Review: Udon's Pride and Prejudice Manga

Originally written by Jane Austen
Adapted by Stacy E. King
Illustrated by Po Tse

Beloved by millions the world over, Pride & Prejudice is delightfully transformed in this bold new manga adaptation. All of the joy, heartache, and romance of Jane Austen’s original, perfectly illuminated by the sumptuous art of manga-ka Po Tse, and faithfully adapted by Stacy E. King.

UDON’s Manga Classics line features classic stories, faithfully adapted and illustrated in manga style, and available in both hardcover and softcover editions.

Release date: August 2014

Amazon  * B&N  * Udon Entertainment

My Thoughts: After reading Udon's adaptation of Les Miserables, I was excited to read their version of Pride and Prejudice. It read like a manga, from right to left, and it began at the end instead of the front of the book. I could not wait to read a manga on this popular classic.

When it came to the plot, the manga stayed true to the original but in a more condensed form. All the important events were there that would give the reader the gist as to what P&P was about. Though some parts were omitted, I did not miss them because of the way it was put together. The manga gave a brief summary of the classic, which helped jog my memory of the story.

What I loved about the manga was the representation of Mrs. Bennett and Mr. Collins. They were over-the-top exaggerated and were absolutely funny. I think their characters were portrayed perfectly. I found myself chuckling through out the book on all of their antics.

What I did not like about the manga was that it was too silly. I felt that the romance behind the original classic was lost. It became more of a high school drama. Also, ALL of the characters were overdramatic. Mr. Darcy became a blushing school boy who looked constipated a lot of the time while Lizzy was in constant shock and was sobbing almost all the time. Because of all this, I felt that the story became more of a comedy than a drama.

With that said, I did not despise how Udon represented P&P. In fact, I found myself highly entertained. Yes, the feeling of the original classic was not there, but I finished the manga with a huge grin on my face. I simply had a lot of fun reading it. I rate it:

*I received an e-copy courtesy of NetGalley*

Image from Udon Entertainment