What do you think?
Rate this book
This Love Is Not For Cowards: Salvation and Soccer in Ciudad Juárez
More than ten people are murdered every day in Ciudad Juárez, a city about the size of Philadelphia. As Mexico has descended into a feudal narco-state-one where cartels, death squads, the army, and local police all fight over billions of dollars in profits from drug and human trafficking-the border city of Juárez has been hit hardest of all. And yet, more than a million people still live there. They even love their impoverished city, proudly repeating its "Amor por Juárez." Nothing exemplifies the spirit and hope of Juarenses more than the Indios, the city's beloved but hard-luck soccer team. Sport may seem a meager distraction, but to many it's a lifeline. It drew charismatic American midfielder Marco Vidal back from Dallas to achieve the athletic dreams of his Mexican father. Team owner Francisco Ibarra and Mayor José Reyes Ferriz both thrive on soccer. So does the dubiously named crew of Indios fans, El Kartel. In this honest, unflinching, and powerful book, Robert Andrew Powell chronicles a season of soccer in this treacherous city just across the Rio Grande, and the moments of pain, longing, and redemption along the way. As he travels across Mexico with the team, Powell reflects on this struggling nation and its watchful neighbor to the north. This story is not just about sports, or even community, but the strength of humanity in a place where chaos reigns.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published February 28, 2012
38 people are currently reading
1415 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
Read
June 8, 2024“What was the purpose of your visit to Juárez?” I was asked. The agent seemed amazed I’d even been there. “I just wanted to check it out,” I replied. “I find it attractive.”
DNF-ed — stopped somewhere around Chapter 4. It reads exactly like how one would imagine a typical, almost-touristy, overly/inappropriately excited American writing about South American problems would be like. And to put simply, to me it was far from ideal, and it just wasn’t for me. I didn’t care about his perspective, and I didn’t vibe with his tone and/or style of writing, so attention was lost very quickly. I expected/wanted at least 60-70% football when I read a book like this, so if I’m not getting anything proper 4 chapters in, I just can’t be arsed to go on any further.
‘As YouTube can confirm, the Indios won the promotion that sent la gente of Ciudad Juárez into the streets—.’
‘Substandard soccer is not what drew me to this city. I’m not invested in the survival or descent of the Indios. I’ve crossed the border, above all, for the city itself. It may sound morbid, but … all those murders! Carjackings are way up, too. Kidnappings and extortions have closed so many Juárez businesses that the central shopping district can look like the set of a shuttered Broadway play. I am scared to be here, I’ll admit. But I was sort of homeless when I decided to move down. I’d figured all the violence had at least made the city a cheap place to rent an apartment, which was indeed the case. I don’t know what I will find during my time here, along La Frontera. I don’t even know what I’m looking for, really. I know only that I want to look. Juárez touches Texas, yet in some ways it doesn’t even seem to be on the map. Most stories coming out of the border, to my ears, make Juárez sound like some exotic other, some Kabul. Playboy magazine published a feature about life in El Paso, “at the edge of the abyss.” Okay. Interesting enough. But what’s it like in the abyss?’
I adore football (to rave unsolicitedly : Alexia Putellas’ last minute goal, UWCL ‘24 , God, help, fuck, what in the world was that, and that Ale-bow as the finishing touch? Mind/heart instantly exploded into the sweetest smithereens), and it’s (more often than not) interesting to me — reading about another fan’s views (in general, ‘sports writing’), but this book in particular was really disappointing (for me). The writer’s romanticisation of the ‘violence’ and ‘state’ (poverty for starters) of the place—anyway not for me.
‘—the bus stopped in Chihuahua city at Carnitas el Entronque, a roadside vendor of deep-fried everything. Pig, cow, chicken, and who knows what else bubbled in giant vats of brown oil. Tripe—cow intestines—bobbed to the top of the vats, poked back into the oil by wooden paddles the size of boat oars. When the flesh crackled with crispness, workers used giant metal tongs to pull the meats from the vats. These body parts were served still oozing hot oil. No quiero, gracias. No way, Jose.’
This to me, truly felt like I was reading the writer’s diaries, and that’s a problem (for me) because I am simply not even a little bit interested in him (unlike for example : Abdurraqib — whose writing (on basketball) moved me to (seemingly) no ends) , so it just didn’t work for me. In any case, immensely glad to have stopped myself from reading on/more early enough. I thoroughly enjoyed Aleksander Hemon’s piece on football; and also the ways Werner Herzog, Mariana Enriquez and Alejandro Zambra wrote about it (just to name a few from the top of my head; other than Eduardo Galeaño, needless to say).
‘But I also saw women carrying babies in their arms. You have to believe in the future to have a baby, right? I lunched on a burrito con chile colorado and a bottle of Mexican Coca-Cola purchased from a storefront no wider than a closet. I talked to people, and they were nice. A man suggested the best neighborhoods to live in. A woman shared general guidelines: “Just don’t do anything stupid and you’ll be fine—I spied another baby, then another one, and still one more. The longer I hung out, the more I relaxed. This place isn’t so bad. I knew people were being slaughtered here, and that more than a few of the murders had occurred right in El Centro. Yet it wasn’t as if life had stopped. The city seemed kind of normal, actually, in a Mexican way.’
