Warrior Rising: How Four Men Helped a Boy on His Journey to Manhood
By: MaryAnne Howland / Narrated By: Adenrele Ojo
Length: 10 hrs and 24 mins
Was looking for a book on strong men guiding a boy into young manhood; got instead a mom learning to let go…
I was soooo looking forward to listening to Warrior Rising as the Publisher’s Summary was absoLUTEly compelling. A single mother to a 13-year old boy gives him a “Black Mitzvah”—a celebration where she’s found four men to mentor and guide him (Max) into manhood. Max also has problems due to a premature birth, namely cerebral palsy, and ADHD, and author MaryAnne Howland is totally open and honest about her limitations; she would very much like Max to have a man’s eye view of how to get along in life, and the four men she’s chosen come from all walks of life, are professionally successful, and are deemed good and worthy men, respectful of women, respectful of themselves.
See? Is that awesome or what? And that Max is a light skinned black youth with hazel eyes has him full of questions about his heritage, of what it means to be black, and he also has to confront that he’ll most definitely be treated differently. This should make for some eyeopening listening.
Alas, it does not. I was hoping the audiobook would be a great pick for Father’s Day as not everybody has a dad living within the home, and every boy should have the chance to be guided into manhood by men who care. But nope. While there IS quite a bit about the wisdom the four men in Max’s life dole out from his age of 13 to 18, there’s even more about MaryAnne Howland being clueless, of her struggles, of her near inability to let go of Max and let him grow and move on. Sooo many times throughout the book, Max’ll be taken into new situations, and we don’t hear much of what he’s learned; instead we hear of the stress and conniption fits Howland was going through as she impatiently waited to take Max back home to his life. When Max chooses to lop off his locks of hair, Howland has a hissy fit, and even though she knows he’s sure about it, even though she can see he’s excited for a new phase to start in his life, what we get (Instead of hearing what Max thinks from being in a barbershop with men men men) is that Howland keeps whinging and asking him if he’s sure, doesn’t he wanna change his mind? Etc. etc. until she’s so distressed she has to leave.
Add to that, Max has resources few on this planet have. There are trips to Japan and Hawaii, birthday parties with clowns and rented playscapes, elite summer programs for art (He’s a talented artist and aficionado of Anime). There are so many flights and trips, experiences no other people have (Meeting Obama? Meeting Magic Johnson?), that I truly wondered how accessible the stories would be for your average Joe. And that Max is sometimes (OFTEN) whiny and spoiled and talks back? Hmmm… had me totally onboard when the male mentors called him on it, most brutally, cuz Mom sure as heck doesn’t.
I get it. She’s been sole provider and guide and nurturer to a boy who feels, especially with his CP, to be damaged goods. She’s not used to saying no; she’s used to building him up. But when you start seeing that this young man thinks rules are for other people, and he gets tossed from a summer art program? Well, I hate to say it, but that was kinda a stand up and cheer moment. And when his ADHD has him talking the ears off people trapped in the seat next to him on airline flights, with Mom not stepping in to sorta guide him about social norms and respecting other people and their right to privacy? Hmm again.
Still, I think a Black Mitzvah with good men acting as guides is AWEsome, and I was relieved and delighted that Howland’s Epilogue has tips and guidelines for every parent to do one for their own growing young men. In this world where women aren’t very respected (And why does Max get a pass to view porn? How could the mentors think simply adding the line: Just make sure you respect the women in your life, is okay?), in a world where a black man HAS to learn how to behave around police so as not to be killed, in a world where those with impairments are denied basic life experiences, a book like this goes a long way. I just wish it was more about the men and the wisdom they brought to the table and less of Mom’s cringing.
Which is where narrator Adenrele Ojo comes in. Now, normally I like her work cuz she’s a pretty fearless narrator and really owns the book she’s performing, knows the material backwards and forwards. But here, she really knows Mom, backwards and forwards, and that means a lot of wailing and handwringing, a lot of desperate pleas. So kinda annoying for the ears, but I do give her credit for a true-to-the-work performance.
Listen for the concept, stay for the Epilogue. But really:
More wisdom from men as guides! PLEASE!!!
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