Review of Man Mission

[cutemami]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Man Mission" by Eytan Uliel.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Man Mission by Eytan Uliel is a story that follows the life of four friends as they navigate the world as well as their lives. The first and second Man Mission involved only the author and Sam. They jokingly mentioned how the Man Mission should have rules and they ended up having rules. Alec and Daniel joined Man Mission and it soon became an annual event for these men. Man Mission involved doing a lot of manly activities that ended up being dangerous on more than one occasion. Although injuries were sustained during these missions, the four friends did not want to stop their annual event. That was because the Man Mission was no longer just about hiking or kayaking, it was an escape and offered some solace in times of sadness and loss. The four friends would travel to countries such as Thailand, South Korea, and South Africa. Read this amazing book to find out more about their daring adventures.

The one thing that kept ringing in my head as I was reading this marvellous novel is how I would also like to have my version of Man Mission with my friends. I have always had the dream to travel all around the world, and this book gave me a glimpse of what that might be like. I loved a lot of things about this book, particularly the comedy aspect of the book. I found myself laughing out loud on several occasions. The scene I particularly enjoyed was the one where the author was injured and was relying on the help of drug dealers to deliver him to safety. The hilarious scenarios going on in his head were fun to read about. His interaction with these drug dealers also made me learn an important lesson, which is to not judge a book by its cover. The drug dealers ended up being genuinely concerned for him and delivering him to the hospital to get the treatment he was in dire need of. The maps placed by the author throughout the entire book were a great visual that helped with picturing the story as it was being told.

Another thing I found delightful was the quotes at the begging of every chapter. I found myself looking forward to these as they were deep and somehow related to what would happen in that chapter. One quote was from a famous person and the other was from the Bible. I appreciated that as it is a unique touch to this book that I have not found elsewhere. I liked how absurd some of the Man Mission rules were. I found the rule about the Pink Bracelet to be especially hilarious and all scenes involving that bracelet were very funny. At the end of every chapter, the author offers statistics about the journey and the most interesting statistic for me was the one about injuries sustained during the trip. When Man Mission occurred in Fiji I liked that I learned a new word, “Bula”, which can have a variety of meanings.

The last thing I will mention that I enjoyed about this book is how it shows the importance of friendship and men’s struggles. I always thought men being responsible for their family came easy and women did most of the heavy lifting, but I realised that a man’s role is just as difficult as a woman’s. Reading about the author’s journey made me more sympathetic to men’s plights. It was more enlightening for me because I started seeing my husband in a different light. I was inspired by this book to talk to him that it is okay for him to be emotional and let me know whenever he feels overwhelmed. I have this book to thank for opening my eyes.

The only thing that is on the negative side is the use of vulgar language throughout the book. Some readers might not like that. Mature audiences are more appropriate for this type of novel. I did not mind the profanity as it made a lot of scenes funnier. This book is well edited. I only found a single error. The only rating fitting for this enjoyable read is 4 out of 4 stars.

I recommend Man Mission to all lovers of adventure and exploration who want a glimpse into what it is like to travel around the world, learn new things, and experience different cultures. This book is equally suited to female and male audiences as it is not as manly as one might think from just the description.

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Man Mission
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[Judy_Akha]

I guess this is a book about growing up. Adventures, funny memories that we share with our friends and how it shapes our personality. Nice review!

[Oyedele Tomijane]

Really clear and very well written. I have revamped my "must read book list" based on this review! Thank you, it was a lovely read.

[chinonye-nonye]

A trip that gives healing. Fine review, I love your use of words