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Reading the Classics: Manga-Style

May 17, 2023

One of my favorite discoveries in our library has been the number of classic novels that have been recreated within the pages of manga. This graphic novel style not only makes the classic novel more approachable, but it also makes the story so much fun to read!

If you're already a lover of manga such as myself, seeing some of these well-known classic characters illustrated in the manga art style is so interesting! It also has helped me tackle some of the classics I've been hesitant to pick up (either due to sheer size or the old-timey writing style) or to revisit some of my favorites and see them in a new light.

Some of My Favorites So Far:

Les Misérables has always been one of those books I've wanted to read...but I have been hesitant to read. It's such a thick volume with the tiniest font, and I know it would be such a time-consuming journey to get through it. I've watched the movie, I've seen the musical, and now I've read the manga. Even though I've not read the original text itself, I feel as though I fully understand the story and have gotten to experience it in all its forms.

If you've ever found yourself in the same boat, I highly recommend trying the manga! It's far more approachable, and you feel like you're zooming through the story since it takes half the time to read in this graphic format.

This book was one that was so nice to revisit in its manga form. I read Pride & Prejudice for the first time in undergrad, and of course have seen the movie and TV adaptations as well. The manga adaptation now has a special place in my heart as it was so fun to see all the emotions and tension between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth depicted in this way. It brought a new appreciation to the story for me, and it was such a comfort to come back to this story in a brand new format.

Anne of Green Gables is one of those novels that I never got around to reading. It didn't intimidate me, it didn't seem too long - I just never really had it in my to-be-read pile or on my reading radar. But when I saw its manga version on the shelf at the Green Hills branch, my interest was piqued. 

Finally, this manga allowed me to finally get around to reading this tale, and I'm so glad I did! 

Jessica

Jessica

Jessica is a Young Adult Librarian at the Green Hills branch. Some of her favorite things are reading, writing, coffee, her husband, and her cats – all the stereotypical librarian things. When she’s not at the library, you can probably find her curled up on the couch playing Animal Crossing or Stardew Valley on her Nintendo Switch.

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