Monkey Around

by Jadie Jang

The debut novel from Jadie Jang is an action-packed urban fantasy delivering a bold new take on the Monkey King in San Francisco - complete with murder and mayhem!

San Francisco has a Monkey King - and she’s kinda freaked out.

Barista, activist, and were-monkey Maya McQueen was well on her way to figuring herself out. Well, part of the way. 25% of the way. If you squint.

But now the Bay Area is being shaken up. Occupy Wall Street has come home to roost; and on the supernatural side there's disappearances, shapeshifter murders, and the city’s spirit trying to find its guardian.

Maya doesn’t have a lot of time before chaos turns up at her door, and she needs to solve all of her problems. Well, most of them. The urgent ones, anyhow.

But who says the solutions have to be neat? Because Monkey is always out for mischief.

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Fiction, Adult, Asian Literature, Contemporary, Asian American

432 pages, Paperback

First published August 3, 2021

About the author

Claire Light (writing as Jadie Jang) is almost as organizy as her characters. She started a magazine (Hyphen) and an arts festival (APAture) with a cast of Asian Pacific Americans even more magical, if less supernatural, than the ones she writes about. She also got an MFA, went to Clarion West, and compromised between the two by publishing a collection of “literary” sci-fi short stories (Slightly Behind and to the Left) that maybe 100 people read. After wrangling arts and social justice nonprofits for 17 years, her already autoimmune-disease-addled body threw a seven-year-long tantrum, leading our then-house-bound heroine into an urban fantasy addiction. A few years, and a dozen Euro-centric-mythology-dominated urban fantasy series later, Claire sat up and said “I can do this!” and Jadie Jang, the part of her brain that writes snarky-fun genre romps, was born. She posts about monkeys every Monday under @seelight on Twitter.

Reviews

[K.J. Charles]

Immensely enjoyable urban fantasy with a heroine who is basically the Monkey King. (This is in the blurb, and also totally obvious to any 40something Brit who was addicted to the Monkey series on TV in childhood *raises hand* although it's treated as a mystery in the book.) Maya is a great heroine and her communities--supernatural, Occupy, and Asian-American--are well drawn.

There's a love triangle developing, which I know is compulsory in urban fantasy but which I kind of regretted because one of the candidates is *way* more fun and interesting than the other but gets much less page time. And the other one is a sulky broody type and they *always* seem to get the girl in UF, which I never understand because really, is there anything more tedious to put up with than a sulky broody man? Hopefully Maya has more sense. Looking forward to finding out.

Great action scenes, inventive magic, fast pace, really interestingly flexed morality, and lots of fun.

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 4 out of 5]

Monkey Around is Jadie Jang’s debut novel and an action-packed contemporary urban fantasy delivering a bold new take on the Chinese folktale the Monkey King. The San Francisco-set story follows the adventures of a “barista, activist, and were-monkey” who gets political in the streets when she’s not being drawn into supernatural matters, including a rash of shapeshifter murders and manic mayhem. The San Francisco Bay Area, a nexus of human and supernatural energy that draws people—and creatures—from hundreds of cultures all over the world. At the centre of this nexus is barista, activist, and were-monkey, Maya McQueen, who doesn’t know what kind of creature she is, or where she comes from. Her home is being rocked by the occupation of Oakland’s civic centre by Occupy Wall Street activists in the human world, and by the serial murders of shapeshifters who have had their souls sucked out, on the supernatural side. Maya discovers that the soul-sucking murderer may be connected somehow to a creature like her. This is her first, ever, clue to her own origins, and she jumps into the mystery with both feet. Helping her is werejaguar and IT medicine man Tez Varela, who manages the last nagual practice in San Francisco’s rapidly gentrifying Mission district.

Tez’s reappearance in Maya’s life has landed her in the middle of a gang war.  Also helping—or is it stalking?—her is Todd Wakahisa, a fellow activist and a kitsune whose penchant for pranks rivals even hers. For the first time in Maya’s life, she’s faced with a creature she may not have the strength to defeat. She’ll have to up her game, rely on others, and betray those closest to her to come out on top. But what she doesn’t know, just might kill her. This is a compelling, refreshingly original and raucously entertaining read with not a dull moment in sight. You cannot fail to be captivated by the murder mystery, supernatural chaos and sheer fun that Jadie provides and I was pleasantly surprised by how much of a page-turner it was. It is a Euro-centric-mythology-dominated snarky genre romp featuring a plethora of primary and secondary characters, including a female monkey king who doesn't have a clue who or what she really is, a kitsune ukulele maestro, an Aztec werejaguar slam poet, an orphan with unique powers and a group of Asian-American activists as well as a love triangle and murder most foul. This is perfect for fans of contemporary and paranormal genres and features representation from Asian and South American cultures as well as being based on nonwestern mythological parables. Highly recommended.