In comparison to them, the writer’s work feels rather (for the lack of euphemisms) juvenile and shallow. For instance, there are many things that one is more quickly to forgive/ ‘let slide’ a child for their lack of ‘experience’ and tact. I think what I didn’t like most of all is his approach/tone. For one, the fact that he added the conversation of him and one of the residents in the area — and specifically highlight how she had asked him about whether or not he’s scared of being in the area. As if him being there is like a ‘favour’ (by default) to them? Portraying himself as this fragile, white man risking his life to tell the stories of South Americans? Also, the repetitive use of ‘yin and yang’ to compare the state of the place? Excuse me but just — no. I can’t be arsed to read any further, let alone finish.
‘Even within cities, neighborhoods split into a yin-yang of beauty versus utility. Monterrey is the yin of El Norte—The trip to Monterrey has been eye-opening. A pleasant discovery. It’s hard to believe the two cities are part of the same country. Marco loves Monterrey. I love it, too. The Rayados and the city they represent are Mexico at its best. The Indios can’t help but embody the country at its worst. That yin and yang.’
Frankly just couldn’t give a fuck about how the housing area looked to him like something from Teletubbies, or if he liked it because it was close to a gym and a mall. He doesn’t even write about the game (football) properly (if anything he phrases it all a bit ‘off’). (To clarify) The writing (or at least what I’ve read so far) somehow just lacks the elegance and satisfying complexities of (what I think of as) ‘better’ writing. A reader who is far less sensitive to tone/style or the use of the English language in general would definitely appreciate this much more than I did. Or even more fitting — a reader who truly lacks an interest in football. In any case, I’m fully at fault — for choosing to read this because I thought the title was rather enticing. Definitely and evidently not for me.
‘I MISS MIAMI immediately—a woman who works in sales, kisses me on the cheek and declares my return un milagro, a miracle.’
‘When I want action I take my wife and kids to Disneyland and that’s it, brother.’
April 11, 2016
I don't know that I would have picked this book up myself (though I may have), so I am especially glad that a friend got it into my hands and I really, really enjoyed it. I may not be a huge soccer fan, but after living 13 years in the Southwest, I'm pretty fond of Mexico. I also spent some childhood years in Texas and New Mexico, so the Mexican culture has almost always been a part of my surroundings. I've watched the danger of crossing the border grow, both for vacationers and immigrants. I remember when popping down to Rocky Point was no big deal, now many people don't do it anymore because of the dangers of getting there. (Which is a great shame as beaches along the Sea of Cortez are gorgeous and the people in Puerto Penasco are truly fabulous.)
I found this to be both a great piece of journalism and an excellent memoir. Powell relocates to Juarez, a move that alarms pretty much everyone he knows since it has become the new murder capital of the world, with an average of 10 murders each day. The book is rife with example of murder, including up and down the block the author lives on. The danger is a key point of the book; contrasting the rampart crime with the affectionate people and the proud soccer team. It is frightening to read how commonplace murder is, how accustomed the locals are to it. I knew the city was dangerous, but didn't realize just how much so until reading this. Terrifying stuff, really, no matter how matter of fact, almost blase, the author presents it.
As I myself have found, however, little can dampen the high spirits of the Mexican people. The author's friends, neighbors, and even strangers are warm and giving. They embrace everything about their world, ignoring the death and violence so as to celebrate the joys in life, like a wedding, a soccer win, or a quinceanera (the traditional celebratory "coming-out" style party thrown for 15-year-old girls). There is so much we, as Americans, could learn from them.
And the soccer team... oh, the Indios!! (***MILD SPOILER ALERT**) I became totally absorbed in their story -- their rise to the equivalent of the major leagues and their desperate fight to stay there. I rooted for them as if I was in the stands; cheering their wins, bemoaning their losses, and so, so eager for the big Hollywood ending where they come from behind and win the whole thing. They don't, of course, and I wasn't surprised, but oh, how I wanted them to. (I just read an article from Dec, 2011 saying the team will be dissolved, which absolutely broke my heart. The team meant so very, very much to the people of Juarez and brought them a hope they desperately needed. I worry for them now, more than ever.)
In all, a touching, frightening, heart-warming, eye-opening book. An important read, as we are all people, sharing the same globe. We can't ignore our neighbors to the south. We should, in fact, look to them for strength and inspiration. They haven't lost sight of the good, despite the evil. Hang in there, people of Juarez. We're rooting for you.
