I knw about Monkey only from the TV show, that I only ever caught glimpses of. I picked up this book as I thought it woudl give an interesting insight into a story that I expected to be ancient and difficult to read as a modern reader. I found this translation to be surprisingly fun and easy to read. The characters are enjoyable and the world feel expansive, but also restricted. The introduction that explains it as partially a satire on Chinese bureaucracy helps you spot and enjoy the humour. After feeling like I was pushing myself through the last few books I read this was a breath of fresh air.