This is the second book of the Manga Classics that I have read and again, I loved how the artwork told the story in a simpler format, for someone like me who isn't familiar with The Scarlet Letter. The art was gorgeous and really helped to bring the story to life.

Having read the SL multiple times in my school career, it was refreshing to see a different approach to this classic novel. The art, as in the other manga adaptations of classical literature, added life to the characters, particularly Hester. I never thought I'd ever see a manga version of this book, and it actually made the book much more enjoyable. The more modern English text used also helped, yet it did still keep with the spirit of being from the past. Definitely will use this version of the book to get my future high school students into classic American literature!

I am truly grateful to get this from Net Galley as an exchange for honest review.
I would highlight that Classic is not really my genre, it's a bit hard for me to understand the sentences as English is not my first language too. Therefore, when I thought that it would be made into manga, I was thrilled, hoping it would help me to understand the story better .

The Scarlet Letter told a story of <b>a sin</b> acted by Hester Prynne. In this world, it's adultery or cheating, I suppose it's called. In that time, 17th century, if I recalled, Hester was deemed to be punished because of this sin and was asked to tell her partner, but refused to do so.

I would start with what I liked about this manga, I love the drawing especially for Hester and the little Pearl, Hester's daughter. It's the typical manga drawing that you would find interesting and I love it. It also captured well of the hypocrisy of the villagers who deemed her guilty, that made me just wanted to shut them off for being so. Another one is the way Hester's character was portrayed there. Instead of feeling sad, she's shown to be determined and strong, making her a like-able character.

However, I have to admit that time passes and as much as this is a manga, it would be logical to make her character growing older. If anyone, Hester's so-called husband was the only one who seemed to be lost in time. Hester still looked so young and lovable. I know it's a manga, but I believe that even in real world and that time, a stay young beauty product hasn't been introduced yet, or maybe it does? Oh well.

Secondly, the way the minister keeps holding his hand is quite obvious, like I know he's hiding something, especially since the beginning. I do not understand why. In addition, there is not much explanation about Pearls' bizarre behavior. She seemed quite peculiar, to be honest.

And lastly, I believe this story was supposed to be told by another character who suddenly found about The Scarlet Letter, but then there was not much about him that made me feel like he's supposed to be the one who was supposed to be telling it. Usually I love a POV like that, when a present person told an old story with some hidden mysteries.

Alas, I still enjoy this story and I believe the manga still delivers it purposes about the Novel. Oh, just an advice! Make sure to read it from right to left, this is a manga after all....

In my continuing quest to read more classics (and by 'read more classics' I mean 'read more manga classics because time is finite') I requested a review copy of The Scarlet Letter from Netgalley. I previously read (and reviewed!) their edition of Jane Eyre. Because this is a remake of a classic book (not an original story) my review is not going to focus on the plot itself.

Just like with Jane Eyre, I was more than impressed by the art style (manga is adorable, okay?) and although I'm not terribly familiar with The Scarlet Letter, it seemed to stay true to what I know of the story (tl;dr Puritans suck). The fact that the red "A" that she is forced to wear is the only splash of color in an otherwise black and white book only furthered the impact that it had on me as a reader and it's an amazing artistic decision. This was a fairly quick read, as most Manga is, but that doesn't mean that they skimped on the storytelling.

Manga Classics have versions of tons of famous books, from Shakespeare to Mark Twain (I absolutely have to get my hands on their version of The Count of Monte Cristo, which is one of my favorite books of all time). 

This is a great book for people who want to read more classics, (like myself), but who just can't find the time or energy to wade through all of them. The art style is simple and charming (black and white, as is the case with most manga), and really brings to light the characters. I'm definitely planning on reading more of their work in the future (I already have Sense and Sensibility downloaded, thanks to Netgalley!) and I hope I enjoy it as much as I enjoyed this one!!!

Interesting to see this classic piece of literature turned into a manga... interesting, yet very strange at the same time... I'm not 100% sure that it necessarily WORKS as a manga, but it's still a very interesting way to tell the story.

I love these Manga retellings of famous classics.

This one is no exception! I loved the artwork, and the story is well told and easy to follow.

THIS IS AN AWESOME ADAPTATION! Reading a classic novel in Manga style is purely entertaining. I'm sure modern readers and Manga lovers will love it. The drawings are beautiful which make every scene easier to visualize. Also, it includes important scenes, and thre dialogues are light and easy to grasp compared to the original book. I would love to read more other classics in this format!

This manga version did an excellent job in translating the classic novel that some may have a hard time getting into. Of course, I can’t compare it to the novel as I haven’t read it yet, but upon reading this version, I became curious and maybe one day will decide to pick it up. The artworks are beautiful which made the somewhat serious plot interesting and enjoyable to read. Because of the format, the story is much easier to understand not to mention reading it is a breeze. It is surely a great way to get kids and adults alike into reading classics. Despite the length, though, the manga version still managed to capture the essence of the story, if a little too dramatic, which is definitely a plus. The symbolism is nicely interpreted which goes to show how much depth the story has. Overall, a good read and a satisfying adaptation.

I wasn't very excited reading this. It lost a lot of the charm that the original story had for me. Things were odd and choppy and felt out of place. I know the story so I wasn't lost exactly, but I kept having to look away and just "What?' I think my biggest problem is it felt silly, it was a silly story.