I found this to be both a great piece of journalism and an excellent memoir. Powell relocates to Juarez, a move that alarms pretty much everyone he knows since it has become the new murder capital of the world, with an average of 10 murders each day. The book is rife with example of murder, including up and down the block the author lives on. The danger is a key point of the book; contrasting the rampart crime with the affectionate people and the proud soccer team. It is frightening to read how commonplace murder is, how accustomed the locals are to it. I knew the city was dangerous, but didn't realize just how much so until reading this. Terrifying stuff, really, no matter how matter of fact, almost blase, the author presents it.
As I myself have found, however, little can dampen the high spirits of the Mexican people. The author's friends, neighbors, and even strangers are warm and giving. They embrace everything about their world, ignoring the death and violence so as to celebrate the joys in life, like a wedding, a soccer win, or a quinceanera (the traditional celebratory "coming-out" style party thrown for 15-year-old girls). There is so much we, as Americans, could learn from them.
And the soccer team... oh, the Indios!! (***MILD SPOILER ALERT**) I became totally absorbed in their story -- their rise to the equivalent of the major leagues and their desperate fight to stay there. I rooted for them as if I was in the stands; cheering their wins, bemoaning their losses, and so, so eager for the big Hollywood ending where they come from behind and win the whole thing. They don't, of course, and I wasn't surprised, but oh, how I wanted them to. (I just read an article from Dec, 2011 saying the team will be dissolved, which absolutely broke my heart. The team meant so very, very much to the people of Juarez and brought them a hope they desperately needed. I worry for them now, more than ever.)
In all, a touching, frightening, heart-warming, eye-opening book. An important read, as we are all people, sharing the same globe. We can't ignore our neighbors to the south. We should, in fact, look to them for strength and inspiration. They haven't lost sight of the good, despite the evil. Hang in there, people of Juarez. We're rooting for you.
January 25, 2012
Ciudad Juárez, located just across the Rio Grande from El Paso, Texas, is among the most deadly cities in the world. As Mexico has become engulfed in a firestorm of drug-related violence, Juárez rode the first waves of this tsunami of killing, with a murder rate that quickly grew to more than ten per day. Yet in the midst of all this violence, the people of Juárez carry on with their lives. This is perhaps truest when it comes to supporting their beloved soccer team, Los Indios, which enjoyed a brief tenure as a member of Mexico’s Primera, the top professional soccer league. In spite of the incredible violence, the Indios fans cheer on their team, even in the face of probable relegation back to the minor leagues.
This book documents the final season of Primera membership for Los Indios, as the team first struggles to avoid relegation, and then to come to terms with its inevitability. We meet the players and the team management, party with the diehard fans and generally learn what it is like to be a fan of soccer in Mexico. But this book is also about the city of Juárez , its people, and how they cope with the realities of living in the midst of the most incredible carnage outside of an actual war zone. It is a testament to the power of hope, the ability of people to continue to live their lives and plan for the future, even in a city where murder has, for all practical purposes, become legal.
Powell immersed himself in the city, becoming a resident, not out of necessity, but by choice. That makes this account personal, so that it packs an incredible emotional punch, even if it sacrifices some level of objectivity along the way. Even so, Powell does a remarkable job of trying to provide a balanced view of life in this violent city. He clearly comes to love the people of Mexico and Juárez, and manages to make the reader care for them as well. Anyone who wants a better understanding of the ongoing violence in Mexico and its impact on the Mexican people needs to read this book.
This book documents the final season of Primera membership for Los Indios, as the team first struggles to avoid relegation, and then to come to terms with its inevitability. We meet the players and the team management, party with the diehard fans and generally learn what it is like to be a fan of soccer in Mexico. But this book is also about the city of Juárez , its people, and how they cope with the realities of living in the midst of the most incredible carnage outside of an actual war zone. It is a testament to the power of hope, the ability of people to continue to live their lives and plan for the future, even in a city where murder has, for all practical purposes, become legal.
Powell immersed himself in the city, becoming a resident, not out of necessity, but by choice. That makes this account personal, so that it packs an incredible emotional punch, even if it sacrifices some level of objectivity along the way. Even so, Powell does a remarkable job of trying to provide a balanced view of life in this violent city. He clearly comes to love the people of Mexico and Juárez, and manages to make the reader care for them as well. Anyone who wants a better understanding of the ongoing violence in Mexico and its impact on the Mexican people needs to read this book.
March 14, 2016
LOVED this book.
In many countries, there are several levels of soccer. Each year, the bottom team or two of the top level will be "relegated" to the level below, and so on. Vice versa, the top of the lower levels are "promoted" up a level. A couple of years prior to Powell's arrival, Juarez's semi-pro team was promoted to the top league, to the shock of most in the country. However, once they arrived in the top league, they struggled to stay there. Powell, an American journalist, moved to Juarez to follow the team as they fought relegation. (Note: The U.S. is a notable exception to this promotion/relegation model, but our league is only 20 years old. It's not big enough for it yet.)
