mehsi's review against another edition
1.0
Let's just say I heard great things about this book, and I was excited to read it. Sadly it was not meant to be.
It was confusing, we had three stories (and I truly only liked Jin's story), they all connect and such, but sorry I am still confused as to how everything connects, how everything in the end turned together. Maybe because I skipped parts (sorry but that Danny story part just made me want to smack people, so many stereotypes and sooo exaggerated).
I liked Jin's part, however I had hoped for a more continuous story, not one where time just skips around and we only get told a few things, only see him hope from age to age instead of seeing him grow up. In the end I was confused. Did he still like that girl? What happened at the end? Previous thing they were still in high school and suddenly they have a car and they meet up in a restaurant?
I also didn't really like the characters. Jin's was just weird, I didn't like his personality and how it seemed he only cared about one thing. That girl.
Danny was bleh and the Monkey King was just a cocky bastard who really needed to learn a lesson.
All in all I wouldn't recommend this book. I thought it would be a book about a Chinese boy, learning and growing up in the US and what comes with that. Instead I got confusion, bad characters and over the top stereotypes.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
It was confusing, we had three stories (and I truly only liked Jin's story), they all connect and such, but sorry I am still confused as to how everything connects, how everything in the end turned together. Maybe because I skipped parts (sorry but that Danny story part just made me want to smack people, so many stereotypes and sooo exaggerated).
I liked Jin's part, however I had hoped for a more continuous story, not one where time just skips around and we only get told a few things, only see him hope from age to age instead of seeing him grow up. In the end I was confused. Did he still like that girl? What happened at the end? Previous thing they were still in high school and suddenly they have a car and they meet up in a restaurant?
I also didn't really like the characters. Jin's was just weird, I didn't like his personality and how it seemed he only cared about one thing. That girl.
Danny was bleh and the Monkey King was just a cocky bastard who really needed to learn a lesson.
All in all I wouldn't recommend this book. I thought it would be a book about a Chinese boy, learning and growing up in the US and what comes with that. Instead I got confusion, bad characters and over the top stereotypes.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
metaphorsandmisc's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Xenophobia, and Bullying
caryntramel's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
kayalbs11's review against another edition
4.0
A really creative graphic novel on what it means to be an Asian American and the challenges that can come with battling stereotypes and accepting one’s culture. I loved the interconnectedness of three stories and thought this was well crafted and a great reminder to remember our roots and who we are. Also a very quick and fun read!
lilcaracol17's review against another edition
3.0
Honestly wasn’t sure how to rate this. Good qualities abound: the story had me hooked, flowed nicely, was about important topics… bad qualities:
Spoiler
If the story is going to be moralistic and fantastical, then great, but then why do rules and consequences only apply to some people?! Like god only intervened when the monkey king got too big for his britches, but when the other gods excluded him it was fine? Idk also the thing about Wei-Chen being a monkey god’s son was super random to me, since their story was very mundane before that reveal it didn’t really make sense._andrea_'s review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
3.75
taries's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
clementineecho's review against another edition
3.0
A light little smackerel of overcoming internalized racism and self-acceptance. Pretty sure the 1-stars missed the entire premise of the book. If you come across this give it quick read~
mattcheu's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed being able to see these 3 seemingly unrelated stories come together to convey an impactful message of cultural identity within a such brief children’s story.
scrow1022's review against another edition
4.0
Liked how he wove the different stories together, each deepening the other even before you saw how they were connected.