Manga Classics: The Scarlet Letter by Crystal S. Chan, 308 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL
Udon Entertainment, 2015. $20.
Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISALBE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
As punishment for committing adultery, Hester must now wear a red “A” for the rest of her life. With her poor treatment from the townspeople for her sin and her lover staying hidden, Hester’s daughter is all that she has left -- but will they ever have a happily ever after?
I was intrigued by the idea of a manga version of this classic book, but I was also hesitant to pick it up because I hated this book in high school. However, as I read this adaptation, I discovered that I was engaged by the story and that I love Hester’s character, the epitome of strength. Being able to actually understand the story in a way that I didn’t when reading Hawthorne’s original planted the desire to go back and read the full classic again. I want to know the details that had to be left out, and I want to gain greater insights into the characters I have been reintroduced to. Hawthorne’s story deserved redemption from the poor first impression it left on me, and anyone who struggles with the original -- and even those who loved the original -- will find that Chan’s adaptation is a great supplement to the classic.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

*received from netgalley for honest review * I really love these classic mangas! tbh never really cared much for this as a book but I did enjoy this so 5 stars.

I am a huge fan of Hawthorne's classic book, The Scarlet Letter. The writing is beautiful, quiet and nuanced. The story is smart. But what really sets it apart is the strength, hope and resilience found in Hester Prynne. So, finding this Manga comic was an intriguing thing for me. It could be wonderful, or it could detract from a book I already love.

The artwork is sweet, intricate and lovely. I really like the baby/girl Pearl. I find her features to be childlike and pretty. She looks sweet and innocent. And the costuming is spot on, with each of the characters dressed in puritan clothing. My only complaint is that the Manga style of drawing hair and facial features looks a bit too modern for the time of the book.

These books are a unique and wonderful way to introduce young (or new) readers to the classic stories in literature. This is the third one I have read and reviewed and I have enjoyed all of them.

Thank you to Netgalley, UDON publishers and Stacy King for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Received a digital ARC of this book via NetGalley.

The classic The Scarlet Letter reimagined in a manga style. Good for the reluctant readers and teens.

I have only ever watched a movie adaptation of The Scarlet Letter but experiencing the books a graphic novel for the first time was great ! The art is beautiful and very well adapted !

I was pretty sleepy when I started this one and just intended to read 20 or so pages or a designated single chapter and put it aside. Turned out I was enthralled enough to finish the whole thing in one sitting.

In order to express why I loved this one so much, it would probably be beneficial to reveal some of my subjective and very favorite components of fiction, all of which this story and adaptation happens to have in spades.

- A dark, thick atmosphere.
- Characters who are harshly challenged by the plot in some way.
- Psychologically complex and puzzling characters.
- A brisk, focused, and consistent pace.
- A sinister yet thought-provoking tone. Not just grim for the sake of it.
- Messaging that is critical of injustices.

There are a lot more things I like but that is just a short list of what is very present in The Scarlet Letter and extraordinarily well adapted here. One thing of note though, forbidden romance is mentioned in the synopsis. I really did not sense any romance whatsoever here, nor affection between the main couple. The whole matter of them even getting together seemed mysteriously inexplicable. Just in case anyone may be expecting a touch of romance, that’s not the aim of the story or characterization here.

The main thing I focus on with Manga Classics is the art style and adaptation qualities.

The art is by SunNeko Lee who was also responsible for the art in Les Miserables, which I’d heaped considerable praise on for its art. The Scarlet Letter is one year newer and noticeably even better when it comes to finely detailed art style.

There is a lot more shading, characters are of a slightly more realistic proportion, and their expressiveness (both facial and the overall vibe of each character) is more distinctive. There are few characters though so that was probably easy to accomplish. The backdrops have lovely little details.

I was most impressed with the marked strength and dignity of Hester and how this was expressed both in text and in her facial expressions. Her child, Pearl, is the cutest thing imaginable but also has an eerie, pixie-like quality. It’s mentioned in the end notes that the artist strived to make her eyes unique to embody how the text mentions her eyes looking different from ordinary people. Long story short, I love the art, it’s carefully thought out and nice to look at.

Now the final thing I want to cover and perhaps the most important- the original novel, The Scarlet Letter. I've heard several times before that it's a pretty boring read that is styled in a way that's not flowing or easy to read.
I’ve read multiple reviews before (perhaps more than five, from varying sources) that bring up (paraphrasing) how it’s unfortunate for this book to be taught in high schools as there are so many more appealing and readable classics that could be chosen. By comparison, The Scarlet Letter could dissuade young people from reading.

I haven’t read The Scarlet Letter myself, but just from all I’ve heard, it’s amazing how appealing this adaptation is. Perhaps simplifying the core of the storyline and characterization may have played a big role in that, but I do have a bit of an interest in seeking out the classical novel now after reading this.

In closing,

Why You Should Try It – A darkly atmospheric tale with odd and distinctive characters. Without familiarity of the original novel, there were several tense moments where I wasn’t sure what to expect. The art is lovely and went far in getting me to feel for the cast, especially the adorable and precocious Pearl. The original book has a wide reputation for being one of the less exciting classics, so the fact that I was glued to the pages of this adaptation is really special.