You're probably going to be turned off by the fact that it's about soccer. It's about so much more than soccer though. It's about Juarez, the horrible violence that happens there, the unbroken spirit of the people who live there, the War on Drugs, corruption, and lots of other things. I found myself equally saddened and charmed and intrigued. Also, I learned a lot. And now I want to know more about Mexico.
In many countries, there are several levels of soccer. Each year, the bottom team or two of the top level will be "relegated" to the level below, and so on. Vice versa, the top of the lower levels are "promoted" up a level. A couple of years prior to Powell's arrival, Juarez's semi-pro team was promoted to the top league, to the shock of most in the country. However, once they arrived in the top league, they struggled to stay there. Powell, an American journalist, moved to Juarez to follow the team as they fought relegation. (Note: The U.S. is a notable exception to this promotion/relegation model, but our league is only 20 years old. It's not big enough for it yet.)
You're probably going to be turned off by the fact that it's about soccer. It's about so much more than soccer though. It's about Juarez, the horrible violence that happens there, the unbroken spirit of the people who live there, the War on Drugs, corruption, and lots of other things. I found myself equally saddened and charmed and intrigued. Also, I learned a lot. And now I want to know more about Mexico.
May 5, 2021
a superb observation of the unpoliced violence, institutional corruption, and misguided views of ciudad juarez through the lens of a struggling, bound-for-failure soccer club trying to stay afloat in mexico’s dense primera division.
an essential reading for lovers of the beautiful game™️ especially for those who love to understand the context behind why clubs are destined to dissolve, how soccer touches a community, and soccer’s influence on politics/social views.
my main critique is at times robert andrew powell is a bit trauma porn-ey in his explanations of the violence he witnessed firsthand in juarez. it feels as if he sometimes drifts into spells of talking of what bodies he, specifically, has seen and self centers so much as to prove that he’s become an authentic juarense, which as a white man from miami, he could never be.
an essential reading for lovers of the beautiful game™️ especially for those who love to understand the context behind why clubs are destined to dissolve, how soccer touches a community, and soccer’s influence on politics/social views.
my main critique is at times robert andrew powell is a bit trauma porn-ey in his explanations of the violence he witnessed firsthand in juarez. it feels as if he sometimes drifts into spells of talking of what bodies he, specifically, has seen and self centers so much as to prove that he’s become an authentic juarense, which as a white man from miami, he could never be.
August 16, 2012
I expected a focus on soccer as a source of inspiration for the local community. I was pleasantly surprised that the book instead looks into the social and political quandary the residents of Juarez find themselves in. You feel like you are journeying through Juarez and greater Mexico with the author as he makes friends and immerses himself in Mexican culture. In this sense the book was more of a memoir than a story about a season of Primera League soccer. What I found most enjoyable is the examination of the relationship between the people of Juarez, other Mexicans, and El Paso.
August 29, 2013
Great book that discusses soccer and the drug violence in Juarez. Excellent writing and storyline. Very enjoyable!
November 22, 2019
After moving to "the most dangerous city in the world", Powell embedded with fans of the Juárez football team Los Indios for a season filled with highs, low, tragedies and surprises. The book is comprised of three threads: The lived experience of being an Indios fan and spending time with the team themselves, a game-by-game account of a turbulent season of football; the frightening surreality of life in Juárez, where Powell describes murders so common that a general numbness has settled over the populace; and an exploration of the city's reputation and politics in the wider scheme of things. Even though I'm not a football fan and rarely read true-crime journalism, this was engrossing, empathetic and an all-round good book. I've already bought a copy for someone for Xmas!
August 15, 2020
American writer Robert Powell moved to Juarez Mexico for a year to follow the exploits of the city's much loved, hard-luck soccer team, the Indios, who had somehow clawed their way into Mexico's top soccer league. But This Love Is Not For Cowards is not so much a story about soccer, but how a once livable city had become the murder capital of the world, a place where mutilated bodies were dropped in the street on a regular basis. The cartels have destroyed the life of the people of Juarez, but the city had maintained a magical pull on many, including Powell (until he realized that he was risking his life living there). You don't have to like soccer to read this occasionally sweet but more often shocking story of an out-of-control city in a narcostate.
March 11, 2012
The violence that is raining down on the people of Ciudad Juarez is shocking. The most dangerous city in the world – that is what Juarez is now currently known for. Quoting the book, "The murder rate skyrocketed from three hundred in one year to 1,600 the next to 2,700 the year I got here." "This is a city where you can be killed at any time." Reports of the violence reach US news reports in abstract ways; we read and hear about murders, drug cartels and it is hard to imagine or maybe it easy to not imagine that people are living in this violent and dangerous city. "Like most Americans, I haven't thought about Mexico all that much. It's there, I know right below Texas and a few other states. … No other country holds more influence over modern American culture. It's time to look at it." This Love is Not For Cowards is a non-fictional account told from the perspective of a writer who moves down to Ciudad Juarez for one year to live, he writes about the people he knows in the city and at the center of the story is Juarez's soccer team.
