MonkeyMonkey
Score Classic
What it's about
The adventures of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, a shape-shifting trickster on a quest for eternal life. It's one of the great fantasy novels.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. Its hero is one of the most memorable figures in world literature.
You'll love it if you liked
The Hobbit
The Princess Bride
The Baron in the TreesGood to know
It's a translation from Chinese, and editions vary in length.
By the numbers
- Readers56 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller8 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #289 of the 504 fantasy books we rank
- #604 of the 924 classics we rank
- #1921 of the 3,057 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous
If you like this, read next
The Lord of the Rings
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Godfather
The Pillars of the Earth
Foundation
One Hundred Years of SolitudeExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Monkey worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #1,921 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 65.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Monkey about?
The adventures of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, a shape-shifting trickster on a quest for eternal life. It's one of the great fantasy novels.
How long does it take to read Monkey?
About 10 hours (384 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Monkey?
If you liked it, try The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien, The Princess Bride by William Goldman or The Baron in the Trees by Italo Calvino.