And maybe a manga wasn't the best course for telling the actual story. It is a lot about being in the dark and getting the answers at the end. But in a manga we have to see the actual things, we have to be lead along in the open. Overall, I would just recommend the actual story.

I was so excited to get the The opportunity to review this wonderful classic. I remember the day we received our personal copy in literature class, once started, I was obsessed! I love the emotion portrayed and of course it is beautifully drawn. Thank you for the opportunity to reas for a fair review.

Very good touching and inspiring manga. This manga was about the original story of the scarlet letter with a manga twist to it. I really enjoyed reading this and I feel that others would too. The story follows Hester and her daughter Pearl and everything Hester did after she committed an ultimate sin. She took that sin upon herself and herself alone instead of making the other person suffer with her. Hester has to keep many secrets and be subjected to the heckles of the townspeople all while trying to be a wonderful mother to her daughter and not let her daughter know what the letter on her chest means. The story was wonderfully written and the pictures were drawn beautifully. Great manga,

I was pleasantly surprised at how well this spanned the original story. I really liked the art and the color schemes used. I will buy it for the library where I work.

I discovered Manga Classics with their adaptation of The Scarlet Letter and was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed it. I love so many classics, and The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is one of them. Set in Puritan times in the Colonial America, Hester Prynne is forced to wear a scarlet letter A on her chest after she gives birth to an illegitimate child. Hawthorne’s novel is a real insight into how dark, depressing, judgmental, and ugly humans can be, but also strong and empowering. It’s a beautiful novel, and this adaptation in manga form is really cool!

Adapted by Crystal S. Chan with artwork by SunNeko Lee, this version of The Scarlet Letter follows traditional manga format, and is all in black and white apart from Hester’s scarlet letter which is in red. The adaptation is faithful to the original, the artwork is beautiful, and it was a pleasure to read the story. I think it would be a great idea for kids to read this type of adaptation side by side with the original work as it’s a great way to look at the classic in a different light. I’m going to have to check out some more of these now… Austen and Dickens anyone??

Check out Manga Classics extensive collection right here.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the copy!

This book is a great option for those that are interested in classics but with a new format and twist. I was not a huge fan of the Scarlet Letter growing up; however, I found that this new and improved format is a better way to understand and appreciate a classic. It reminded me of the artistic style of manga which I am a huge fan of. If you are looking for a new and interesting way to read a classic then I would highly recommend this book.

It was enjoyable but seemed to play up the "pretty" side of the story more than retelling the story itself.

I was auto-approved by the publisher Udon Entertainment through NetGalley to review this title.
Truth be told, I was never able to get into the story <i>The Scarlet Letter</i>; I started the book about 10 years ago, but quickly lost interest. I even tried watching a movie version, but again lost interest.
Having said that, I did make it through this version of the story and I even enjoyed it. The art work was great. The story itself will never be one that I favour, but at least this time I was able to get a good overview of the classic story.
Overall, this was my second manga comic in the Manga Classic series and I’m looking forward reading other installments in this series. I would recommend it to anyone, who enjoys comics and retellings of classics.

Once again, Manga Classics does not disappoint with their adaptation of Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel, The Scarlet Letter. In Puritan New England, Hester Prynne has been charged with the crime of adultery after giving birth to an illegitimate daughter. Her entire town has shunned her, and forced her to wear a large scarlet letter "A" for "adulteress." In spite of being publically humiliated by her community, Hester refuses to denounce the father of her child.
When I first read the novel, The Scarlet Letter, I felt most sympathetic for Hester out of all the characters in the novel. Somehow, after reading the manga, my view of Arthur Dimmesdale has changed. Hester is portrayed as a strong woman who tries to become a respectable member of her community in spite of being shunned and rejected at every turn. Eventually, she even thrives on her service to others as her penitence. Arthur Dimmesdale, in contrast, knows no peace and lives in the fear of being exposed for his crimes. Even though he is a valued member of his community as a religious leader, he cannot see a positive outcome for his future. In the manga, you can feel Arthur's melancholy and torment in the way he is drawn.
The Scarlet Letter converts very well into a manga format for its heavy reliance on symbolism. The manga presents these symbols visually, and the effects are stunning. The illustrations really provided great depth into the psyche of each character. For instance, I found it fascinating how Roger Chillingworth slowly began to look more serpentine as the manga progressed.
I would recommend Manga Classics' The Scarlet Letter to those who have and haven't read the original novel. As with all Manga Classics, the manga version is a compliment, or a nod to the original. The faithfulness to the original novel is always executed perfectly with an attention to detail I would not have believed possible in a manga.

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne was adapted into a manga by SunNeko Lee, Crystal S Chan and Stacy King. I had read the novel in high school so to refresh my memory I read the manga. I enjoyed the illustrations and the format of the story because it gives new readers a good basic of the story itself. The characters of Hester, her child Pearl, the good reverend and her old husband comes to life and I understood the story more than I could in high school. It tells the story of a woman who had an affair from when her husband was away and how she had to wear a letter A for adultery and how her life was like afterwards. The manga makes the children understand the story easier and would want to get into the classics when they are older. I recommend it for any library.

Nathaniel Hawthorne's tragic saga of Puritan America, "The Scarlet Letter" has always been intriguing tale in which for some people the book is outright boring and for others is a masterpiece. While the Magna edition faithfully adapted the story, the illustrations (though very beautiful) made most of the characters look very young.

In saying that I thoroughly enjoyed it!


An eARC of this comic was provided by Udon Entertainment via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.