"A breezy, action-packed narrative . . . Rich with imaginative world-building that evokes the best Pixar films . . . The book is also quite funny . . . With this new readable version of
Monkey King, Western readers will also have plenty of fun."
San Francisco Chronicle "A vivacious delight: a genuinely very funny book is given its full due . . . Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, is as vital a figure in Chinese as Robin Hood and King Arthur are in English." Foreign Policy
"Visit one of the greatest countries in the world through the pages of this Chinese epic [and] Julia Lovell's new contemporary translation, with exquisite maps of 'somewhat mythical lands.' " Piers Torday, The Guardian
"We're in the capable hands of a translator of our era. . . . Lovell is focused on solid, modern storytelling, not mere fealty. . . . Monkey King has contemporary currency beyond even The Wizard of Oz or The Lord of the Rings, to which works it bears more than a passing resemblance--Star Wars . . . comes to mind, along with myriad comic book and anime epics. . . . All who have loved Robin Hood, or Tolkien, or J. K. Rowling, or the superheroes [Gene Luen] Yang pings in his foreword, will find similar friends in Monkey, Tripitaka, Pigsy (the Friar Tuck of Asia) and Sandy. Thanks to Lovell's engaging translation, it's a fair bet that many more in the Anglophone world, especially the younger generations, will gain these friends, along with a greatly enhanced understanding of China." Asian Review of Books
"This new translation . . . breathes fresh life, humor, wit, and charm into the 16th-century classic. . . . If you did not know that this was an abridged version . . . you never would. . . . [It] is exactly as long as it needs to be, with the fat cut and the story paced perfectly. . . . Every line of dialogue drips with sarcasm, snappy one-liners, and laugh-out-loud observations for the lovable bastard that is Monkey. . . . If you've ever wanted to read Journey to the West but have been put off by fears of it being too long, too dense, too dry (as we have all thought when it comes to classics), then put those fears aside. Julia Lovell's translation is nothing but fun, frantic fantasy writing. . . . She has injected the book with energy, spice, and humor. . . . I can't imagine having more fun than I did with Julia Lovell's hilarious translation. . . . There is no end to the fun and joy gleaned from [it]." Will Heath, Books & Bao
"An all-new translation of one of the greatest stories ever written . . . An out-and-out fantasy adventure that has captivated audiences and influenced creatives for centuries." Bustle
"Jam-packed with outrageous danger and outlandish transformations . . . Lovell does an admirable job condensing the original text . . . while capturing the essence of Chinese fantastical storytelling and parody. Readers who enjoy nutty adventures and nonsensical plots will get a kick out of this madcap fable." Publishers Weekly
"This new edition should more than satisfy anyone interested in reading not only a highly praised classic of Chinese literature, but also one of the most influential fantasy narratives in the world." Booklist
"Of all [my mother's] stories, my favorites by far were about Sun Wukong, the Monkey King. . . . With every comic book and graphic novel that I create, I am trying to recapture the wonder I felt when my mother would regale me with tales of the Monkey King." Gene Luen Yang, from the Foreword
"A monument of world literature, Monkey King is also one of the funniest, most subversive satires ever written. There is no trickster quite as tricky, no companion more resourceful or more ridiculously entertaining, no hero more true than the monkey king. If you've not read Journey to the West, prepare yourself for the adventure of a lifetime and know that like Monkey himself, you are about to be transformed. No book can truly capture the stupendous, absurd glory of life, but Monkey King comes pretty damn close. Even if you have read Monkey King, Julia Lovell's magnificent new translation becomes its own cloud somersault, its own gold-hooped staff." Junot Diaz
"A new translation of Monkey King is a cause for joy! Imaginative and mischievous, exhilarating and timeless, this sixteenth-century superhero saga is a delight to readers of all ages." Yiyun Li
"An exhilarating new translation of my favorite of all the classic Chinese novels--a great, wild epic that expands and fires one's imagination." Ha Jin
"Uproarious and action-filled, this highly readable new translation captures the most beloved of Chinese characters in all his impossible charm. Irrepressible and irresistible, Monkey speaks to us across the centuries, and here makes us laugh anew." Gish Jen
"Monkey King is one of the great epics of our world. I spent a good part of my childhood enthralled with the adventures of the OG mischief maker, Sun Wukong. What a delight that this exhilarating translation of the timeless classic will entertain generations to come." Marie Lu, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Legend, The Young Elites, and Skyhunter
"A fantastic retelling, easily on par with Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology. Monkey King has never been so much fun; I friggin' loved it." Peter Clines, New York Times bestselling author of Paradox Bound
"Monkey King is one of the most memorable characters in all of Chinese literature, beloved of readers young and old. This is a first-rate translation, fluent and accurate--I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I think it will bring the novel over very successfully to the modern English-reading public, and help to enrich the Western perception of the Chinese cultural universe at a most important time in our world's history." John Minford, award-winning translator of The Art of War, Tao Te Ching, and I Ching
"The Monkey King, one of Chinese literature's great characters, should add many new disciples to his existing fans through this compelling new version of his adventures. Julia Lovell here conveys a vibrant sense of the richness and also the sheer fun of this Ming dynasty text, a classic of world fiction from one of its first great ages." Craig Clunas, University of Oxford
