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A review by emilysometimesreads
Monkey King: Journey to the West by Wu Ch'eng-En
3.0
Is Sun Wukong really on a journey to enlightenment—or is he just being slowly housebroken? Would he reach Enlightenment without a dog collar, "encouraging" him to be well-behaved? I think...no
The Monkey King's quest began super strong for me. The characters are all individually interesting, and the scope of Sun Wukong's abilities means that he can keep the plot entertaining with so many possibilities for problem-solving.
Once the pilgrimage sets out, though, the structure settles into a tedious rhythm: a monster shows up, Wukong defeats it, and they move on. Again. And again. Even with the ever-changing cast of demons and magical detours, the formula starts to feel more like a loop than a journey.
I liked it and wanted to love it but just couldn't.
The Monkey King's quest began super strong for me. The characters are all individually interesting, and the scope of Sun Wukong's abilities means that he can keep the plot entertaining with so many possibilities for problem-solving.
Once the pilgrimage sets out, though, the structure settles into a tedious rhythm: a monster shows up, Wukong defeats it, and they move on. Again. And again. Even with the ever-changing cast of demons and magical detours, the formula starts to feel more like a loop than a journey.
I liked it and wanted to love it but just couldn't.