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Book Review of When the Men Were Gone: A Novel

When the Men Were Gone: A Novel
reviewed on + 159 more book reviews


If 3.5 stars was possible, I'd probably give it that. This was a very slim (212 pgs.) book. As at least one (Amazon) reviewer commented, it was almost like a short story. I'm not a football fan so really couldn't identify with how "terrible" it would be if there was no high school football season.

There were many instances in the book where Tylene, the main character, would reflect on something from her past. Other authors have used this technique effectively to give background or a meaningful insight about a character. When this author did that, I felt like she was doing so just to meet a certain number of pages she was expected to write. If she wanted the reader to understand the character more, it might have been better to write the book in chrono order--starting with Tylene as a child, learning football from her dad; the tornado that injured her dad; meeting her future husband; loss of a child; becoming a teacher, school administrator, and finally football coach.

This was an easy read but I didn't find it particularly engrossing. It seemed rather "formulaic"--a woman takes up coaching duties when no one else is available; most of the players and many of the townspeople are against her; she rallies the players, the opposing coach, and many of the town folk to her side (I won't reveal the ending).