[Di Maitland · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5*s This book has a lot of things going for it and I've no doubt a lot of people will love it, particularly fans of Ilona Andrews and Patricia Briggs. It's got a kick-ass heroine and is jam-packed with mythological creatures and new-age thinking. Unfortunately, a few things didn't sit well with me and the final quarter left a bitter taste in my mouth, so it didn't get the 5 stars I originally envisioned.

'My rational brain was telling me to flee. But I also have a monkey brain, and Monkey loved to fight. And Monkey currently had the upper paw.'

The Good and the Great
Monkey Around begins well. Maya MacQueen, our heroine, is instantly likeable. She's kind-hearted and community conscious, but also hasn't seen a fight she doesn't want to join–whether physically, magically, or socially. Her endless magic tricks made made me smile and her snark made me laugh.

"They come to me to be validated, and to you to be...cleansed? No, that's not the word. To be...fixed, I guess. You're the mixie fixie."

The world she inhabits–San Francisco, 2011–is vibrant and exciting, with an endless array of mythological creatures hiding in plain sight. These include, but are certainly not limited to, aswang (Filipino), bajang (Malay), naga (Hindu), nagual (Mesoamerican), anzu (Mesopotamian), kitsune (Japanese) and harimau jadian (Singaporean).

"I'm part art historian, part folklorist, part curator, part travel agent, part administrator, part forensic accountant, part private eye, part hacker...and that doesn't even cover all of it."

As well as being fantastical diverse, the book is also nicely socially diverse. Maya is bi, her friend Ayo is a lesbian, and a secondary character is non-binary and uses the pronouns ze and zeir. Maya also has Asian features (though she is unsure of her exact heritage) and a number of secondary characters are black, Asian, Latino or otherwise people of colour. The inclusion felt natural (rather than try-hard) and contributed to the story in a number of key ways.

The Less Good and the Bad
Throughout the story, there were a few small issues that niggled at me.
- To start, the plot is somewhat confusing, with Maya rushing off after all sorts of different objectives with no clear motive or connection between them. (This does come become clear with time.)
- Later in the book, Maya's friend asserts that she's a leader. Whilst I can see that she's a key member of her community, her vital contributions to her magazine or the protests aren't apparent. (This is a rather important point in the story.)
- In general, Maya's magical powers and talents appeared limitless. Whilst this was fun, it made it hard to understand where this left the bounds of possibility within the universe. This, in turn, diminished the tension. (The reveal at the end was at least satisfying on these grounds)

More serious, I found the romantic sub-plot lacklustre. There's a love triangle of sorts, but I wasn't really swooning for either guy. Both were a far cry from the usual urban fantasy alpha heroes, which, in many ways, was refreshing; however, I thought Maya's crush was pretty pathetic towards the end and I just couldn't get a handle on the other guy (beyond his goofy grin, anyway).

My biggest issue, and the one that lost the book its stars, was Maya's decision and behaviour towards the end of the book. I thought it unethical and not in keeping with what I thought were her socially upright morals. It left a really bitter taste in my mouth and had me struggling to continue reading. Perhaps, perhaps, it might have worked in a later book in what I assume will be a series. By then we would have had a better understanding and respect for her as a character and could have handled the blow. At this point, it made me question my initial judgement and lose what respect I'd given.

Would I recommend this book to others?
Yes; particularly those who like urban fantasy. If you do read it, I'd be interested to know what you think of Maya's action towards the end. Would I read the next in the series? Probably. I did enjoy the world and perhaps Maya can redeem herself.

[John Folk-Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here’s another great novel from 2021 I’m just catching up with. Claire Light, writing as Jadie Jang, has re-envisioned the Monkey King from the Chinese classic, Journey to the West, as Maya MacQueen, a shape-shifter twenty-something woman of the San Francisco Bay Area during the Occupy movement of 2011. Maya, while assuming human form as a fun-loving activist/magazine editor/researcher/barista, is constantly exploring and questioning her abilities and her place in the world, and in the midst of that she’s called on to investigate a series of murders of other shapeshifters. Then it gets personal when she realizes that the mysterious killer entity has her on its list as well.

The Bay Area of Monkey Around is full of magic and centered on communities of Asian Americans and Chicanx/Latinx neighborhoods, among hundreds of uprooted and fractured cultures, languages, and traditions. They are people trying to understand who they are and what they can draw from ancestral communities to shape their lives in today’s gentrifying cities that threaten further displacement and violence. As Jadie Jang said in a blog post last year, this story grew out of a wish and need in the Trump years to depict activists and multi-ethnic America as part of this world at a time when the MAGA movement wanted to turn them into the enemy. But this is no manifesto. It’s a compelling and deeply human search into how people pull their lives together in broken times.

...........

Maya herself remains for me a deeply interesting character, as she struggles with human relationships and her violence-prone and riotous monkey nature to burst into action no matter the consequences. There are times when her magical self makes use of people, especially when she impersonates another character, and that clashes with her hopes to build relationships with the people she’s been tricking, especially Tez. This may be a problem limited to a “supernat” but the fallout of manipulating people you’re close to is completely human.

