This is one of the most bizarre books I’ve read in a long time. I’m not quite sure what to say about it. It’s a graphic novel that intertwines three separate stories in a way I never would have guessed ahead of time. I mean, the cover said there was a twist, but it wasn’t at all what I expected.

The first story is about a monkey king that wants to be excepted as a deity by the gods. These sections are told in a mythological/fable-like voice.

The second story is about a Chinese-American kid named Jin Wang who moves to a new school where he’s one of the only Asian kids around. He wants to fit in, but the people around him single him out because of his ethnicity. These sections are standard storytelling.

The third story is about a popular, American high school kid who has to transfer schools every year because of the shame a visiting cousin brings on him. The cousin is named Chin-kee, and is, as the jacket of the book so perfectly describes him, the “ultimate negative Chinese stereotype.” He’s Danny’s worst nightmare. All the sections telling this story are done in slapstick TV sitcom style, complete with subtitled “hahaha”s and applause.

I won’t say how these three intertwine. My initial thoughts were that the first story was something Jin’s parents told him as a kid, and the third story was a TV show (Chin-kee was just too unbelievable to be a real person!), and between the two, Jin somehow comes to terms with his role in life. Nope. Not even close. I would never in a million years have guessed how these three were related. The plot twists blindsided me.

This was a strange book. I’m not sure how much I liked it, but I didn’t dislike it. It was interesting, fast, and easy to read, but there was also a lot of crude, potty-joke humor in it, which I can’t stand. On the other hand, by the end, the lessons learned by each character were nice. And the plot twists are just so outrageous that I’m impressed by the author’s skill and imagination. I’m not sure what age group this was written for, but I’d guess middle-grade to YA. I wouldn’t give it to my kids to read, though, because of the amount of crudeness and a couple scenes of violence. Even mythological violence seems worse when illustrated. Plus, despite the message of the book, I imagine kids would be quick to pick up on how “funny” Chin-kee is, and personally I don’t find stereotyped versions of people very funny, nor do I want my kids to. I understand why the stereotype was necessary – the end reveals all – but still, it was uncomfortable up until the revelation.

So…um…yeah. I’m not sure what else to say. Strange book. Definitely out of my comfort zone.