This introduction to Chinese mythology is easy to read and well-translated, but ultimately feels like a collection of Wikipedia articles strung together, offering little real depth. It delivers on its surface-level promise, but a YouTube video might teach you just as much.
I first got this book at a book fair for a really cheap price a few years ago. I wanted to learn about other cultures’ mythologies and compare them to see the similarities. The book was easy to read and well-structured, but in terms of content, it contained very little substance for me.
It’s good enough to provide surface-level information, but nothing too detailed. In my opinion, it feels almost like a collection of Wikipedia articles put together into a book. It’s easy to read, yes, but offers very little depth. Honestly, watching a YouTube video on the subject might have been more informative. However, I must say that the translation of the book was good.
Those who want an introduction to Chinese mythology may enjoy this book. I give it 3 out of 5 because it does deliver what it advertises, but as I mentioned before, the information is quite shallow.