I’ve read there’s a sequel in the works, and that’s good news. Jadie Jang has created a special place in urban fantasy with her blending of exciting action, contemporary social movements, supernatural beings, the character of Maya MacQueen herself and the developing spirit of the Bay. There’s plenty of material for a great series.

Read the full review at SciFi Mind.

[Tenaya Anue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Monkey Around is exactly what it promised- fun, witty, and enjoyable. I read a lot of urban fantasy, and this managed to satisfy all the things I wanted from it, while avoiding some of the common cliches that really annoy me. It's rare to find a book straddle the line so perfectly by being both smart, and deliciously, unabashedly fun. The rough and tumble excitement of the main plot is set the political upheaval and occupy movement in San Francisco, and the main character Maya is forced to make choices that are simultaneously understandable and morally questionable. If you want a great book that both allows for escapism, AND continues to make you think after you put it down, definitely read "Monkey Around"!

[Justin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have loved the legendary Monkey King for as long as I can remember. From his historical origins in the Chinese epic Journey to the West, to being the inspiration for Son Goku in the anime Dragonball Z, the character of the Monkey King has always been one that I loved. So, when I saw that an Urban Fantasy retelling of the legendary character was coming out, I knew that I had to jump on the opportunity to check it out! And, I am so glad that I did.

My rational brain was telling me to flee. But I also have a monkey brain, and Monkey loved to fight. And Monkey currently had the upper paw.

Monkey Around is set in modern day San Francisco, California. Well, it’s actually set in the Fall of 2011. If, like me, your memory is generally trash AND you have such a deep-seated hatred of numbers that it even extends to dates, you might not remember that as being smack dab in the middle of when the Occupy Wall Street movement was happening. The time frame isn’t so much central to the plot as it is a necessary vehicle for highlighting many of the topics that Jang explores. Themes of identity, community, and responsibility for others, to name a few. The part of the worldbuilding that stood out the most to me and takes, quite literally in some cases, center stage are the various supernaturals that inhabit Monkey Around‘s version of the Bay Area. People from all over the world have made their home in San Francisco and with them they brought their cultures, traditions and mythologies. Rather than the typical Euro-centric supernaturals you generally find in Urban Fantasy, Monkey Around features many from Southeast Asia, such as the Filipino Aswang or the Indian Vanara, or the more well-known Japanese Kitsune. I found this to be a nice breath of fresh air and I had a lot of fun flipping back to the “bestiary” in the back of the book to learn a bit about these unfamiliar creatures.

The story is told through the first person perspective of Maya McQueen, a 20-something part-time barista, part-time activist, and full-time… well, Maya isn’t exactly sure what she is. The “mystery” surrounding her and where she comes from is central to Maya’s character and even though the reader knows what she is from the start, it was fun watching her try to find those last pieces of her puzzle. She can shapeshift into anything, animal or object, is supernaturally strong and fast, can turn invisible, oh, and can call down a cloud to fly through the sky. No big deal. Despite being able to shapeshift into literally anything, Maya’s default form is that of a rhesus macaque and she often has to deal the Monkey part of her nature trying to take over and generally wreak havoc. It’s a good thing she has her job that allows her to blow off some steam! No, not the barista job! Her other job, the one she does for Ayo, a human that runs SF’s sanctuary, a type of magically protected safe spot for supernaturals to congregate. You know, the one that sees her trying to solve a missing Aswang case at the start of the book. It’s through this job that she meets Tez, an Aztec Nagual who wishes he hadn’t been burdened by the responsibilities that comes the passing of his mother or that of his heritage.

“I’m part art historian, part folklorist, part curator, part travel agent, part administrator, part forensic accountant, part private eye, part hacker…and that doesn’t even cover all of it.”

Having been orphaned as a baby, Maya’s an outsider even within her own culture and yearns to have a connection to something, anything. I connected with Maya because I know what it feels like to yearn for that sense of cultural belonging, a feeling a being home, among my people. And, then to see people throw away the heritage I would die to embrace is a special kind of hurt. Outside of all of the flashy shape-shifting and martial arts, this is the core of conflict. Maya wants community and desperately tries to make one for herself, while Tez was born into it and wants nothing to do with it. There’s also this theme of living in two worlds that runs throughout the whole book and it’s not something that I had ever considered before, but ethnic minorities often have to do this, living in their culture at home and stripping that away to something more sanitized anytime they have to go outside of their communities. Showing these Asian American characters struggling with balancing their supernatural and human lives, while keeping them strictly separate, is a really smart way of exploring this topic.

I really loved Monkey Around! In turns, it was delightfully fun, poignant, and thrilling. All of the characters shine, but the central three characters of Maya, Tez, and Todd were clear standouts. Jang’s incredibly smart storytelling makes it easy to explore topics such identity, diaspora, and cultural heritage. Add to that great social commentary, queer representation, and super fun murder mystery, and you have a winner in my books. Suffused with Southeast Asian influences and armed with a fresh look at the legendary Monkey King, Monkey Around has reinvigorated the Urban Fantasy genre.

