I abosolutely love Kuroshitsuji. Toboso Yana is a great mangaka!
Here's what I appreciate about Ciel in the manga: He's actually likable, unlike the anime series, at least in my opinion.
Robin: Don't ever ask me to dock with you again. Serious...
How was the Jack The Ripper arc... silly?
Also, why pander to yaoi fangirls? Well, why does practically every anime pander with heterosexual fanservice? If you're gonna complain about one side, complain about the other. I enjoy the pandering in Black Butler, but only because there it's usually treated as a joke - most 'straight' (if you want to use that word) pandering feels like it has no purpose, not even to get a laugh out of the audience. And I do not like pointless fanservice.
I love the manga. Can't stand the anime, though Ciel is voiced by Maaya Freaking Sakamoto, which is awesome. Just kinda wish the manga would, maybe, advance in a way. I found the German arc to be too long and slow. I'd rather re-read the Weston College arc and that had its own pacing issues.
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One Hell of a Manga (sorry for the obvious joke)
This is a brilliant manga. The art is amazing, the storyline is great and most of the characters and their backstories are complex and realistic. I love the Victorian times and the whole Elegant Gothic Lolita style, so the art was a treat for me.
I got into this series because it looked a lot like another one I enjoy, Pandora Hearts (due to its many Alice references). When I first saw it though, I thought it was a comedy. It was not, though it has plenty of hilarious moments too. I remember buying and reading the first volume, and it hooked me. Those four chapters set up the characters and story perfectly, with all sorts of subtle hints as to Sebastian's true nature. And his rescue of Ciel from the Mafia was truly badass.
I do have some problems with it though. At times, some of the story arcs can get a bit silly (the best example would be the Jack The Ripper one), which is a shame when you consider that when Yana Toboso writes good, serious plots, she does them well, as can be plainly seen in the Noah's Ark Circus arc (my personal favourite). My biggest complaint though, is the pandering to the Yaoi fangirls. This is such a great manga. It could easily be considered a serious work of art, so why cheapen it by adding fanservice. And then, to cease the complaints of male readers she adds in some fanservice for them too. Why not no fanservice at all?
Ciel is a tragic and interesting character, who you can definitely feel sorry for. Sebastian manages to be the perfect butler while not becoming a Marty Stu, and while he always acts the perfect gentleman, we can all see the dark heart that lies beneath his decietful exterior. The others brange from tearjerking to humorous to a bit silly.
Overall, a great manga.