The struggle for Juarez's soccer team, the Indios, to stay in the primera league (equivalent to the major leagues in US – in Mexico if a team is underperforming – think the Cubs – eventually the league will kick the team out of the primera and send it down to the minor leagues to improve http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Promotio...), this struggle to stay in the primera league is a metaphor for the people living in Juarez attempting to survive and hope for the return of the city of their memories. The close contact with the players of the Indios provides Powell a vehicle to talk about individuals living in Juarez and the effect the violence, immigration and other topics have on them. Okay, and before we go any further, I am in no way bashing the Cubs. I am in fact a fan of the Cubs.
The author - -Powell – touches on issues of governance, immigration, the negative effect NAFTA has had on the Mexican economy, immigration, violence, police investigations, femicide along the border, and the daily lives of individuals living in Mexico. This book is a good introduction to the current reality of the violence in Mexico for individuals who do not have a lot of background – cultural, sociological, and personal – concerning Mexico. Powell does a good job touching on important issues that relate directly or indirectly to the violence and describing it in a light and accessible way. Most of the book is enjoyable and humorous.
"I've already learned that Mexico is where American fads go for an encore."
The book reads like a decent magazine article. And the author brings to the forefront some very interesting issues,
"The governments of Mexico and the United States are not waging a war on drugs, they're waging a war for drugs. Forty years in, illegal drugs in the United States are cheaper, more available and of better quality."
Powell has a chapter addressing the murder of women along the border and in Ciudad Juarez. He discusses the theory (supported by data from others whose theory it belongs to), that the murder rate of women in Ciudad Juarez and along the border is similar to the murder rate of women in any metropolitan area. He also posits that the records demonstrate that the majority of women murdered along the border are victims of domestic violence, not serial killers. It is an interesting theory, although I have no data to back it up (outside what was presented in the book). Ultimately, the reality is the border and Juarez are frighteningly dangerous for men, women, children, the old and the young. Juarez and Mexico were not always like this; this move to violence is recent in the past decade. And it is heartbreaking. I have spent much time traveling, living and working in Mexico, it has always been my favorite place in the world. I do not mean the resorts or the beaches, yes they are nice – but the villages and the cities of Mexico is where I prefer to be. I appreciate that Powell is bringing attention to this issue stateside, I do believe the US has the power to help and improve the situation. Likely, it can never return to the Mexico of my memories but the people there deserve a safe place to live.
Having written all this, unfortunately, the book was not for me. I found the observations to be simplistic and lacking information or depth. However, I do think that for most American readers interested in this topic This Love Is Not For Cowards would be enjoyable. I have personal experience living in Mexico, contact with Mexican family and have studied the issues addressed in this book from an academic perspective. Therefore, I came to this book hoping for a more in-depth analysis of the issues and that is not what this book is about. In the end, the book attempts to make personal an issue that seems so very abstract and remote, thus I applaud the author.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a review.
The struggle for Juarez's soccer team, the Indios, to stay in the primera league (equivalent to the major leagues in US – in Mexico if a team is underperforming – think the Cubs – eventually the league will kick the team out of the primera and send it down to the minor leagues to improve http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Promotio...), this struggle to stay in the primera league is a metaphor for the people living in Juarez attempting to survive and hope for the return of the city of their memories. The close contact with the players of the Indios provides Powell a vehicle to talk about individuals living in Juarez and the effect the violence, immigration and other topics have on them. Okay, and before we go any further, I am in no way bashing the Cubs. I am in fact a fan of the Cubs.
The author - -Powell – touches on issues of governance, immigration, the negative effect NAFTA has had on the Mexican economy, immigration, violence, police investigations, femicide along the border, and the daily lives of individuals living in Mexico. This book is a good introduction to the current reality of the violence in Mexico for individuals who do not have a lot of background – cultural, sociological, and personal – concerning Mexico. Powell does a good job touching on important issues that relate directly or indirectly to the violence and describing it in a light and accessible way. Most of the book is enjoyable and humorous.
"I've already learned that Mexico is where American fads go for an encore."
The book reads like a decent magazine article. And the author brings to the forefront some very interesting issues,
"The governments of Mexico and the United States are not waging a war on drugs, they're waging a war for drugs. Forty years in, illegal drugs in the United States are cheaper, more available and of better quality."
Powell has a chapter addressing the murder of women along the border and in Ciudad Juarez. He discusses the theory (supported by data from others whose theory it belongs to), that the murder rate of women in Ciudad Juarez and along the border is similar to the murder rate of women in any metropolitan area. He also posits that the records demonstrate that the majority of women murdered along the border are victims of domestic violence, not serial killers. It is an interesting theory, although I have no data to back it up (outside what was presented in the book). Ultimately, the reality is the border and Juarez are frighteningly dangerous for men, women, children, the old and the young. Juarez and Mexico were not always like this; this move to violence is recent in the past decade. And it is heartbreaking. I have spent much time traveling, living and working in Mexico, it has always been my favorite place in the world. I do not mean the resorts or the beaches, yes they are nice – but the villages and the cities of Mexico is where I prefer to be. I appreciate that Powell is bringing attention to this issue stateside, I do believe the US has the power to help and improve the situation. Likely, it can never return to the Mexico of my memories but the people there deserve a safe place to live.
