Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by mat_tobin
Kai and the Monkey King by Joe Todd-Stanton
3.0
Following on from the extremely successful [b:Arthur and the Golden Rope|29633705|Arthur and the Golden Rope (The Brownstone's Mythical Collection, #1)|Joe Todd-Stanton|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1460506127l/29633705._SX50_.jpg|49985050] and [b:Marcy and the Riddle of the Sphinx|36359134|Marcy and the Riddle of the Sphinx|Joe Todd-Stanton|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1507221118l/36359134._SX50_.jpg|58042490], Joe Todd Stanton’s Brownstone family this time cross oceans and time into Chinese mythology. Embracing elements of traditional tales and Chinese folklore, he presents us with a young, headstrong girl, Kai and her mother whose job it is to protect the local villages from dangerous monsters. Unlike her bookish, reflective mother, Kai would prefer to tackle problems first and consider her actions later. When this leads her to unleashing the chaotic Monkey King from his cage, the consequences are greater than she could have imagined.
The story of the Monkey King (Sun Wukong) is an ancient one and much beloved in Chinese mythology. He is known to have hatched from an egg, maintained an endless search for immortality and angered both the gods and the Jade Emperor with his violence and impetuousness: echoed in parts by Kai herself. Although some of Monkey’s story is played out in this graphic novel, I was left wanting to know more about where Todd Stanton sourced his own research and how close to Wu Cheng'en, Journey to the West he remained. Interestingly, Damon Albarn and Chen Shi-Zheng created a soundtrack and stage adaptation of Journey to the West in 2007. Well worth chasing up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NR7EEoOwIdg
The story of the Monkey King (Sun Wukong) is an ancient one and much beloved in Chinese mythology. He is known to have hatched from an egg, maintained an endless search for immortality and angered both the gods and the Jade Emperor with his violence and impetuousness: echoed in parts by Kai herself. Although some of Monkey’s story is played out in this graphic novel, I was left wanting to know more about where Todd Stanton sourced his own research and how close to Wu Cheng'en, Journey to the West he remained. Interestingly, Damon Albarn and Chen Shi-Zheng created a soundtrack and stage adaptation of Journey to the West in 2007. Well worth chasing up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NR7EEoOwIdg