Status
Available
Call number
Call number
GN Haw
Series
Collection
Publication
Udon Entertainment (2015), 308 pages
Description
A powerful tale of forbidden love, shame, and revenge comes to life in Manga Classics: The Scarlet Letter. Faithfully adapted by Crystal Chan from the original novel, this new edition features stunning artwork by SunNeko Lee (Manga Classics: Les Miserables) which will give old and new readers alike a fresh insight into the Nathaniel Hawthorne's tragic saga of Puritan America.
Original publication date
2015-04-02
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User reviews
LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
Honestly I haven't read the book but the trope is well known. This is the story of a woman who has a child out of wedlock in puritan America and who refuses to tell who the father is. She brings up the child under the glares of the town, dealing with their prejudice with kindness.
I enjoyed it.
I enjoyed it.
LibraryThing member LibStaff2
3.75 Stars
I enjoyed the Pride and Prejudice Manga version from the same series, so I thought I'd give this variation of The Scarlet Letter a chance. I read the novel in school (it was required reading) and I never really cared for it. Reading it in another format made a huge difference! The tone,
The Scarlet Letter, redeemed.
Net Galley Feedback
I enjoyed the Pride and Prejudice Manga version from the same series, so I thought I'd give this variation of The Scarlet Letter a chance. I read the novel in school (it was required reading) and I never really cared for it. Reading it in another format made a huge difference! The tone,
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the themes, and artwork successfully reproduce the story, but without demanding large amounts of time to finish it. I felt much more sympathy for some of the characters (the minister) than I did reading it all those years ago. A good interpretation for those readers who love adaptations or who want to give a second chance to those classics that didn't quite make the cut the first time around. The Scarlet Letter, redeemed.
Net Galley Feedback
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LibraryThing member Beammey
5/5 stars as with the other mangas in this series. I absolutely loved it. This is the one where I hadn't read the original (I don't think??) so I didn't know what was going to happen and I loved it. I loved it, I loved it. Amazing story, GORGEOUS artwork. You guys have a real piece of art here and
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I'd read it over and over again if I had the physical copy. Great job. Show Less
LibraryThing member lesindy
I never read the Scarlet Letter before, and this manga adaptation is excellent. Hester is such a martyr! I actually shouted at my PC while I was reading the manga, "Just tell them who the baby daddy is!" Beautiful illustrations, Manga Classics are high quality. This was a great manga, and I really
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connected with Pearl, she was wild and did her own thing. Show Less
LibraryThing member gbraden
Its funny, but I first read the (non-graphic) book a couple of years ago, not in High School, but it was a free title for my Kindle. I really don’t remember if I wrote a review or not. It’s a classic, so who am I to critic the written words of Nathaniel Hawthorne.
So when I walk about ‘The
I thank the publisher for allowing me to have a copy of this book, to be able to read this classic illustrated as it were. and put together. While I would recommend non-graphic books over graphic novels, this is a solution to those students who are lacking in desire and/or ability consume the written word but know what would be missing if not introduced to classic novels in this artful medium.
So when I walk about ‘The
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Scarlet Letter’ graphical novel, I am writing about what I think of the presentation and artwork. Great stuff here, pat yourself on the back! I know lots of artists drawing Anima and are quite good. I am an artist, but never drew one anima. I have never attempted to illustrate a great book as a comic/graphic novel. I admire the skill, the ability to draw the same characters over and over again, in different poses. I admire how what is seen in one’s mind while reading ‘The Scarlet Letter’ is reproduced on paper and in ink, consistently following the novel and staying true to what Hawthorne wrote.I thank the publisher for allowing me to have a copy of this book, to be able to read this classic illustrated as it were. and put together. While I would recommend non-graphic books over graphic novels, this is a solution to those students who are lacking in desire and/or ability consume the written word but know what would be missing if not introduced to classic novels in this artful medium.
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LibraryThing member Carlathelibrarian
What a great way to introduce kids, teens etc. to a classic story. This graphic novel sticks pretty close to the original story. Hester Pryn gives birth to a beautiful baby girl, the problem is that she is not married to the father of the child and she will not give the name of the father. She
I received a copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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actually ends up in prison with her daughter, Pearl and must wear the scarlet "A" on her chest for the rest of her days. It is easy to figure out who the father is and why she will not reveal the name. The illustrations are wonderful and in the true manga style. A book that should be in every school library to introduce older youth and teens to these classics. Who knows, they might search out the original after reading this.I received a copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member sedelia
*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.*
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5
I was first interested in this book, because I’m starting to branch out to reading more manga and I wanted to see how a classic story like The Scarlet Letter would
Its strength really lies in how the novel is written in the first place. Hawthorne is someone who likes to be wordy and include a lot of description that is able to simply be shown in the drawings — no need to worry about five pages of foliage, when the foliage is right there in the pictures; it cuts down a lot on the slog and lets the reader focus on the story and characters in general. For people who don’t find Hawthorne’s style to be engaging, but who might like this overall story, reading Manga Classics would be a great way for them to be introduced to this story.