Why You Might Not Like It – That aforementioned dark atmosphere lends a grim sadness to the overall tone of the story. Some of the behavior of the characters can be hard to fathom without a larger understanding of the setting and cultural norms of the time. The art style is not for everyone.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Udon Entertainment for providing this e-Arc to me for the purpose of review.

I'll be honest, I'm not a huge fan of the original novel. I read it a few years ago and I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. I was however pleasantly surprised by how much I ended up enjoying this manga adaptation. Perhaps I ended up enjoying this more than the novel because the illustrations helped make the story a bit more vivid. It sure helps to have everything illustrated, as it helps clear up the more confusing aspects of the book and it gives a bit more life to some of the driest parts of the novel. I think that people who are struggling to get through the novel, like for class for instance, might find the manga easier to follow.

The Scarlet Letter has always been one of my favorite classics, and I was excited to see this manga edition! They did a good job adapting it to the medium, and I will be recommending it as a read along for newbies to Hawthorne.

Beautiful art, and the manga stayed very accurate to the original book. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and would recommend it to a friend. I might even consider buying myself a physical copy.

This was great and quick read. I love the blurbs from the author and the sketches that were made to develop this manga. So if you want a classic in art form, this is your best bet! Overall, great read. No Spoilers here!

A very interesting and beautiful way to read classic stories! I l enjoyed The Scarlett Letter as a book but loved it even more as Manga.

Can't wait to read the rest of the Manga classic series!

Such a good graphic novel! It’s been so long since I’ve read this book and I actually tried to reread it again. I couldn’t get into it, but reading this made me fall in love with it all over again!

My favourite classic 'The Scarlet Letter' in the famous Japanese Manga comic format. Beautiful illustrations and word bubbles precisely convey the story of suffering of Hester Prynne & her illegitimate child, Pearl for punishment of adultery in the Puritan era. If you are a beginner in classics or you don't want to read the original unabridged editions but still you want to know about the classic story, this one's the perfect pick for you. Once you are used to reading in the Manga style, it's easy-to-follow. Don't miss out reading your favourite classics in their Manga style.

Hester Prynne lives in a Puritan Massachusetts colony in the 1600s. Her baby girl tells the world of her sins and she is judged. Since she won’t tell them who the father is, she must bear the pain alone. Her punishment in the colony is to wear a scarlet letter A on her chest forever. Could her long lost husband really be there? Can he figure out who the father is? Can Hester take care of herself and her daughter?
In this version of the Scarlett Letter readers will be introduced to the heart of the story, at an easy to read level. The original story is told in it’s true form. This is a great version to use as scaffolding for introductions, ELL students, or other readers. The drawings are beautifully done and enhance the overall feeling of the story. The flow of reading Manga is clearly explained in the beginning. And, this explanation makes the Manga easy to follow and read for those who are unfamiliar with the format. The end of the book contains notes to help readers to understand applicable literary elements. *Review copy provided by NetGalley, UDON Entertainment, and Morpheus Publishing.

Let’s start with I’ve never read the original Scarlet Letter (I pretended to in high school but that doesn’t count). I really enjoyed the manga adaption! I’m just going to assume it went along with the original well enough. I don’t think I would read the original but I’m super glad I read the manga. The art was great. The artist gave these creepy vibes to Pearl and one of the witches from the town and I just ate it up.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is the first classic I’ve read as manga. I think it really makes the sometimes heavy content of classics accessible and brings them to life in new ways with the visuals and drawings. These drawings are lovely. There are always some details lost when turning a novel in to a graphic style and some of the deeper description is missing.

This is probably the best way to read classics. Sometimes the originals are so hard to get through, but this makes it easy. I've never read The Scarlet Letter and the manga gives enough detail and story that I don't feel like I need to read it. I liked that even though all of the manga classics are in black and white, the "A" was made red.

This was really my first manga book. My 13 year old son also read it. Having read The Scarlet Letter, and not having read much manga, I think I would've liked more detail, but I did enjoy the book. I liked the artwork and the "instructions for reading" at the beginning. My son also liked it, but I don't think he got the full impact of the original story from this version.

The Scarlet Letter in manga? Oh-my-God sign me up, immediately! This is yet another graphic novel I desperately need in my classroom. What I love about this even more is that it’s a manga, which most of my students love to read. Seriously, what a great way to bring back the classics to the young audience! I was thrilled that there was a guide to reading this because I do not expose myself to a lot of manga text and had trouble starting with the novel. I also love the fact that the only color present was red in the letter A, which not only emphasizes the symbolism, but also allows the younger audience to clearly see the complexity of the plot revolving around the letter. This is a definite addition to my classroom.

Thank you NetGalley and Manga Classics for this eARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I received this from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this. I have always loved this story in any format, so when I seen it in Manga format, I knew I had to give this a read. The Scarlet Letter has always been one of my favorite stories. My heart was always heavy for those that are betrayed in certain lights. This story shares strong views and I think this is a great way to reach younger adults since most may not read a book but love Manga. Way to go to the author for this. And the art work in this was amazing. I will always love to read about this story.