Review of Man Mission
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kennedyodindo
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Review of Man Mission
[Following is a volunteer review of "Man Mission" by Eytan Uliel.]
While at a campus food fair, two friends are thrilled by the idea of a vacation, and three years later, one friend calls the other to say they should pack up and board the next plane bound for New Zealand. But after a night in the wildness of New Zealand, one friend hangs his boot, leaving the other to complete the adventure solo. Even so, Man Mission, which means journeying to various parts of the world, doesn't die. Instead, it grows rapidly, especially after Daniel and Alec join their best friends, Sam and the narrator. For better or worse, the Man Mission spirit lives on. The four friends go to South Korea, Vietnam, South Africa, Japan, Australia, Taiwan, Hawaii, and Peru. They hike, trek, sleep in pitched tents, see wild animals, ride bikes, eat exotic foods, and meet people. And in the beginning, there’s happiness, evident as people attend each other’s weddings. As the story progresses, however, death news reaches the vacationers from home, hard financial times strike, and marriages crack.
For me, language counts almost more than any other aspect of a book, and Eytan Uliel knows this. He tells a wonderful story in a very simple language. It's because of the language, simple and descriptive and full of imagery, as it is in Man Mission, that a reader gets to empathize with the narrator in the difficult times and laugh with him in the funny moments.
While Man Mission by Eytan Uliel obits around exploring the world, at the center of it is a failing marriage. The narrator's wife is depicted as though she's the reason for their troubled marriage. Because this story is told from the husband's point of view, Rachel, the narrator's wife, doesn't tell her side of the story. In short, wives are not well represented in Man Mission, and I slightly didn't like this approach.
The narrator is also weak. He cries a lot. When his wife threatens him with a divorce, he breaks down and cries like a baby. At the hospital, a nurse assures him that all is well, and he cries. At the airport, he gets sick, has to be removed from the plane, and he cries. While it's obvious he's going through a difficult time, at least he could've taken it like a man. But that's my opinion, and it shouldn't be misconstrued to imply that the book isn't worth reading.
I'm rating this book four out of four because I enjoyed reading it and found it both sad and funny. This book was also professionally edited, which is to say I didn't find any errors during my reading.
In summary, Man Mission is not appropriate for young readers. There are altercations between husband and wife. In one instance, one partner is dissatisfied in bed and seeks the gratification to be had in the seclusion of their bathroom. Also rife in this book is swearing. As such, I'm recommending this book to adult readers, in particular those who'd like to explore the world while in the company of four adventurous men.
******
Man Mission
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
While at a campus food fair, two friends are thrilled by the idea of a vacation, and three years later, one friend calls the other to say they should pack up and board the next plane bound for New Zealand. But after a night in the wildness of New Zealand, one friend hangs his boot, leaving the other to complete the adventure solo. Even so, Man Mission, which means journeying to various parts of the world, doesn't die. Instead, it grows rapidly, especially after Daniel and Alec join their best friends, Sam and the narrator. For better or worse, the Man Mission spirit lives on. The four friends go to South Korea, Vietnam, South Africa, Japan, Australia, Taiwan, Hawaii, and Peru. They hike, trek, sleep in pitched tents, see wild animals, ride bikes, eat exotic foods, and meet people. And in the beginning, there’s happiness, evident as people attend each other’s weddings. As the story progresses, however, death news reaches the vacationers from home, hard financial times strike, and marriages crack.
For me, language counts almost more than any other aspect of a book, and Eytan Uliel knows this. He tells a wonderful story in a very simple language. It's because of the language, simple and descriptive and full of imagery, as it is in Man Mission, that a reader gets to empathize with the narrator in the difficult times and laugh with him in the funny moments.
While Man Mission by Eytan Uliel obits around exploring the world, at the center of it is a failing marriage. The narrator's wife is depicted as though she's the reason for their troubled marriage. Because this story is told from the husband's point of view, Rachel, the narrator's wife, doesn't tell her side of the story. In short, wives are not well represented in Man Mission, and I slightly didn't like this approach.
The narrator is also weak. He cries a lot. When his wife threatens him with a divorce, he breaks down and cries like a baby. At the hospital, a nurse assures him that all is well, and he cries. At the airport, he gets sick, has to be removed from the plane, and he cries. While it's obvious he's going through a difficult time, at least he could've taken it like a man. But that's my opinion, and it shouldn't be misconstrued to imply that the book isn't worth reading.
I'm rating this book four out of four because I enjoyed reading it and found it both sad and funny. This book was also professionally edited, which is to say I didn't find any errors during my reading.
In summary, Man Mission is not appropriate for young readers. There are altercations between husband and wife. In one instance, one partner is dissatisfied in bed and seeks the gratification to be had in the seclusion of their bathroom. Also rife in this book is swearing. As such, I'm recommending this book to adult readers, in particular those who'd like to explore the world while in the company of four adventurous men.
******
Man Mission
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Latest Review: Final Act by Van Fleisher
