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A review by megmro
西游记 by Wu Ch'eng-En, 吴承恩
5.0
This was delightful! I listened to the Arthur Whaley translation, narrated by Kenneth Williams.
I came across this title while falling down a Wikipedia rabbit hole. Having never heard of the work, but reading that it was among the most beloved of all classics, my curiosity was piqued, and I downloaded it on audible, not sure what to expect.
The story is wonderfully funny, accessible, and entertaining. When I looked up the physical copy, I was surprised to see how long it was; many people in the goodreads reviews seemed thrilled just to have finished it. But listening must be an entirely different experience, because the chapters flew by! The narrator did a wonderful job with the voices—particularly Monkey and Pigsy. I was hooked from start to finish. It gives a wonderful look at the ancient Chinese world and mindset, but it’s really just the good old-fashioned storyline and characters that sold it for me.
I would recommend the audible version!
I came across this title while falling down a Wikipedia rabbit hole. Having never heard of the work, but reading that it was among the most beloved of all classics, my curiosity was piqued, and I downloaded it on audible, not sure what to expect.
The story is wonderfully funny, accessible, and entertaining. When I looked up the physical copy, I was surprised to see how long it was; many people in the goodreads reviews seemed thrilled just to have finished it. But listening must be an entirely different experience, because the chapters flew by! The narrator did a wonderful job with the voices—particularly Monkey and Pigsy. I was hooked from start to finish. It gives a wonderful look at the ancient Chinese world and mindset, but it’s really just the good old-fashioned storyline and characters that sold it for me.
I would recommend the audible version!