Having written all this, unfortunately, the book was not for me. I found the observations to be simplistic and lacking information or depth. However, I do think that for most American readers interested in this topic This Love Is Not For Cowards would be enjoyable. I have personal experience living in Mexico, contact with Mexican family and have studied the issues addressed in this book from an academic perspective. Therefore, I came to this book hoping for a more in-depth analysis of the issues and that is not what this book is about. In the end, the book attempts to make personal an issue that seems so very abstract and remote, thus I applaud the author.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a review.
June 26, 2013
A hard, great read. An American journalist with time on his hands moves to Ciudad Juarez during the worst of the drug war and becomes an impassioned fan of the local soccer team which is the worst team in the top division of the Mexican league and is in facing relegation. He uses that story to tell the story of Ciudad Juarez, its people, and the staggering violence that becomes ordinary. Powell did a nice job trying to make sense of it and trying to chart how his own feelings changed. We sometimes lose sight that the Mexican drug war literally happened across a bridge from American soil and the surreal world that it has created. You won't forget after this book.
July 16, 2012
Excellent. This journalist immerses himself in the a Mexican bordertown, and shows how the violence has changed so many lives.
December 7, 2012
Focused a bit too much on author's courage for living in Mexico and not enough on the people of Juarez and El Paso.
October 4, 2014
Wonderfully written first-person account that weaves the beautiful game through a story of a tragic city. I truly loved the story, the characters and the writing.
March 15, 2014
After finishing the behemoth that is 2666 by Roberto Bolano, I became fascinated by the real 'Santa Theresa' - Ciudad Juarez. I researched online, and helped by some handily timed British TV programs about the Drugs Cartels (an episode of Unreported World in particular) developed my understanding of the situation, and utter sadness of the situation for those affected by the troubles whilst trying to lead a normal life.
I've read some further fictionalised accounts set in Juarez, The Dead Women of Juarez by Sam Hawken as well as some more academic works looking into the problems of contemporary Mexico and how they originated and evolved Drugs War Mexico being a particularly interesting and concise overview. Recently, too, the arrest of 'El Chapo' Guzman, after being on the run for over 20 years despite being in his cartel's deemed territory for much of the time.
It was due to this interest, that Powell's book came to seriously interest me. Despite being an avid football fan, I hadn't realised that Juarez had enjoyed a recent period with a top-flight team in the very popular Mexican Primera League, albeit a fleeting and ultimately disappointing one. Although it is of course a football book on first sight, Powell's book is so much more than this, and is really an account of a year in Juarez: a justification of his attempt to move to the city; a tale of the trials and tribulations of the team, it's players, fans and staff; an examination of the relationship between Juarez and El Paso; a study of a wide-range of people and how the militarisation of the border and deterioration of Juarez has changed their lives; and how living in the planet's deadliest city desensitises oneself to violence which would shock one to the core if it happened elsewhere. The research also debunked one particular myth which I had been taken in by concerning the 'Dead Women of Juarez', more of which will come later. The account at the beginning of the book of the murder at the gas station, and the routine, almost lackadaisical attitude of the Federales to this scene and event set the tone through the rest of the book; not just of the authorities attitude, but of the City's citizens and increasingly Powell's due to the sheer regularity of such events.
The Indios had a disappointing season, but this almost seems apt given the city which they are located in. On a footballing level, it is unsurprising that players were very reluctant to sign and base themselves in the city; meaning that unless the club had a 'Sugar Daddy' owner, the team was at a disadvantage before a ball had been kicked. There's no getting away from the point though that given the club's very recent arrival in the city, promotion to the top-flight had been a tremendous achievement; though maybe one which had come too soon? With a bit more time to develop before having had to face the likes of Chivas and Club America every week, maybe the club would have had further foundations. This is just a theoretical point, but the opportunity for a football team to bring the city together over a longer time-frame would have been interesting to follow.
What was more interesting concerning the team was the fans, particularly 'El Kartel' effectively a Ultras group of diehard fans. Powell was taken in very quickly and was able to enjoy some intimate experiences with a wide-range of supporters, many of which had fascinating back stories concerning the city. It's a shame Powell could not share more good times with these fans, but their ability to deal with the quick decline of their team from it's zenith was almost more telling then it would have been the other way around. The hope and distraction from the horrors of daily life, too, are immeasurable in terms of the worth of the team to the city. The trip to Monterrey is mind-blowing, and one hell of an introduction to particular extreme of Mexican fan culture. Tragedy is never too far away in a city like Juarez, many of these fans have reasons to support the club, or in one case rarely watch the team any more, which are far deeper than many of us can fathom in more settled places.
