Review of Ituy
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- Latest Review: Ituy by Taylor Willingham
Review of Ituy
[Following is a volunteer review of "Ituy" by Taylor Willingham.]
The seeds of a tree can be blown by the wind to far-off places: stormbound mountaintops, rocky pathways, or if luck would have it, fertile grounds. Wherever a seed may land, it can either remain stagnant and fail to develop, or burst forth roots and dig deep, weathering all conditions as it grows into the majestic tree it is meant to be.
Ituy tells of the experiences of the author, Taylor Willingham, during his time in the Northern province of the Philippines as a missionary from The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints, commonly known as the “Mormon Church”. In the year 2001, the young Willingham was uprooted from his home in the United States to fly across the globe and teach his religion. His journey takes him to Ituy, the land of the Ifugao tribe and named after the Ayturi tree that grows where the winds blow strong. His journey from a sheltered boy to a man with a larger understanding of the world is likened to the life of an Ayturi tree. As he is met by the strong winds of poverty, hostility, betrayal, loss of faith, and self-doubt, he must continuously make the choice of either giving up and returning home or holding his ground and persevering. Ituy tackles history, science, and religion, with the main focus being the ups and downs of the author's relationship with God, his companions, and his beliefs.
What shines most in this book are the messages it holds, and the sincerity of how they were presented. It is evident that the author poured a lot of heart and thought into writing his book. I like how the author took the time to set up his experiences before sharing his realizations and reflections. One example is in chapter 2 where he mentions his friend’s obnoxious harmonica playing early on, which is later revealed to be significant in hearing God’s call and gaining strength to push forward.
The growth of the author during his two years was also smoothly written. The first-person perspective narration of the story allowed the author to share his way of thinking during certain points in his life, and from the progression of his mindset, we can see how much he has changed. All these positive aspects are established because the author does not hold back in providing details and descriptions.
However, it is due to the same detailedness that the book can be at times too cluttered. Cases such as the excess historical information and the multiple mentions of bizarre behavior from the locals in the early chapters were unnecessary. I found some parts of the book to be slow-paced, especially the first half. The book covers the author's time by area. Because Ituy is among the last places he got assigned to, the main points and experiences emphasized in the introduction only happen around the last one-third of the book.
There are multiple errors seen throughout the book, mostly typographical and punctuation errors.
While I value and commend the messages of the book and the author’s delivery, I shall have to give it a rating of 2 out of 4 stars. One star is deducted because of the errors in the manuscript, and the other is due to the book’s tendency to be long-winded and have an inconsistent pace.
I recommend this book to Christians who would like to learn from the experience of a fellow believer. Even readers who do not share the faith but are curious to learn can give this book a shot. One of the author's main values is to not instill in people that his religion is the only correct way. Instead, he encourages them to ask God what is right and in doing so, build their relationship with Him. The book tackles heavier subjects such as violence and mentions topics regarding sexuality. Despite the adult themes, I believe this book is primarily suited to young adults since the author was in his late teens during the events of the book. His struggles are also more relevant to those who are only starting to make their way through life. Readers who are unfamiliar with Filipino words best prepare because they will encounter many foreign terms, a few of which are not given direct translations or explanations.
******
Ituy
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The seeds of a tree can be blown by the wind to far-off places: stormbound mountaintops, rocky pathways, or if luck would have it, fertile grounds. Wherever a seed may land, it can either remain stagnant and fail to develop, or burst forth roots and dig deep, weathering all conditions as it grows into the majestic tree it is meant to be.
Ituy tells of the experiences of the author, Taylor Willingham, during his time in the Northern province of the Philippines as a missionary from The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints, commonly known as the “Mormon Church”. In the year 2001, the young Willingham was uprooted from his home in the United States to fly across the globe and teach his religion. His journey takes him to Ituy, the land of the Ifugao tribe and named after the Ayturi tree that grows where the winds blow strong. His journey from a sheltered boy to a man with a larger understanding of the world is likened to the life of an Ayturi tree. As he is met by the strong winds of poverty, hostility, betrayal, loss of faith, and self-doubt, he must continuously make the choice of either giving up and returning home or holding his ground and persevering. Ituy tackles history, science, and religion, with the main focus being the ups and downs of the author's relationship with God, his companions, and his beliefs.
What shines most in this book are the messages it holds, and the sincerity of how they were presented. It is evident that the author poured a lot of heart and thought into writing his book. I like how the author took the time to set up his experiences before sharing his realizations and reflections. One example is in chapter 2 where he mentions his friend’s obnoxious harmonica playing early on, which is later revealed to be significant in hearing God’s call and gaining strength to push forward.
The growth of the author during his two years was also smoothly written. The first-person perspective narration of the story allowed the author to share his way of thinking during certain points in his life, and from the progression of his mindset, we can see how much he has changed. All these positive aspects are established because the author does not hold back in providing details and descriptions.
However, it is due to the same detailedness that the book can be at times too cluttered. Cases such as the excess historical information and the multiple mentions of bizarre behavior from the locals in the early chapters were unnecessary. I found some parts of the book to be slow-paced, especially the first half. The book covers the author's time by area. Because Ituy is among the last places he got assigned to, the main points and experiences emphasized in the introduction only happen around the last one-third of the book.
There are multiple errors seen throughout the book, mostly typographical and punctuation errors.
While I value and commend the messages of the book and the author’s delivery, I shall have to give it a rating of 2 out of 4 stars. One star is deducted because of the errors in the manuscript, and the other is due to the book’s tendency to be long-winded and have an inconsistent pace.
I recommend this book to Christians who would like to learn from the experience of a fellow believer. Even readers who do not share the faith but are curious to learn can give this book a shot. One of the author's main values is to not instill in people that his religion is the only correct way. Instead, he encourages them to ask God what is right and in doing so, build their relationship with Him. The book tackles heavier subjects such as violence and mentions topics regarding sexuality. Despite the adult themes, I believe this book is primarily suited to young adults since the author was in his late teens during the events of the book. His struggles are also more relevant to those who are only starting to make their way through life. Readers who are unfamiliar with Filipino words best prepare because they will encounter many foreign terms, a few of which are not given direct translations or explanations.
******
Ituy
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Ituy by Taylor Willingham
