drmarko 's review for:

Monkey: The Journey to the West by Arthur Waley, Hu Shih, Wu Ch'eng-En

3.0

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I have not enjoyed this book as much as I wanted to. It is an abridged version of the Journey to the West, and at moments it feels rushed. The battles are not detailed and finish in one sentence. I am a big lover of the Greek and Norse mythologies which more or less tend to have at least one foot on the ground when it comes to protagonists, emotional maturity, or responsibility. However, in Monkey, you will find that the extent of the magical abilities of the main protagonist is almost comical and the tone of the book provides a childish note to it. Having that in mind when approaching this book you won't be disappointed.