It seemed like the whole world was wearing mourning colors. Even the sky was… I looked up, but the sky was clear and we were headed for our usual pink/golden sunset.

Read this review and tons more at FanFiAddict.com!

[Kahlia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s hard not to be sold on a book with a premise like Monkey Around – urban fantasy set in 2011 San Francisco, dealing with the Occupy Wall Street movement and themes of gentrification and social change? Yes please.

That part of the book does live up to the hype: even though the actual Occupy movement gets limited page time, Jang offers plenty of wry observations about what it’s like to be a millennial (and, particularly, an Asian-American millennial) trying to make your way in the world. There’s also some poignant conversations about immigration and cultural assimilation, and how hard it can be to maintain cultural roots and connections in the face of rapid social change and economic challenges. Monkey Around is worth reading for those points alone.

Having said that, I wasn’t a huge fan of the underlying fantasy story. The general premise is that Maya is a shapeshifter (the full extent of her abilities is unknown, as she was adopted as a young child), who has found herself caught up in investigating a series of murders that have rocked the shapeshifting community. Jang takes an ‘everything but the kitchen sink’ approach to this idea and continually threw in new characters and concepts, without leaving any breathing space to really develop a connection to anyone. There are friends, and even a few romantic possibilities, but none of these relationships felt hugely deep or meaningful. Even Maya is a hard character to get to know, as she’s continally caught up in the action, with limited space in her narrative for reflection.

There’s a lot of good ideas here and while I wasn’t necessarily sold – I’m unlikely to pick up any sequels, though I might try something else by Jang – there’s enough to muse over to make Monkey Around worth checking out, particularly if you like urban fantasy more than I do.

[On the Same Page · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Monkey Around is a fun, fairly fast-paced urban fantasy with easily likeable characters for the most part. I had a great time during the first half of this book, but unfortunately, the second part and the conclusion felt unsatisfying to me. And most of it has to do with Maya in some way.

I did really enjoy Maya as a character. She's amusing, part impulsive and part restrained, doesn't feel much shame when it comes to following her urges, and she's an incredibly powerful woman. All things I could root for, but there is such a thing as taking it too far.

The fact that Maya is powerful, more powerful than anyone else, is stressed a lot. And it does feel like she has way too many powers compared to other shapeshifters, to the point that I began to think she was a bit overpowered. And yet, we rarely see this supposed strength of hers. She does win a few fights, but not the ones where it matters, even as we're told, once again, that she's really very strong. And also that she's a trickster, but surprisingly, she never uses this skill to, say, trick a dangerous object away from someone that really shouldn't be handling it. Maya felt like all talk, no action to me for most of this.

The other facet that is reiterated often is how much she cares about people. She's involved in the Occupy movement, joins protests, helps Ayo out (for payment, but still). But something happens in the last part of the book that left a sour taste in my mouth. It was a betrayal of someone she claimed to care for and, in my opinion, a betrayal of her own morals. It was a difficult choice, and one she supposedly makes for the greater good, but I felt as if the story was heading in a different direction. There seemed to be hints that could've led her to a different decision, one that would've made sense in the context of her being a very strong shapeshifter and her ties to the community.

There is also a kind of weird love triangle between Maya, Tez, and Todd. It consists mostly of Maya having a long-term crush on Tez, Tez flirting with everyone and being very effective with smoldering eyes, and Todd having a similar effect with impish grins and food, which Maya eats despite knowing that for shapeshifters, feeding is a possessive thing, and she's actually into Tez. It's a mess, and I couldn't really root much for the romance in general because I didn't feel like there was enough interaction between Maya, Tez, and Todd. Oh, and let's not forget the instant jealousy when Tez and Todd meet, even though nothing is going on at that point except for Maya's crush.

The last thing I'll mention is minor. At the beginning of the book, Maya has a conversation with Salli, the CFO of the magazine Maya started, where she pumps Salli for information related to the case she's investigating. The entire conversation felt like it came straight out of a video game: Maya asks a question, gets an answer, asks a new question, gets a somewhat longer answer, repeat, repeat, repeat until all dialogue options are exhausted. Salli also never appears again in the story, which felt weird.

The reveal at the end explains a lot of the questions I compiled about Maya, but overall I wasn't a fan of the explanation.

[M W · Rating 5 out of 5]

An action-packed romp through the supernatural underworld of San Francisco. The mysteries and body count pile up, even as Maya navigates an exciting love triangle while searching for the truth of her own supernatural origins. She’s smart, witty, and loves to fight (a fun and unexpected quality in an otherwise femme character). The newer-to-me myths made the characters sparkle. And the characters had superpowers I’d never heard of before making for even more surprises. A totally enjoyable read.

