Review by ab2020 -- Man Mission by Eytan Uliel
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ab2020
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Review by ab2020 -- Man Mission by Eytan Uliel
[Following is a volunteer review of "Man Mission" by Eytan Uliel.]
3 out of 4 stars
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The last book I reviewed for the Online Book Club was The Reel Sisters by Michelle Cummings—a unique story of female friendship centered on fly fishing. So I found it no coincidence that I was subsequently offered a chance to read and review Man Mission by Eytan Uliel—a story of male friendship centered on annual expeditions of manliness. Uliel’s book is a real-life-inspired tale of four friends—Sam, Alec, Daniel, and the narrator—and their fifteen-year-long journey of adventure and self-discovery.
Man Mission is an elegantly and tightly structured novel divided into three parts, which are aptly titled Beginning, Middle, and End. Each part contains five chapters, and each chapter describes the events and Man Mission of that year. So, what is a Man Mission? A Man Mission is an expedition undertaken by the four main characters (or several among them) to some new place in the world—usually a rugged, natural one—where they travel under their own power (i.e. by hiking, biking, kayaking, etc.) to overcome fears and make memories. Over the course of the novel’s fifteen years, they visit such diverse places as Australia (their home country), Vietnam, South Africa, Peru, Spain, and Iceland. During this time, they also face personal and family challenges and come to understand what it truly means to be a “man”.
Uliel’s novel is a well-written one; events flow smoothly and even a bored reader will likely find themselves slowing down to take in the characters’ experiences a few times throughout the book. The structure includes several clever features, such as inspirational quotes and map illustrations preceding each chapter and witty trip summaries at the end of each chapter. Unlike many novelists, Uliel shows no sign of struggle when it comes to intertwining the past and the present. He manages to slip fifteen years into fewer than 400 pages without too much—or too little—detail.
Though the novel is an interesting one, it displays some predictable faults. First, more than a few clichés present themselves at inopportune times throughout. Most notably, the ending reflects a heavy hand on the part of the author, and the last few pages warp painfully from “show” into “tell”. Manhood, while well-explored in most places, is occasionally too present, perhaps a little aggressive, even. In what seems like a small irony, the book is well-supplied with both profanity and biblical quotes. Most of these are small issues, but they add up in the end.
Thus, Man Mission seems to deserve a solid 3 out of 4 stars. I would suggest that only those who are truly committed to its concept read it. Despite its tasteful pace, the structure may become repetitive to those who are not committed, and, in all honesty, this book is not revolutionary or mind-blowing in many ways. Nonetheless, it is by no means a bad book. If you are feeling intrigued, then do join the adventure!
******
Man Mission
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
3 out of 4 stars
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The last book I reviewed for the Online Book Club was The Reel Sisters by Michelle Cummings—a unique story of female friendship centered on fly fishing. So I found it no coincidence that I was subsequently offered a chance to read and review Man Mission by Eytan Uliel—a story of male friendship centered on annual expeditions of manliness. Uliel’s book is a real-life-inspired tale of four friends—Sam, Alec, Daniel, and the narrator—and their fifteen-year-long journey of adventure and self-discovery.
Man Mission is an elegantly and tightly structured novel divided into three parts, which are aptly titled Beginning, Middle, and End. Each part contains five chapters, and each chapter describes the events and Man Mission of that year. So, what is a Man Mission? A Man Mission is an expedition undertaken by the four main characters (or several among them) to some new place in the world—usually a rugged, natural one—where they travel under their own power (i.e. by hiking, biking, kayaking, etc.) to overcome fears and make memories. Over the course of the novel’s fifteen years, they visit such diverse places as Australia (their home country), Vietnam, South Africa, Peru, Spain, and Iceland. During this time, they also face personal and family challenges and come to understand what it truly means to be a “man”.
Uliel’s novel is a well-written one; events flow smoothly and even a bored reader will likely find themselves slowing down to take in the characters’ experiences a few times throughout the book. The structure includes several clever features, such as inspirational quotes and map illustrations preceding each chapter and witty trip summaries at the end of each chapter. Unlike many novelists, Uliel shows no sign of struggle when it comes to intertwining the past and the present. He manages to slip fifteen years into fewer than 400 pages without too much—or too little—detail.
Though the novel is an interesting one, it displays some predictable faults. First, more than a few clichés present themselves at inopportune times throughout. Most notably, the ending reflects a heavy hand on the part of the author, and the last few pages warp painfully from “show” into “tell”. Manhood, while well-explored in most places, is occasionally too present, perhaps a little aggressive, even. In what seems like a small irony, the book is well-supplied with both profanity and biblical quotes. Most of these are small issues, but they add up in the end.
Thus, Man Mission seems to deserve a solid 3 out of 4 stars. I would suggest that only those who are truly committed to its concept read it. Despite its tasteful pace, the structure may become repetitive to those who are not committed, and, in all honesty, this book is not revolutionary or mind-blowing in many ways. Nonetheless, it is by no means a bad book. If you are feeling intrigued, then do join the adventure!
******
Man Mission
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Latest Review: The Altitude Journals by David J Mauro
