A Chinese classic tale of heroes, magic and adventure, Wu Cheng’en’s Monkey King sadly does not hold up to modern eyes as much as its reputation may suggest. Repetitive, dull and far-fetched even for a mystical folk story, this book is far too long with far too little to say to make it an enjoyable read, and knowing this is a significantly shorter version than its full work strikes horror into my heart for any soul who reads the unabridged version.
Following a Buddhist monk, Tripitaka, as he journeys to India in the west to bring scrolls back to his homeland, his quest is plagued by over 80 challenges and trials imparted on him by the gods and spirits of the land. But given that each challenge plays out in exactly the same way – Tripitaka gets captured, Monkey transforms into something useful, Monkey uses spirits and deities to fight the demon, everyone’s reunited – you can’t help but feel as if the hundreds of demons could have been a bit more creative.
And it’s this titular Monkey King that contributes to making this book a dull exploration of mythology and magic. The character, being a god-like being, has the ability to transform into anything or anyone at will, meaning he is always able to bypass the vast majority of the ‘challenges’ imposed on the group for the sake of the plot. And this is before we consider his in-built cheat code whenever this doesn’t immediately work, of simply recruiting one of the apparently millions of spirits to come and defeat the current demon. I can’t help but feel as though this lazy storytelling arose from some desire just to make the tome lengthy for the sake of it.
There are, however, redeeming qualities to this story – its use of language and symbolism is commendable, often creating complex and vast imaginative worlds that draw readers into the Monkey King universe, and the development of Monkey’s character in particular is an entertaining read. His progression from a heaven-smashing fiend to wise guardian and protector is the most significant event in the story, and one which shadows almost every other element of the book – the story may be about Tripitaka, but Monkey is the main character.
Monkey King may be a classic story, and it may have redeeming qualities, but this book does not live up to its reputation. Drawn-out, heavily unbalanced and repetitive, Monkey King holds its place in literary fiction simply by merit of its age and legend, with the written words being a dull and frustrating amalgamation of undeveloped and unrealised ideas. An unfortunate reality, the story simply does not hold up to modern examination, and leaves you feeling ever so slightly relieved when it’s finally over.
Rating: ★★☆☆☆
Monkey King (ISBN: 978-0-141-39344-5) was published in 1550