I can also see this as an amazing addition in the classroom, since it can be used as a tool for lower-level readers or those who have a problem with reading a lot of words stay engaged with the story and be able to participate in overall discussions on theme, characters, etc. It can also be used in a lesson where students can compare different story-telling formats and analyze the differences of manga versus prose. What are the strengths and weaknesses of each? Which do they personally prefer? Tons of possible lessons if you introduce a book like this to your classroom.
The Manga Classics version of The Scarlet Letter is a great read and definitely something to check out if you have a struggling reader who wants a bit of help getting through the story, or even if you just want to experience this story in a new format. Very well done — I recommend it.
Originally posted on Going on to the Next.
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5
I was first interested in this book, because I’m starting to branch out to reading more manga and I wanted to see how a classic story like The Scarlet Letter would
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translate to a manga. Overall, I think it’s a huge success. The story itself stays true to the original and the overall main points are still hit, which was a concern of mine when I started it. The pictures are beautifully done, and while I think there were a few too many panels of the priest “clutching his chest,” overall, it works out to be a quick read for a classic, captivating story.Its strength really lies in how the novel is written in the first place. Hawthorne is someone who likes to be wordy and include a lot of description that is able to simply be shown in the drawings — no need to worry about five pages of foliage, when the foliage is right there in the pictures; it cuts down a lot on the slog and lets the reader focus on the story and characters in general. For people who don’t find Hawthorne’s style to be engaging, but who might like this overall story, reading Manga Classics would be a great way for them to be introduced to this story.
I can also see this as an amazing addition in the classroom, since it can be used as a tool for lower-level readers or those who have a problem with reading a lot of words stay engaged with the story and be able to participate in overall discussions on theme, characters, etc. It can also be used in a lesson where students can compare different story-telling formats and analyze the differences of manga versus prose. What are the strengths and weaknesses of each? Which do they personally prefer? Tons of possible lessons if you introduce a book like this to your classroom.
The Manga Classics version of The Scarlet Letter is a great read and definitely something to check out if you have a struggling reader who wants a bit of help getting through the story, or even if you just want to experience this story in a new format. Very well done — I recommend it.
Originally posted on Going on to the Next.
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LibraryThing member Vanessa_Menezes
Thanks to NetGalley and Udon Entertainment for a free copy for an honest opinion.
First of all I haven't read the original classic on which this manga is based so I cant tell which is better but I honestly loved this manga!!
It was a quick read but the art and the characters very so good that it
First of all I haven't read the original classic on which this manga is based so I cant tell which is better but I honestly loved this manga!!
It was a quick read but the art and the characters very so good that it
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conveyed all the emotions very well.. Highly recommend everyone read this book. Show Less
LibraryThing member Familiar_Diversions
I'll start this by saying that I've never read the original and have no plans to change that.
This is framed as a story discovered by Nathaniel Hawthorne when he worked as a custom officer. Hester Prynne has been jailed by her Puritan community for the crime of adultery. She was married at a young
As she looks upon the crowd, she's shocked to see her husband. After assuming a new name, Roger Chillingworth, he begins his plan to find and torment the father of Hester's child. Meanwhile, Hester spends the next few years raising Pearl and being so unrelentingly helpful, pure, and good that the townspeople gradually begin to see her with new eyes, even as Hester worries that her sin has somehow affected her daughter.
This is the second Manga Classics volume I've read. The first was Jane Eyre, which I've actually read before, so I could write about not only the content, but also the way Chan approached adapting the original story to the manga format. Overall, I really liked it even though I had issues with the original story and some of those issues carried over to the adaptation.
However, like I said, I haven't read The Scarlet Letter. I can't really comment on Chan's adaptation decisions, beyond what she wrote in her notes at the end of the volume. From the sounds of things, many of the things I disliked about this manga, like the odd and unnatural dialogue, were features of the original story - not much Chan could do about that and still stick to the original as faithfully as possible.
Pearl was a very creepy child, to the point where I found myself worrying about what might happen to Hester and others if they stayed around her. While Hester had concerns about what Pearl's origins might have done to her, she didn't seem at all worried about living what seemed to me to be an often inhuman creature. Seriously, Pearl got down on all fours and practically snarled at one point.
Overall, I really liked the artwork. It was attractive, clear, and easy to follow, and I thought the decision to print the scarlet A in red was good. The one thing that annoyed me, which turned out to be part of Chan's adaptation choices, was the way the mystery of whatever was on Hester's lover's chest was handled. The first time a character witnessed it, it was clear from their reaction that it was terrible, but readers didn't actually get to see anything. Considering that the volume wasn't shy about revealing that Hester's lover was a secret flagellant, I figured he had probably harmed himself, likely marking an A right into the flesh of his chest.