[Lata · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was just so much fun. Main character Maya MacQueen is a barista, activist, managing editor, and super strong supernatural being who can turn into many different types of creatures but has a preference for a monkey. A monkey prone to fighting and making not the greatest decisions.
Maya works at a coffee place that, though it does serve humans, caters to the underground supernatural community in San Francisco. Her boss, Ayo Espinosa, super smart human, sends Maya around the city to deal with supernatural being issues, and when we meet the two, they are looking for a missing, female supernatural. During her missing persons search, Maya discovers someone is killing different kinds of supernaturals, leaving Maya and Ayo stumped. At the same time, at Ayo's behest, Maya is attempting to connect with and convince a young woman and nagual, to leave a gang. With both situations, Maya tangles with numerous other kinds of supernaturals, pissing some off, making vital connections with others, while also giving the readers a good sense of how hugely diverse the supernatural population is in the city.

I've already said how much fun this book is. There is a lot of action, and lots of humour (mostly from Monkey's hilariously aggressive reactions to everything). What I really, really liked was how so many of the supernaturals, and others that Maya interacted with, were not white. Urban fantasy is generally littered with white supernaturals, and it was so refreshing to see a different and really, so much more realistic, interpretation of this subgenre. There are so many cultures in the world with fascinating legends and folk tales, and this story features a nice selection of non-European-based magical/monstrous beings.
As this story wrapped up, I was immediately eager to read more about Maya, especially considering the somewhat shocking revelation at the end of the book. And the possibility of an interesting relationship developing between our monkey protagonist and another being.

Thank you to Netgalley and Rebellion Publishing for this ARC in exchange for a review.

[BookishBenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoy fantasy and sci-fi books but no-one to talk to? Come join The SFF Oasis, an amazing book discord! We have buddy reads, trilogy reads, live author Q&As, virtual badges to collect, Dungeons & Dragons, writer's cafe and much much more! It's completely free and very welcoming. If you'd like to talk about books with future friends you can join here: http://discord.gg/c2hXSP5MsX

I was lucky enough to be given an ARC for Monkey Around which is a debut novel for Jadie Jang (Claire Light). I say I was lucky because one thing I love reading are debut novels. As a reviewer it gives me the opportunity to read a new style, a new story and to help get the word out there for a new writer. There is always a buzz around new novels too and when you can find one you like, it becomes a new favourite book.

With Monkey Around I was really excited to read it specifically because I find Asian culture really interesting, fascinating at times and the fact this book's main character is essentially The Monkey King of legend was a real pull. I wanted to see how Jadie was going to put a historical legend like TMK into modern-day.

The story itself follows a barista, activist and supernat (super-natural person) called Maya as she carries out work for one Ayo Espinosa in the bay area of San Francisco. Ayo has a coffee shop which is effectively a sanctuary for supernats where they can be themselves away from humans. In this story, supernats all seem to be shapeshifters, not essentially X-Men like characters or powers. Behind this coffee shop, away from prying eyes, is where any other 'off the books' business gets completed and Maya is tasked early on to locate a person who has fallen in with a gang to spite her older brother, who wants her back safely.

The story sees Maya try to balance her own responsibilities with her work, a magazine she is working on and her activism, alongside this new rescue/investigator gig. As the story gets deeper Maya gets into more and more danger as supernats start getting killed by something un-explainable. Maya has to work out what is going on and stop it or she could be the next victim.

This story has a lot of little bits going on within it and certainly has some good parts. There are various supernats which come from various religions or cultures and play a part in this story. This is interesting because you are told what they are or where they come from although the different names for them may take some getting used to. There is a small amount of romance in the story (which I don't really mind) although not ever fully explored (not completely anyway) and there is the magic of the Monkey King (maybe this should be Monkey Queen). The story itself is actually a really cool idea and felt unique.

I really liked the shapeshifting that occurs. Set in a modern-day SF I found it appealing, creative, fresh and original. For all we know shapeshifters are real and they live among us... This book realises that and makes it actual. I felt that the powers afforded to Maya were, in the context of this story, way too strong and found that apart from that one thing, she was never really in danger and when she was in danger I seldom felt that she might actually receive any permanent damage which rendered the danger of said 'thing' not scary.

The action in this book is great, fast paced but very light. Characters fight, shapeshift and throw one another across streets and into vehicles. You won't be finding anything grim-dark in here but then looking at the cover for the book you shouldn't be expecting it. It serves its purpose, which it does do well enabling the progression of the storyline and character arcs.

The characters in this story are fleshed out enough to not feel completely wooden but the only one I really connected with was Maya. Her balancing of the various issues she had plus monkey were always at the forefront of the story and that's obviously a good thing considering she is the voice of the story (written in first person) - I just wished I rooted for more characters.

To conclude, as I said before I like to help push new author's work - I feel that Monkey Around is a good urban fantasy book that people will like. I think the people that would like this book are ones who don't want Abercrombie, Sanderson, Eriksen or their like. This is for the beach days, the sit by the pool days and the wrap up in a blanket and chill days. This is an ideal story for casual readers. A fun story that closes off everything it starts but is maybe lacking for readers who want maximum fleshed out worlds, deep conflict or creative magic systems.

