Uncertain Voyage [Hardcover]

Dorothy Gilman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1968

With a broken marriage and a nervous breakdown barely behind her, Melissa sails for Europe. When a strange traveler urgently asks her to deliver a book to a secret address, Melissa agrees -- much against her better judgment. Soon Melissa realizes she's being followed. Her life is suddenly in danger. And as she finds herself forced to fight alone against an enemy she cannot understand, Melissa discovers something extraordinary about herself, something she never suspected . . .

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

With a broken marriage and a nervous breakdown barely behind her, Melissa sails for Europe. When a strange traveler urgently asks her to deliver a book to a secret address, Melissa agrees -- much against her better judgment. Soon Melissa realizes she's being followed. Her life is suddenly in danger. And as she finds herself forced to fight alone against an enemy she cannot understand, Melissa discovers something extraordinary about herself, something she never suspected . . . --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Robert Hale Ltd (August 1968)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0709103581
• ISBN-13: 978-0709103585
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Dorothy Gilman is the author of thirteen Mrs. Pollifax novels, beginning with The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax and continuing through Mrs. Pollifax, Innocent Tourist. She lives in Westport, Connecticut.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Delicate, engaging, and real, August 16, 2000

By 

Kathleen Pierce - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Uncertain Voyage (Mass Market Paperback)

I am a Dorothy Gilman fan; the only one of her books I haven't taken to was Incident at Badamya. This one definitely touched me. I thought it was an accurate and insightful portrait of Melissa's (was that her name?) progress towards freedom from depression and a bad childhood. Yes, it was set in the framework of a spy novel, which is fun, but the real story is what happens to her on the inside.

I thought Gilman did an excellent job of conveying how the world seemed like to Melissa at the beginning of her journey and how it seemed to her at the end. Often it seems like people suffering from depression and people who are not are totally unable to communicate, really unable to see the world from the other's perspective however much they try. I especially liked the insight that she couldn't truly love or see other people as they were until she got over herself. Melissa felt like a real individual to me. She wasn't perfect or predictable but she was likable and special.

On the down side, I suppose that if you weren't in the mood for this sort of book, then the continuous introspection and Melissa's initial fear and inability to deal with the world could be a bit tiresome. But if I'm in an introspective mood myself, or if it's a rainy day and I want something to match, this is a lovely book. Quite uplifting.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read, April 1, 2005

By 

JC (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Uncertain Voyage (Mass Market Paperback)

I thought this book was fantastic. As some of the other reviewers noted, it is very different from her Mrs. Pollifax series, and it is somewhat remarkable that one person could write both books. The Pollifax books are entertaining and a good tickle once in a while. This book on the other hand is all about the characters. It is as if you are actually inside the mind of the heroine, and you experience all her deep discoveries about her soul.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring and engaging, October 19, 2004

By 

Skye Ridley "Skye Ridley" (Salida, CO United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Uncertain Voyage (Mass Market Paperback)

Those who gave this book a bad review are unfairly comparing it to Gilman's other books. Give her a break! This book is a completely different genre and should only be evaluated in that context. I considered it one of those rare stories that is sweet and insipiring without being corny or insipid. Anyone who has struggled inwardly with self-esteem or has had some trepidation about travelling alone (and come on, folks, isn't that somewhat true of all of us?) will find this an engaging read.