It would have made for a horrifying final visual, especially if it had been printed in red the same as Hester's A, but when the time came and the entire town witnessed it, the artwork was once again arranged so that readers saw nothing. It was frustrating and felt oddly like the artist was working around censorship rules. In the adaptation notes at the end, Chan explained that in the original novel, the nature and existence of that character's scarlet letter was left up to the reader, so she and the artist tried to do something similar by never actually showing the character's chest. However, it was so clear from other characters' reactions that something was there that, in the end, I just found it frustrating.
The story wasn't really to my taste, and I have no intention of reading the original. Still, I really like what I've read of the Manga Classics series so far, and I plan to read more of them. I love that they include detailed notes about adaptation choices at the end, and it seems like a great deal of effort is made to stick to the spirit and intentions of the original works while taking advantage of some of the options that a more visual format provides. I think comparing the original to the adaptation choices made for the manga could lead to fun group discussions (by which I mean "don't be afraid if students want to read these, it could make for excellent teaching opportunities").
Extras:
A couple full-color pages, three pages of adaptation notes (metaphors, background characters, the tapestry of King David, the "Man in Black," and the dialogue), a comic-style afterword by SunNeko Lee, and a couple pages of character design sketches.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
This is framed as a story discovered by Nathaniel Hawthorne when he worked as a custom officer. Hester Prynne has been jailed by her Puritan community for the crime of adultery. She was married at a young
Show More
age to an elderly scholar who sent her to Boston two years ago, alone, and there's no denying that her infant daughter, Pearl, has to be some other man's child. However, she refuses to name him, so she stands alone with her mark of shame, a scarlet letter A on her chest.As she looks upon the crowd, she's shocked to see her husband. After assuming a new name, Roger Chillingworth, he begins his plan to find and torment the father of Hester's child. Meanwhile, Hester spends the next few years raising Pearl and being so unrelentingly helpful, pure, and good that the townspeople gradually begin to see her with new eyes, even as Hester worries that her sin has somehow affected her daughter.
This is the second Manga Classics volume I've read. The first was Jane Eyre, which I've actually read before, so I could write about not only the content, but also the way Chan approached adapting the original story to the manga format. Overall, I really liked it even though I had issues with the original story and some of those issues carried over to the adaptation.
However, like I said, I haven't read The Scarlet Letter. I can't really comment on Chan's adaptation decisions, beyond what she wrote in her notes at the end of the volume. From the sounds of things, many of the things I disliked about this manga, like the odd and unnatural dialogue, were features of the original story - not much Chan could do about that and still stick to the original as faithfully as possible.
Pearl was a very creepy child, to the point where I found myself worrying about what might happen to Hester and others if they stayed around her. While Hester had concerns about what Pearl's origins might have done to her, she didn't seem at all worried about living what seemed to me to be an often inhuman creature. Seriously, Pearl got down on all fours and practically snarled at one point.
Overall, I really liked the artwork. It was attractive, clear, and easy to follow, and I thought the decision to print the scarlet A in red was good. The one thing that annoyed me, which turned out to be part of Chan's adaptation choices, was the way the mystery of whatever was on Hester's lover's chest was handled. The first time a character witnessed it, it was clear from their reaction that it was terrible, but readers didn't actually get to see anything. Considering that the volume wasn't shy about revealing that Hester's lover was a secret flagellant, I figured he had probably harmed himself, likely marking an A right into the flesh of his chest.
It would have made for a horrifying final visual, especially if it had been printed in red the same as Hester's A, but when the time came and the entire town witnessed it, the artwork was once again arranged so that readers saw nothing. It was frustrating and felt oddly like the artist was working around censorship rules. In the adaptation notes at the end, Chan explained that in the original novel, the nature and existence of that character's scarlet letter was left up to the reader, so she and the artist tried to do something similar by never actually showing the character's chest. However, it was so clear from other characters' reactions that something was there that, in the end, I just found it frustrating.
The story wasn't really to my taste, and I have no intention of reading the original. Still, I really like what I've read of the Manga Classics series so far, and I plan to read more of them. I love that they include detailed notes about adaptation choices at the end, and it seems like a great deal of effort is made to stick to the spirit and intentions of the original works while taking advantage of some of the options that a more visual format provides. I think comparing the original to the adaptation choices made for the manga could lead to fun group discussions (by which I mean "don't be afraid if students want to read these, it could make for excellent teaching opportunities").
Extras:
A couple full-color pages, three pages of adaptation notes (metaphors, background characters, the tapestry of King David, the "Man in Black," and the dialogue), a comic-style afterword by SunNeko Lee, and a couple pages of character design sketches.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
Show Less
Pages
308