidated by classics or would simply like to have a more fun way to consume them!

Thanks to NetGalley and Udon Entertainment for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"I have been heaven's substitute to reward the good. Now the god of vengeance yields to me his power to punish the wicked!" 

Edmond Dantès, later the Count of Monte Cristo, is a morally grey character bent on repaying those who had shown him kindness in the past, while exacting his revenge on those who wronged him.

One of the original revenge stories that inspired so many after it. This manga adaptation was fun to read as it smartly streamlined the story, retaining the most important plot points. There are of course many things that were left out from the original book, but you'll get the gist of the story from reading this manga—and maybe even decide to venture out and read the classic novel.

But being streamlined has its limitations at certain times: character reactions can be so sudden they can cause whiplash, a lot of events happen off-page, and then those that do occur on-page run the risk of being rushed through. Nevertheless, the Manga Classics version is a great alternative if you feel like experiencing this highly addictive story in a matter of hours.

For the most part, the language used felt appropriate for when the original story was written, but there was an odd mix ranging from the archaic (example: “I thank thee”) to the colloquial terms of nowadays (example: "Hoping she would still be single"). While not a deal breaker, it is noticeable and has the potential to pull you out of the story momentarily.

The art was very well-done! Crisp lines and every character was distinguishable from the next.

There's a reason why this story has stood the test of time and has inspired so many revenge stories; it's so complex and unravels in such a satisfying way. I would definitely recommend the Manga Classic version of The Count of Monte Cristo to longtime fans, as well as to those new to the story.