The players and the narratives of careers which had brought them to the footballing graveyard of Juarez to try and earn a living and prove themselves, as well as those turning out for their home-town team and having had to experience the violence of the city and its affect on their friends and family throughout their lives. The relationship between the author and American-born Marco Vidal is particularly interesting. The chilling account of the kidnapping and murder of a groom the day before Vidal's wedding towards the end is particularly unsettling and emblematic of the random and senseless violence which characterised Juarez during the period Powell was there.
The early story of youth coach Pedro Picasso, murdered by gunmen trying to extort his brother's phone shop, is perhaps most telling of the pre-mentioned sentiment regarding desensitisation to death; even the death's of close friends and relatives. Everyone Powell spoke to mentioned Picasso in glowing terms, he was someone who had a positive impact on many people's lives. In a city which, at it's peak, recorded over 3,000 murders per year, though, the attitude of everyone was to move on almost instantly. This is something which I can comprehend theoretically, but on a more emotional level cannot understand due to not having lived in a city like Juarez where violence is commonplace. It is this emotional breakthrough at the end of the book, aided by the emotional phone-call from the Baptist minister, which reminds Powell that it is time to move on. Powell is also told at Vidal's wedding by a member of the bride's family that having spent a year in the city, it won't be long before he experiences the death of someone close to him, if not himself, simply due to the law of averages; something which is validated by the number of near-misses which Powell tells of in relation to murders and his proximity to them.
What I really like about this book, is that Powell did a lot of leg work in terms of research rather than fall back on clichés and the lazy work of others. This is most apparent in the section on the Dead Women of Juarez. Both Bolano and Hawken made this interesting story central to their fictional works, and this is not an attack on them, as it is definitely an interesting story base. The propagation by particular journalists that their were serial killers targeting women in Juarez due to the amount of female deaths however is unsettling. Unsurprisingly, in a city with an astronomical murder rate, there are going to be a lot of women dying. It was conclusively proven that the murder rate of women was actually proportionally less than in most other cities. Powell highlights the local research which has been put into this, but ignored due to it being Juarez based (a certain snobbery from Americans and other Mexicans is unfortunately at play here, no one wishes to be associated with Juarez) and it not propagating the myth.
From the reading I've done in recent days since picking up this book, it seems that Juarez is enjoying a drop in violence and homicides which made it so infamous. There is little coverage in the British media, even when the violence was at its worst; but here the internet really is at its best, and there is a wealth of information from American and Mexican sources. Homicides are still frequent, and there are acts of violence which still shock; but the murder rate has fallen by a factor of four from 2010 to 2012 (over 3,000 to 730). These are positive signs for the city and it's people, and it would be interesting to find out what is happening in the lives of many of the characters we met in the book: whether they moved, whether they stayed, whether they were casualties of Juarez. The Indios folded after another disappointing season which gave them no hope of returning to the top-flight, but there is a new side now playing out of the same Olympic Stadium: UACJ Indios, based around the University, and currently in the third-tier of Mexican football. Hopefully as the fortunes of Juarez seems to improve, however slowly, they will have a football team to cherish and support.
Full review on my blog here.
I've read some further fictionalised accounts set in Juarez, The Dead Women of Juarez by Sam Hawken as well as some more academic works looking into the problems of contemporary Mexico and how they originated and evolved Drugs War Mexico being a particularly interesting and concise overview. Recently, too, the arrest of 'El Chapo' Guzman, after being on the run for over 20 years despite being in his cartel's deemed territory for much of the time.
It was due to this interest, that Powell's book came to seriously interest me. Despite being an avid football fan, I hadn't realised that Juarez had enjoyed a recent period with a top-flight team in the very popular Mexican Primera League, albeit a fleeting and ultimately disappointing one. Although it is of course a football book on first sight, Powell's book is so much more than this, and is really an account of a year in Juarez: a justification of his attempt to move to the city; a tale of the trials and tribulations of the team, it's players, fans and staff; an examination of the relationship between Juarez and El Paso; a study of a wide-range of people and how the militarisation of the border and deterioration of Juarez has changed their lives; and how living in the planet's deadliest city desensitises oneself to violence which would shock one to the core if it happened elsewhere. The research also debunked one particular myth which I had been taken in by concerning the 'Dead Women of Juarez', more of which will come later. The account at the beginning of the book of the murder at the gas station, and the routine, almost lackadaisical attitude of the Federales to this scene and event set the tone through the rest of the book; not just of the authorities attitude, but of the City's citizens and increasingly Powell's due to the sheer regularity of such events.
The Indios had a disappointing season, but this almost seems apt given the city which they are located in. On a footballing level, it is unsurprising that players were very reluctant to sign and base themselves in the city; meaning that unless the club had a 'Sugar Daddy' owner, the team was at a disadvantage before a ball had been kicked. There's no getting away from the point though that given the club's very recent arrival in the city, promotion to the top-flight had been a tremendous achievement; though maybe one which had come too soon? With a bit more time to develop before having had to face the likes of Chivas and Club America every week, maybe the club would have had further foundations. This is just a theoretical point, but the opportunity for a football team to bring the city together over a longer time-frame would have been interesting to follow.
