From School Library Journal
Grade 7 Up—Shakespeare's romantic comedy takes place in a contemporary setting in which Asian characters reside in the forest of Ar-Den. Full-color images accompanied by a brief Shakespearean quote provide a delightful introduction to the multiple players who will encounter one another in the forest. These vibrant pages conclude with a spread of the final romantic attachments, leaving no doubt about the happy conclusion. Many aspects of this play work especially well in a manga format. The story is vividly brought to life as readers observe the emotional tension between Oliver and Orlando; the close relationship between Rosalind and Celia; and the high-action wrestling match between Charles and Orlando. Readers are made aware that this is an intelligent woman who knows her own mind. Using an entirely different style of graphic art for Jacques' famous "All the world's a stage" speech, Corin's account of the slaying of the deer and Oliver's retelling of Orlando's encounter with the lion help readers visualize these "stories within the story." Teens unfamiliar with the original may require supplemental material to appreciate this comedy fully because of its complicated plot, multiple characters, mistaken identities, and cross-dressing. Those who have prior exposure to it or who are willing to invest in some background preparation will enjoy this delightful re-creation of Shakespeare's exploration of the tractable nature of the human heart and the delights of love.—
Barbara M. Moon, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
If Charles and Mary Lamb were reworking Tales from Shakespeare today, they might have developed something like this take from the Manga Shakespeare line. While maintaining considerable Shakespearian language, the plot is staged in a thoroughly manga manner, with Japanese settings, hairstyles, and posturing readily recognizable to the contemporary teen manga fan. Oliver, for instance, is not only sullen but also wears his long hair in an ominous cascade across the right side of his face and rides in a chauffeured vehicle: he is the embodiment of a tyrannical character in wholly twenty-first–century manga trappings. The plot summary at the book’s end is straightforward, and readers would be well served to read that first if they know nothing about the original story. All in all, this is an excellent choice not only as curriculum support but also for manga readers who have no overt interest in connecting their comics reading to a familiarization with Shakespeare. Grades 8-10. --Francisca Goldsmith
