A review by kariiowo
Monkey King: Journey to the West by Wu Ch'eng-En

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

it’s so interesting to read the source material of where a lot of the modern media we all know and love take their inspiration from. i know that one piece has dragon ball as one of the many inspirations and how that takes a lot from journey to the west. i can’t speak for dragon ball but for one piece i can definitely see a lot of similarities, such as: the devil fruits granting superhuman abilities like the divine peaches, sengoku trying to trap luffy under his hand, shapeshifting staff and cloud (nami), both mcs uprise against the elites and want freedom. 

overall though, i found this book to be incredibly hilarious with all the characters being likeable and entertaining! it’s definitely one i’d happily re-read as it never failed to put a smile on my face. 

“Nothing in this world is hard. It is only the mind that makes it so.”

“The active mind conjures up demons; the stilled mind extinguishes them.”

“but don’t jeopardize your long-term future in the pursuit of instant gratification.”