Review: Manga Classics: Romeo and Juliet

400 pages

ISBN13 9781947808041

Find on the Kindle Store for $16.17

Rating: 4.0/5

Plot

Romeo and Juliet is the classic tragedy of western literature. Created by William Shakespeare, it is tale of two very young lovers from Verona, Italy who defy the wishes of their feuding families, get married then, and tragically, end their own lives in the name of love. It is their deaths that ultimately help the rival families of the Capulet’s and Montague’s find reconciliation. Manga Classics brings an incredible new reading experience with this adaptation of Shakespeare’s most popular and frequently performed plays: Romeo and Juliet.

How I got this Book

I got to read this book through Netgalley.

The Positives

v  This is a great way to revisit a story that most people read multiple times in school. The beautiful artwork gives it a new feeling that allows you to enjoy the story multiple times.

v  Reading this story as a manga gives new meaning to Old English. Words that didn’t quite make sense the first time you read it? Well now you have gorgeous works of art to help you see and feel what you should have the first time around.

v  The characters are portrayed to perfection how I feel Shakespeare meant for them to be seen. You feel the innocence of some of the characters, you feel the tension caused by the feud, and you feel the infatuation between Romeo and Juliet. If you are anything like me you also have a renewed revulsion for the disgustingly slimy Count Paris.

The Negatives

So I am not really sure that I can count this as a negative of the book, or if I should just count it as a negative based on my personal feelings. I knew when I picked this manga up that it was going to be a classic, and therefore would be written in the original way. This became an issue for me as I kept wanting to stop and lost track of what was going on at times. This isn’t really a flaw with the book, but it did give me a slightly negative view of it, which is what caused me to give it a solid 4 out of 5.

Overall

Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who loves the classics, loves Shakespeare, and loves manga. I personally found it harder to enjoy because of the flowery language Shakespeare was so known for, but it truly is a masterpiece that combines the past with the present.

Happy reading!