Rating 3/5 - Grab the book on your Kindle and enjoy in your favourite place, smiling as Maya takes you around San Francisco dodging bullets and more shady things.

[Briar · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful book! I’m always attracted to bright colours, so the cover caught my eye immediately, and when I read the description of Monkey Around I knew I had to read it. And oh, it did not disappoint!

Okay, there are times when the plotting is a tad wobbly and the writing is occasionally clunky, but the main point of reading a book is to enjoy it, and I enjoyed every word of this one. If I were only allowed to use one word to describe it, I’d say “fun”. I just found it impossible not to enjoy the energy and humour and fast paced action that doesn’t let up through the entire book.

A book written in the first person really needs a strong, engaging main character to carry it, and I fell in love with Maya almost immediately. Opening with a fight is a bold move and, since I’m not particularly interested in reading fights and battles, could easily have lost me. But Jadie Jang did so much great character building through the fight that I read every word and loved it, and Maya. She’s so passionate, so active and cares about everything so deeply. And I’m always going to love a protagonist who’s an activist and is always organising and supporting activism. Maya’s doing great work and I love her.

I also really enjoyed the magic in the book, and although shapeshifting is a common thing in fiction, I thought Jadie Jang did something different with it, and wrote it very thoughtfully and interestingly. I loved the way that each shapeshifter’s shifting was tied to their culture and their stories. And I loved the way that Monkey Around has a sort of background anchor in the idea that stories are real, that they contain truths and knowledge, and that they have power. I adore stories about stories so this was a lovely thread in the book for me.

I don’t read a huge amount of urban fantasy, for some reason, but Monkey Around has made me want to read more. It’s a fun romp with delightful characters, super awesome magic, and fast paced, exciting storytelling. I will say that I don’t know enough about any of the cultures represented to say if it’s done in a respectful way (the author is Asian American, as is the main character, so obviously I don’t have any qualms about that part!), but it definitely feels like the author has done a lot of research, which can only be a good thing. I had so much fun reading this book and I really hope it’s going to become a series, because I want more Maya. She’s just such a delight in every way! I’d recommend Monkey Around to anyone who wants a fun, rompy, fast-paced, funny, magical San Francisco adventure.

With thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

TL;DR: Fun, fast-paced shapeshifter mystery that draws on folklore from around the world and ~BONUS~ is anti-colonialist, anti-gentrification, and has queer representation. BUT definitely leaves some cliff-hanger-y questions about the supernatural protagonist and antagonist. My rating: 4 of 5 stars.

Monkey Around gave me lots of True Blood and American Gods vibes, but with much greater folkloric diversity and progressive, justice-oriented subplots (i.e. main character runs an AAPI magazine and is very active in community organizing around the Occupy Wall Street protests--which she advocates for renaming Decolonize Wall Street).

The wit and light-hearted humor made this a really quick, fun read. At the start Jang seems to introduce a few too many seemingly unconnected characters and events, but they all eventually piece together into the overarching mystery of who or what is sucking out the souls of magical shapeshifters and how an Aztec magical object can put a stop to it. The only part of the mystery that felt somewhat unresolved to me was the origin story of Maya, the main character, who transforms into a monkey and has near-limitless other magical abilities. I’m not sure if this book is planned as a series, but there are definitely unanswered questions I’d love to return to Jang’s shapeshifter sanctuary Bay Area to uncover.

My one big complaint is that I was worried for Maya’s mental health. She’s constantly running from her day job to the Occupy camp to her night job, and back to her day job with minimal indication that she ever stops to take care of herself. The girl needs to learn to rest and practice self-care so she can continue to take care of her communities. There’s a sort-of love triangle but tbh I get why it doesn’t really go anywhere--I don’t know where on earth Maya would have found the time to date.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Rebellion Publishing for giving me advance access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Sara G · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a really fun read, and I enjoyed most of it, but I'm still puzzled by the ending.

The good and great: it's an urban fantasy with a lot of fantasy, but set in a very real and tangible 2011 SF Bay Area. I can walk, drive, or bus to the hyper-specific locations featured in it, and it's not just big, obvious place names. I love a local author! The main character, a shapeshifter with an action-oriented drive to make right, is someone you can root for and the character voice is fun. It has a lot of the same ideas and vibe as The City We Became, but West Coast style. Both address urban gentrification, indigenous and immigrant assimilation, community, and reclamation, and the spirit of a city. Their publication dates being roughly similar, I think it just reinforces the timeliness and topicality of these ideas, despite one being set a decade ago.

Given what was set up, I had trouble with the ending, and not in a "wow, what a surprise, but it totally works!" way. From being A Reader Of Books, I had every expectation that Maya would become the supernatural anchor/guardian for the region:

1) Tez didn't want the job
2) What she was doing to push him into it was unethical and made her feel like garbage
3) Maya had explicitly stated she wanted to put down roots and make a home
4) Her involvement and connection to all different communities situated her perfectly
5) She's the most powerful being in the region
6) And she had the actual spirit of the Bay Area communicating with her in ways that could be interpreted as it wanting to give her this mantle.

