Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Review of Manga Shakespeare(Julius Caesar and As You Like It.



From Back Cover:

In one of Shakespeare 's sunniest comedies, the staid and rule-bound world of society is exhanged for the lawlessness and freedom of the forest. Reveresed gender roles create complex love triangles, and rural and urban worlds collide in the manga reinvention of an unparalleled classic.

My Review:

This is an interesting adaption of the Shakespearean play as you like it. It is funny and witty and does venture a little from his actual wording. The setting is different as it is set in modern day Japan in the forest of Ar-den.

The pictures bring the words of Shakespeare to life in an easy to understand format for the upper middle school student/ High school student. This should not be used as a substitute for the orginial which is very good as well but it is meant as study tool to help the student understand the sometimes difficult wording in shakespeare.

I rate this a 4.5/5






From the Back cover:

In newly reimagined Rome, trouble is brewing . Brutus and a group of senators plot the destruction of Julius Caseasar, the charismatic leader who has just been named emperor. Political intrigue, personal betrayal, and the aftermath of a brutal assasination make this story Shakespeare's version of a political thriller, and the perfect fit for the vibrant world of manga.


My Review:

This is another great adapation of Shakepeare in the exciting form of Manga. The pictures help the student to understand the works of a Shakespeare in a readable way. This by no means takes away from reading the actual play but it helps them to reinforce the concepts learned it the play. Unlike As You Like It, this one does not stray as much from the wording. The clothing of the character were not romanesque but the were like superhero type clothing that the kids would relate too.

While my children are not old enough to understand I think this would be a great introduction to Shakepeare. My son rather read Manga than novels. I would use this to introduce him to the wonderful world of Shakepseare.

I rate this a 4.5/5

4 comments:

Molly said...

I read Manga A Midsummer Night's Dream this spring. It was my first Manga (or graphic novel, for that matter) and I really enjoyed seeing how the illustrations enriched the text.

Heidenkind said...

These look kind of fun! I haven't seen them around, but I don't go into the manga section a lot.

bermudaonion said...

These sound like great tools to introduce kids that age to come classics.

Becca said...

This does look interesting. I have not read any Manga and this may be a good segue for me to begin reading it. Thanks for the review!