Assessment:
Plot/Idea: Mountain Dream is the story of Wei San Tang's journey to Everest. She smartly lays out her personal mission with the text and then proceeds to tell a well-crafted tale of important teachers, initial adventures, setbacks, and triumphs.
Prose: Author Wei San Tang's writing is conversational, casual, and friendly. She makes great use of direct address to forge intimacy with the audience and offers practical advice in a straightforward, informative manner.
Originality: Mountain Dream is absolutely original, in the way that the narrator doesn't resemble the expected author. Instead, Wei San Tang humbly brings up her fear and aims to inspire others to have an adventurous attitude.
Character Development/Execution: The author empathetically establishes her authorial voice by introducing herself in a relatable fashion, honestly discussing her past struggles, and being transparent about her self-doubt.
Blurb: Mountain Dream is an inspirational, quick-read travel memoir about the author's unlikely trip to Everest, written in the hopes that the story will motivate others to take their own adventures and forge their own paths.
Date Submitted: January 08, 2022
Broken into two parts, the book covers life experiences that Tang experienced that led up to her trek as well as the adventure itself. The closeness she has with her family, and the impact of her dad’s words are clear; he reminded her on their first climb that going up is only half the journey, and that taking care when going back down is just as important. Tang also describes how she overcame her resistance to do some things she wasn’t comfortable with, as well as what she learned from the experience.
The second part picks up speed, telling the detailed story of the trip to Everest Base Camp. Tang takes readers along for every triumph and every near defeat: “I remembered repeating these sentences in my brain, over and over again, ‘We can do this. One step at a time.’” Details of the places her group stops along, the people they meet, the gorgeous views they experience, and the freezing cold and high altitude of the mountain are palpable. Although the first half is a bit slow, and readers will want more details on some of her earlier experiences, Tang’s tale is inviting.
Takeaway: Adventure-minded readers looking for inspiration to follow their dreams will find inspiration in Tang’s journey to Everest Base Camp.
Great for fans of: Janet Patkowa’s The Impossible Long Run: My Journey to Becoming Ultra, David Clark’s Broken Open: Mountains, Demons, Treadmills And a Search for Nirvana.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
