What did you think of how this book constantly switched between the "present" action of the missions and flashbacks?

[Laura Lee]

I liked that it added personal elements to the characters, and also kind of opened the story up a bit. If it were just an overly-descriptive account of the missions themselves, I would have been bored out of my mind. The flashbacks to home life really added some drama to the story, making it far more appealing to me. Also, it helped the reader be aware of why these Missions are so important to these guys- some of them are really dealing with a lot at home!

That's very true. I like how you expressed that. The flashbacks really brought a depth to the story that would have been missing otherwise, and also helped demonstrate why these annual pilgrimages were so important to the men. Thanks for your well-thought-out response!

[LiannaPrudz]

I personally loved the "jumping back and forth between the advancing action" because this brought in some of their past experiences which in turn made me understand the book even more and despite the jumping back and forth, I was able to follow the action very well. The switching between past and present actions was very effective in my opinion.

[Laura Lee]

I personally loved the "jumping back and forth between the advancing action" because this brought in some of their past experiences which in turn made me understand the book even more and despite the jumping back and forth, I was able to follow the action very well. The switching between past and present actions was very effective in my opinion.

That is true. The flashbacks kind of worked to explain the present (man mission), didn't they? Problem was, they also worked as foreshadowing. It made me sad to see fissures start to form in his marriage. It was a well-written book, wasn't it?

Thanks for your comment!

[Falconcrest]

The author did a great job with this writing technique and i never found myself lost not even once. I also feel it gave the story a very rich quality as if the reader was actually listening to a friend actually telling the story.

[iknwuzoh]

It's not really fantastic to use too many flashbacks when writing a book, but it can be fine if its done in a fascinating. Flashbacks represent the past but should not be an excuse for the future. Its a difficult thing though to write with a lot of flashbacks.

[NetMassimo]

In the review I submitted yesterday I commented on this point that the author did that to stress the increasing contrast between the two parts of the protagonists' lives.

[Patrick Nandi]

I think the author's style is the best way to express the attitude of the four friends presently.

[Laura Lee]

The author did a great job with this writing technique and i never found myself lost not even once. I also feel it gave the story a very rich quality as if the reader was actually listening to a friend actually telling the story.

It did round out the story, didn't it? The flashbacks gave a depth to each of the men we wouldn't have otherwise if the book focused on just the various man missions and nothing else. I think it was a far better book, by giving us these deeper glimpses into each man and his life. It made me feel more invested in each character.

[Laura Lee]

In the review I submitted yesterday I commented on this point that the author did that to stress the increasing contrast between the two parts of the protagonists' lives.

I know! Right away, I could see the foreshadowing of problems in his marriage and it made me sad: "No! No! Work it out! Don't let it get to the point of destroying your marriage." It's one of the most skillfully crafted stories I've read in quite a while. Thanks for sharing!

[Laura Lee]

I think the author's style is the best way to express the attitude of the four friends presently.

Good point, Patrick. The flashbacks provided the author more of a chance to develop the characters of each person. Thanks for sharing!

[NetMassimo]

In the review I submitted yesterday I commented on this point that the author did that to stress the increasing contrast between the two parts of the protagonists' lives.

I know! Right away, I could see the foreshadowing of problems in his marriage and it made me sad: "No! No! Work it out! Don't let it get to the point of destroying your marriage." It's one of the most skillfully crafted stories I've read in quite a while. Thanks for sharing!

True, the fact that the narrator and Rachel seem clueless about the consequences of their behaviour made the part about their breakup more bitter for me to read.

It's my pleasure to share and exchange opinions.

[djr6090]

Referring strictly to the "how", I believe that the author does it very smoothly, the reader does not have any difficulty in following the thread of the action.
As to the reason why he does it or what he achieves by using this method, I believe it enriches the reading experience. A steady, chronological account of the trips, like a log, would have been somewhat boring.

I agree. I had the feeling that a very real person was reviewing his own travel logs and commenting about how he arrived at a life lesson in retrospect.

[LyorBoone]

I loved the flashbacks. I think that sometimes when authors try to write that way it becomes very choppy or confusing, but I think his transitions were very smooth and also made me more interested in both storylines. I feel like it would have been much more boring if they had been separated out.

What part of the transitions in and out of the flash back struck you as smooth. And what consistent patterns would you say brought about these smooth transitions?

[kdstrack]

I enjoyed the flashbacks and thought the author did a beautiful job of incorporating the characters' home/family life with their "man" time. I also liked the inclusion of events from all four of the men's lives. He showed how the group bonded and matured over the fifteen years of their various missions.

[Paige Alvarado]

I liked that it added personal elements to the characters, and also kind of opened the story up a bit. If it were just an overly-descriptive account of the missions themselves, I would have been bored out of my mind. The flashbacks to home life really added some drama to the story, making it far more appealing to me. Also, it helped the reader be aware of why these Missions are so important to these guys- some of them are really dealing with a lot at home!

That's very true. I like how you expressed that. The flashbacks really brought a depth to the story that would have been missing otherwise, and also helped demonstrate why these annual pilgrimages were so important to the men. Thanks for your well-thought-out response!

You are most welcome!