Review of Man Mission
-
Christiana Eno-obong
- Posts: 105
- Joined: 15 Aug 2022, 19:32
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 30
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-christiana-eno-obong.html
- Latest Review: The Stealthy Viral Pimpernel by Bernard Heys
Review of Man Mission
[Following is a volunteer review of "Man Mission" by Eytan Uliel.]
What does it take to be a man? What is the right way to be a man? Man Mission by Eytan Uliel chronicles the lives of four friends through college on to the rest of their lives. The friends made a decision to go on a trip once a year, every year but they have lives to live and the everyday responsibilities of existing and excelling at their individual jobs is a restriction. This notwithstanding, they must stick to their resolution and this decision kick-starts a yearly adventure to find a place and purpose. Eventually, the trip becomes a break away from the duties and obligations of being a husband to Rachel and a responsible father to his three kids for one of the friends. It is a tale of four friends who support each other through the toughest times and situations, of growth as they trudge together through the mundanity of life, of dissatisfaction with normal life and a fierce longing for something different. The Man Mission provides a sense of direction and adventure, an avenue for a show of masculinity in a decidedly tame society. The older they become, the more dangerous the mission is. From biking in Korea, to kayaking in Fiji, hiking in Spain, to going on a safari in South Africa and sailing in Thailand, it is every man for himself out there. Everything is idyllic until he realizes he has grown resentful of his life, the strong hold of family responsibilities and the crumbling of his marriage to Rachel. His marriage eventually ends with a divorce and his disillusionment with the turn his life has taken dissolves into a constant depression. The Mission becomes not only a break away from the world and a freeze in time to recharge but also a time when he can comfortably be himself away from the glare of the world. The story teaches the lessons of recognition and acceptance of one’s weaknesses especially by men who have been socially constructed to be strong even in situations demanding vulnerability, help and companionship and finally, contentment at having realized the essence and need of just being.
I am absolutely delighted I got a chance to read this book. The events are very detailed and in turn create an utterly fantastic storyline. The suspense was just thrilling, I could not wait to find out who would be getting hurt on the next crazy adventure. Also, the language is simple and direct. Even better is the imagery created by detailed descriptions of complex landscapes. Eytan gave a lot of thought to the development of his characters and I found that to me each of the friends are symbolic of men everywhere; Alec the uber-bachelor, Sam the charismatic one, the hero the seemingly weak yet steadfast friend while Daniel is the level-headed friend, the organizer, a decision maker and definitely my favorite character. He has just the right blend of macho yet sweet that every woman longs for. He makes his decisions without seeking the approval of others. He is unfazed, keeping his work and personal relationships balanced. Even when things go downhill, he is willing to put in the time and work required to straighten them out.
I cannot think of any aspect of this book I did not love except for a minor glitch. I could not seem to find the name of the hero. This created a certain amount of confusion reading through the book as I could not attach a name to this man whose life story I was reading.
Man Mission is a great book and I believe the negative aspect mentioned above might have been a deliberate attempt by the author to make the hero’s experience relatable to every reader. I will therefore be rating this book 4 out of 4 stars.
I recommend this book to readers seeking out books geared specifically towards the male experience. I also recommend it to adults and young adults as well as readers of suspense and adventure novels.
******
Man Mission
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
What does it take to be a man? What is the right way to be a man? Man Mission by Eytan Uliel chronicles the lives of four friends through college on to the rest of their lives. The friends made a decision to go on a trip once a year, every year but they have lives to live and the everyday responsibilities of existing and excelling at their individual jobs is a restriction. This notwithstanding, they must stick to their resolution and this decision kick-starts a yearly adventure to find a place and purpose. Eventually, the trip becomes a break away from the duties and obligations of being a husband to Rachel and a responsible father to his three kids for one of the friends. It is a tale of four friends who support each other through the toughest times and situations, of growth as they trudge together through the mundanity of life, of dissatisfaction with normal life and a fierce longing for something different. The Man Mission provides a sense of direction and adventure, an avenue for a show of masculinity in a decidedly tame society. The older they become, the more dangerous the mission is. From biking in Korea, to kayaking in Fiji, hiking in Spain, to going on a safari in South Africa and sailing in Thailand, it is every man for himself out there. Everything is idyllic until he realizes he has grown resentful of his life, the strong hold of family responsibilities and the crumbling of his marriage to Rachel. His marriage eventually ends with a divorce and his disillusionment with the turn his life has taken dissolves into a constant depression. The Mission becomes not only a break away from the world and a freeze in time to recharge but also a time when he can comfortably be himself away from the glare of the world. The story teaches the lessons of recognition and acceptance of one’s weaknesses especially by men who have been socially constructed to be strong even in situations demanding vulnerability, help and companionship and finally, contentment at having realized the essence and need of just being.
I am absolutely delighted I got a chance to read this book. The events are very detailed and in turn create an utterly fantastic storyline. The suspense was just thrilling, I could not wait to find out who would be getting hurt on the next crazy adventure. Also, the language is simple and direct. Even better is the imagery created by detailed descriptions of complex landscapes. Eytan gave a lot of thought to the development of his characters and I found that to me each of the friends are symbolic of men everywhere; Alec the uber-bachelor, Sam the charismatic one, the hero the seemingly weak yet steadfast friend while Daniel is the level-headed friend, the organizer, a decision maker and definitely my favorite character. He has just the right blend of macho yet sweet that every woman longs for. He makes his decisions without seeking the approval of others. He is unfazed, keeping his work and personal relationships balanced. Even when things go downhill, he is willing to put in the time and work required to straighten them out.
I cannot think of any aspect of this book I did not love except for a minor glitch. I could not seem to find the name of the hero. This created a certain amount of confusion reading through the book as I could not attach a name to this man whose life story I was reading.
Man Mission is a great book and I believe the negative aspect mentioned above might have been a deliberate attempt by the author to make the hero’s experience relatable to every reader. I will therefore be rating this book 4 out of 4 stars.
I recommend this book to readers seeking out books geared specifically towards the male experience. I also recommend it to adults and young adults as well as readers of suspense and adventure novels.
******
Man Mission
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Latest Review: The Stealthy Viral Pimpernel by Bernard Heys
