Review of Man Mission
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Zolex Paula Avina
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Review of Man Mission
[Following is a volunteer review of "Man Mission" by Eytan Uliel.]
There is hardly someone in a better position to tell a story filled with travel adventures so engagingly than a seasoned traveler and experienced writer. With Man Mission, Eytan Uliel beautifully presents the story of four young men who embark on a wild vacation every year. The book describes the lives of an unnamed narrator and his three male friends during their travels in adventurous areas such as New Zealand, Spain, South Africa, Peru, etc. The activities they engage in vary from kayaking to hiking and ice-climbing. Each of these activities is just as dangerously challenging, or even more, than the previous.
However, Man Mission is more complex than the name implies. The book is beyond a fictional travelogue as the author invests a significant portion of it, addressing the relationship between the main characters and the ones they have with their families. I am inclined to believe that the essence of the adventures was to serve as a philosophical contrast to the daily lives of the men. Through our narrator, one can observe that these men do not enjoy the same thrill in their lives. Their personal lives comprise responsibilities, marital disputes, and the climax of them all, divorce. Even the narrator is a victim of this web of difficulties.
However, the travel narrative of the story is just as relevant and engaging, kept lively by the various rituals adopted by the adventurers. One of these is the pink bracelet, awarded to the least enduring. Another is the Man Mission Charter, which prioritizes endurance and the stretching of limits while trivializing matters of hygiene. There is also the Wife Committee, which must always approve missions before launching. Generally, these rituals confirm that these missions are macho engagements, hence the need to follow the stereotypes of manhood.
However, I am very impressed by the narrative prowess of Eytan Uliel, who ensures that he provides details of every aspect of the adventures. The description of the scenery is so epic I could almost find myself sitting in the steam bath with the characters in Taiwan or before the lion in South Africa. I also enjoyed the conversations in the novel between the main characters and their hosts. The dialogues were usually funny, even the ones about their marital lives. I commend the author for his ability to weave some humor into the challenging aspects of their lives. In some way, I also think the excessive embracement of masculine stereotypes in the novel is a subtle parody of the extremity of social norms.
Notwithstanding, there is a gray area in the book regarding the role of women. While it is understandable that the book centers on vigorous men, I believe the author could have done more to develop the female characters. Unfortunately, the author provides a minimal characterization of “wives” and “fiancées” with little function in the story.
Despite the above, I am generally in love with the book. Therefore, I rate it 4 out of 4 stars because I enjoyed every bit of it, especially the adventures and the remarkable friendship among the main characters. The author’s impressive narrative and descriptive skills also influenced my judgment. The book was indeed worth every minute dedicated to it.
I also recommend the book to anyone who, like me, enjoys reading stories of travel adventures. This book will be too difficult to put down unfinished for such a person, all thanks to the captivating magic of Eytan Uliel’s writing style.
******
Man Mission
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
There is hardly someone in a better position to tell a story filled with travel adventures so engagingly than a seasoned traveler and experienced writer. With Man Mission, Eytan Uliel beautifully presents the story of four young men who embark on a wild vacation every year. The book describes the lives of an unnamed narrator and his three male friends during their travels in adventurous areas such as New Zealand, Spain, South Africa, Peru, etc. The activities they engage in vary from kayaking to hiking and ice-climbing. Each of these activities is just as dangerously challenging, or even more, than the previous.
However, Man Mission is more complex than the name implies. The book is beyond a fictional travelogue as the author invests a significant portion of it, addressing the relationship between the main characters and the ones they have with their families. I am inclined to believe that the essence of the adventures was to serve as a philosophical contrast to the daily lives of the men. Through our narrator, one can observe that these men do not enjoy the same thrill in their lives. Their personal lives comprise responsibilities, marital disputes, and the climax of them all, divorce. Even the narrator is a victim of this web of difficulties.
However, the travel narrative of the story is just as relevant and engaging, kept lively by the various rituals adopted by the adventurers. One of these is the pink bracelet, awarded to the least enduring. Another is the Man Mission Charter, which prioritizes endurance and the stretching of limits while trivializing matters of hygiene. There is also the Wife Committee, which must always approve missions before launching. Generally, these rituals confirm that these missions are macho engagements, hence the need to follow the stereotypes of manhood.
However, I am very impressed by the narrative prowess of Eytan Uliel, who ensures that he provides details of every aspect of the adventures. The description of the scenery is so epic I could almost find myself sitting in the steam bath with the characters in Taiwan or before the lion in South Africa. I also enjoyed the conversations in the novel between the main characters and their hosts. The dialogues were usually funny, even the ones about their marital lives. I commend the author for his ability to weave some humor into the challenging aspects of their lives. In some way, I also think the excessive embracement of masculine stereotypes in the novel is a subtle parody of the extremity of social norms.
Notwithstanding, there is a gray area in the book regarding the role of women. While it is understandable that the book centers on vigorous men, I believe the author could have done more to develop the female characters. Unfortunately, the author provides a minimal characterization of “wives” and “fiancées” with little function in the story.
Despite the above, I am generally in love with the book. Therefore, I rate it 4 out of 4 stars because I enjoyed every bit of it, especially the adventures and the remarkable friendship among the main characters. The author’s impressive narrative and descriptive skills also influenced my judgment. The book was indeed worth every minute dedicated to it.
I also recommend the book to anyone who, like me, enjoys reading stories of travel adventures. This book will be too difficult to put down unfinished for such a person, all thanks to the captivating magic of Eytan Uliel’s writing style.
******
Man Mission
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Latest Review: The MECE Muse by Christie Lindor
