Well done - love these reproductions of classic titles.

This review was originally published on NetGalley.

I’m not a fan romantic tragedies but Les Misérables is a classic that needs to be read at least once for the people that studied literature, which was my case. I read it during my bachelor degree and I didn’t like at all, it was a long, boring read. Still, in the end, I was able to appreciate the magnificent style of one of Victor Hugo’s finest works.

Like all the manga classics I’ve read so far edited by Stacy King, I wasn’t disappointed and I was actually able to like the story of Les Misérables.

The story is well known if not for the play, for the films. The 19th century tale, centres on Jean Valjean a peasant released from the galleys after 19 years of imprisonment and his path to become a wealthy man and a better person. It’s a story about unconditional love, tragedy, second-chances and redemption.

The manga adaptation has a length of 350 pages and the original story is very well adapted just like all the previous ones. For someone that wants to know the story of Les Misérables, I definitely recommend this adaptation. The drawings match perfectly the dark atmosphere of 19th century France with the coldness and cruel reality of the period but also the light that comes with hope and redemption. All the emotions of the original novel are there and for me it was even more emotional since it’s not just descriptions but illustrations as well.

A moving story that shows the dark parts of French society for those that weren’t born with privileges and that suffered the injustice of society and life. Valjean that was arrested for 19 years for stealing bread to feed his family; Fancine, abandoned by the man she loved to face the judgement of society for having an illegitimate child, only to die after a battle that she could never win.

A beautiful classic adaptation of a classic made simple with all the emotions of its original. I highly recommend it!

Disclaimer: While I've seen Les Mis on stage and watched the movie, I've never actually read the book before, so I cannot make any claims as to how much has been changed for this Manga adaption.

That said, I was glad that I knew the story in advance, as I fear there were some aspects I wouldn't have gotten otherwise. Out of necessity the adaption was rather abridged, and some things were left unexplained.

I still really enjoyed it though, and was pleased to finally get my hands on the "source material" to one of the greatest stories in musical history. The drawings were clear and very pretty, and without the sudden change to more doll-like figures that I've often seen in other mangas. I appreciated that deviation from the norm.

What a beautiful story...it breaks my heart every time I experience it, be it on stage, on tv or in a book. This is a wonderful translation of the Les Misérables . The artwork is gorgeous, and the story holds very true to the storyline of this script. When you settle down to read it, just don't forget to grab the tissues!

I remember reading this book years ago and being overwhelmed by language, size and a history I knew nothing about before giving up. This manga has made it a million times more accessible to me and has encouraged me to find the novel and give it another go. I hope it does the same to other readers.