So the solution felt wrong for the story, and as far as I know, it's complete, no continuation forthcoming (though I wonder if those were a pandemic casualty). That really brought my feelings about it down into 3.5 range. I will look forward to further works by Jang, if any, because the fun parts were really great.

[Tim Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This just squeaked through my filters, and I'm glad it did. Early on I got Sookie Stackhouse / Stephanie Plum vibes, especially when the hunky guys looked at her. Then we're, like, at the coffeeshop, man, and like, doing pamphlets .... but suddenly all that stuff dropped away and we're off on a high-speed adventure.

Point scored: Jang introduces a character who can apparently turn herself into anything, including a flying atomic stapler with proton cannons. Half a point for her first fight being against someone almost as good. The rest of the point: just before we find out whether she can teleport [non-spoiler: we still don't know], she meets an opponent she can't beat. But we are left with the nagging feeling that things she can't do are only because she hasn't thought of them yet.

On we go, the body count rises and the plot thickens, and now the good stuff really begins. Jang's research comes into play. Maya starts to figure things out, moves her understanding ahead one plausible step at a time, and finally talks herself into an ethical dilemma. I didn't like her decision, but she's half Monkey King, and has to have different ethics. Heck, the Greek and Norse gods were horrible! Loki, Raven, Coyote, all the tricksters use different rules than we do. This ethical twist could be the seed for several interesting stories.

Finally: did ALL of us read about the Big Special Book and think, "Oh, no, not the unopened book -- unread message -- unanswered call trope again!" And sure enough ... but no major harm done. Jang may have been teasing us with that one.

Good diversity here, presented matter-of-factly without fuss, as you'd expect in a San Francisco setting.

Looking forward to this author's next one.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s been a while since I’ve read a “lighter” book and to be honest, I struggled through a lot of this because of the tone. It’s a fun, deeply authentic read in how it is set in the Bay Area and incorporates so many wonderful people of color. The main gripes I had about it are deeply personal to me: using the setting of Occupy felt very flat and prop-like to me (there are no conversations or analysis with others at the encampment? Conversations about why it was important?) and I struggled with the depth of some of the characters (I felt like I wasn’t getting a full sense of Chucha or Tez, to be honest, nor Ayo). Otherwise, loved the worldbuilding!

[Pauline Zed · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn’t resist a Monkey King urban fantasy, especially one with a social activist main character. Maya is a lot of fun and I especially like how the writer portrays her monkey self. I have to mark it down a bit for the ending. It looked like the structure was signalling a very different (and to me more satisfying) ending with Maya assuming a leadership role of the Bay area. When that didn’t happen and in fact she pulls some shady shit for greater good at the end, it lost me. Still was a highly enjoyable story though.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Page-turning SF fantasy novel featuring a lot of plot & a lot of world building. The ending suggests a sequel, which I would read. The idea of the supernatural guardian of a city reminds me of the premise behind N.K. Jemisin’s short story “The City Born Great”. Makes me want to read Journey to the West, & maybe re-read American Born Chinese (which also featured Monkey King). Similar to Long Way to a Small Angry Planet, Monkey Around hints at, but never shows weird supernatural/alien/animal sex, & I couldn’t help but think that Ocatvia Butler would have shown it, & Walter Mosely would show a LOT of it. The story was fun & moved along smoothly enough that I don’t really feel like picking the whole thing apart, which is definitely a plus.

[Runalong · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a terrific start to a new fantasy series and I want more soon! A fantastic exploration of a community made of other communities, throw in action, murder and some fantastic characters

Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...

[Jennie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the plot of this book but found that some of the writing quirks (for example: inserting WTF and OMG as part of the POV character's thought process and the "!?!"s in dialogue) kept breaking the immersion for me. I suddenly felt as though I were reading a tumblr post rather than a novel.

[Alanna Liles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love me a fantasy novel based in the Bay Area! Easy to read/follow, suspenseful, love the tie in of traditional folklore from different cultures.

[Victoria Law · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read, but wish I’d read this while I was actually in the Bay Area instead of shortly after leaving.

Looking forward to more by this author!

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was super fun and I am fervently hoping it will be a series. The mythologies at play here are a perfect Bay Area melting pot, I loved the main character, and the plot was a fun ride. Recommended for Bay Area dwellers, millenials accused of destroying beloved industries, and people who love urban fantasy adventures.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most exciting urban fantasy novels I've read in a while. Set in 2011 San Francisco amidst the Occupy movement, Jadie Jang's Monkey Around follows a powerful shapeshifter named Maya juggling her activism and investigation of a series of unexplained murders of local supernaturals. Loved this book's rich worldbuilding and a nonstop plot with multiple enticing mysteries unfolding at once, including Maya's quest to understand her own powers and background.

[USOM · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the author. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

Monkey Around immediately begins with action which sets the pace of the coming pages. I was almost immediately swept away by the consistent thrum of action and the ways that Jang introduces new supernatural elements to the world. It feels rich and descriptive making you almost believe that this supernatural undercurrent exists. What a world that would be!

With these investigative stories, it's easy to get caught up in the 'who dunnit' element of the story. As for Maya, not knowing your origin? That will almost always endear a character to me as an adoptee never knowing her own origin. While that wasn't were Monkey Around spends the most time, it's an element that always tugged at my heart strings. And it comes up in subtle ways which made it seem lived in.

[Silvana]

DNF @ 25%

[Anya · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I enjoyed was the diversity in supernaturals and all the cultures that surrounded those beings. Reading only about werewolves and vampires can get old at some point, such great ideas in this one. I also enjoyed the action and some of the fighting scenes with our headstrong heroine.

Points I didn't enjoy:
Maya is made to be the most powerful being - I personally would have preferred a limit or some sort of weakness to her character.
The love triangle wasn't believable and it seemed that Maya made her choices only due to how Tez and Todd looked and not how they behaved towards her or others. Too many smirks, stares and smiles without any real substance to built a relationship on.
The information flow throughout the story felt a bit off, but I was still engaged enough until the end.

Altogether a solid enough, entertaining suburban fantasy.
If you're a fan of Mercy Thompson, Sookie Stackhouse novels or similar and you're a bit tired just dealing with vampires and werewolves, you should give this one a try 😎

Thanks Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Nia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this!!

Maya and Tez were a great double act and the ending... Oh, I really hope there will be a sequel (and more - I can see this being a little Urban Fantasy series). I loved the interpretation of mythology in 2010 San Francisco. It was so cool and just made sense. And against the backdrop of Occupy and social activism? I could tell Jang really cared about the movement.

I will admit I was a little confused in the first few chapters - I think some of the context was a little lost on me but it was easy to understand how much Maya had to balance both in the human world and the supernatural world. I think a sequel will definitely resolve some questions too (and more Todd!).

At its heart, Monkey Around is about the importance of community and culture and companionship and belonging.

[Debbie is on Storygraph · Rating 4 out of 5]

An urban fantasy taking place in San Francisco during the Occupy Wallstreet movement. I have never felt more seen in an UF than this book. Instead of elves and vampires, there are creatures from non-Western folklore and mythology. There's a whole underground subculture of supernaturals, who are all people of color. Throw in some gang rivalry, some RiotGrrl feels, and a heroine who has no freaking clue what she is, and you have a great UF. Hopefully the start of a series!

[Anna Tan · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, the great part about Monkey Around is that you don't need to be a Journey to the West kind of person to know what's going on! Though I suppose if you come with that kind of literary background you'd probably pick up things (clues? inside jokes?) that I might have missed. But not knowing is also cool and doesn't detract from the story as a whole, because you're taken on a journey of discovery with Maya herself!

Maya MacQueen is on a journey of discovering what she truly is - is she just a were-monkey, or is she something more? What lies behind the supercool powers she has that Ayo, magic-human-boss, doesn't seem to recognise? But in the midst of protesting at Occupy, barista-ing at Cafe Sanc-ahh, and taking on odd jobs for Ayo (like tracking down a missing aswang), supernatural creatures are turning up dead. Like Wayland Soh, the harimau jadian, and Bu-Bu, the bajang. And the only clue she has is that this soul-eating shadow is just like her.

What I love about Monkey Around is the wide range of cultures and supernatural creatures from all around the world that just appear, but is somehow still so rooted in place. Jang explores the many different were-creatures and magic users around the world that have migrated to (or pass through) the Bay, though two cultures are featured with some prominence - the Asian-American and Mexican (Mesoamerican?) communities.

With so many things going on, it feels like the disparate cultures and creatures should pull the story apart - or at least confuse it too much. Yet it doesn't. There's one thing that pulls them together, that provides a defining feature - the San Francisco Bay Area. The place feels like a character of its own. It speaks to Maya, it searches for its guardian. It's actively trying to save itself, and I love it. I also admit to having a soft spot for it in my heart due to the many times I once travelled there for work.

The most annoying thing about Monkey Around, though, is in my opinion, Maya. And that's actually a very personal thing. Okay, I should explain that a bit. Many readers gush about how much they *love* a character. I don't...fall in love with characters. There are very few characters that I super like, and that's also mostly because there are very few real people that I like. But there are very, very many characters that I hate, and that kind of correlates to the amount of real life people I just find annoying and tiresome and don't want to deal with. So back to the story, you know how you meet someone and they just...irritate you for no definable reason? Just one of those personalities that grates on you but everyone else is ok with (and maybe even like)? That's Maya for me. She's amusing to a point, until she protests "but the Monkey in me...." one too many times and [Anna stabs the Main Character].

At any rate, Monkey Around is a fun urban fantasy read that explores the diversity of the Bay, identity, and place.

Note: I received a digital ARC of this book via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.