What was more interesting concerning the team was the fans, particularly 'El Kartel' effectively a Ultras group of diehard fans. Powell was taken in very quickly and was able to enjoy some intimate experiences with a wide-range of supporters, many of which had fascinating back stories concerning the city. It's a shame Powell could not share more good times with these fans, but their ability to deal with the quick decline of their team from it's zenith was almost more telling then it would have been the other way around. The hope and distraction from the horrors of daily life, too, are immeasurable in terms of the worth of the team to the city. The trip to Monterrey is mind-blowing, and one hell of an introduction to particular extreme of Mexican fan culture. Tragedy is never too far away in a city like Juarez, many of these fans have reasons to support the club, or in one case rarely watch the team any more, which are far deeper than many of us can fathom in more settled places.
The players and the narratives of careers which had brought them to the footballing graveyard of Juarez to try and earn a living and prove themselves, as well as those turning out for their home-town team and having had to experience the violence of the city and its affect on their friends and family throughout their lives. The relationship between the author and American-born Marco Vidal is particularly interesting. The chilling account of the kidnapping and murder of a groom the day before Vidal's wedding towards the end is particularly unsettling and emblematic of the random and senseless violence which characterised Juarez during the period Powell was there.
The early story of youth coach Pedro Picasso, murdered by gunmen trying to extort his brother's phone shop, is perhaps most telling of the pre-mentioned sentiment regarding desensitisation to death; even the death's of close friends and relatives. Everyone Powell spoke to mentioned Picasso in glowing terms, he was someone who had a positive impact on many people's lives. In a city which, at it's peak, recorded over 3,000 murders per year, though, the attitude of everyone was to move on almost instantly. This is something which I can comprehend theoretically, but on a more emotional level cannot understand due to not having lived in a city like Juarez where violence is commonplace. It is this emotional breakthrough at the end of the book, aided by the emotional phone-call from the Baptist minister, which reminds Powell that it is time to move on. Powell is also told at Vidal's wedding by a member of the bride's family that having spent a year in the city, it won't be long before he experiences the death of someone close to him, if not himself, simply due to the law of averages; something which is validated by the number of near-misses which Powell tells of in relation to murders and his proximity to them.
What I really like about this book, is that Powell did a lot of leg work in terms of research rather than fall back on clichés and the lazy work of others. This is most apparent in the section on the Dead Women of Juarez. Both Bolano and Hawken made this interesting story central to their fictional works, and this is not an attack on them, as it is definitely an interesting story base. The propagation by particular journalists that their were serial killers targeting women in Juarez due to the amount of female deaths however is unsettling. Unsurprisingly, in a city with an astronomical murder rate, there are going to be a lot of women dying. It was conclusively proven that the murder rate of women was actually proportionally less than in most other cities. Powell highlights the local research which has been put into this, but ignored due to it being Juarez based (a certain snobbery from Americans and other Mexicans is unfortunately at play here, no one wishes to be associated with Juarez) and it not propagating the myth.
From the reading I've done in recent days since picking up this book, it seems that Juarez is enjoying a drop in violence and homicides which made it so infamous. There is little coverage in the British media, even when the violence was at its worst; but here the internet really is at its best, and there is a wealth of information from American and Mexican sources. Homicides are still frequent, and there are acts of violence which still shock; but the murder rate has fallen by a factor of four from 2010 to 2012 (over 3,000 to 730). These are positive signs for the city and it's people, and it would be interesting to find out what is happening in the lives of many of the characters we met in the book: whether they moved, whether they stayed, whether they were casualties of Juarez. The Indios folded after another disappointing season which gave them no hope of returning to the top-flight, but there is a new side now playing out of the same Olympic Stadium: UACJ Indios, based around the University, and currently in the third-tier of Mexican football. Hopefully as the fortunes of Juarez seems to improve, however slowly, they will have a football team to cherish and support.
Full review on my blog here.
May 4, 2020
4*
I started to watch more and more Liga MX before the coronavirus hit, especially as a much more entertaining alternative to MLS in the summer months. I picked this book up because I love books that take place in other parts of the world and because I love football and this book seemed to blend the two like so many others have done.
This book is much much much more a study and reflection of an American citizen who decided to move to Ciudad Juarez, the most violent city in the world, and the atrocities that occur there. Murders, drug wars, death as everyday life mixed with the majority of the population who is living "normal" everyday lives.
A minor complaint is the author is clearly a very Americanized "soccer' fan and some of the terminology he uses about the actual soccer itself can be a bit cringeworthy. This is very subtle and likely not noticed by the average reader. Just something that irrationally bothered me a little bit
The actual soccer is a backdrop. The book opens with the author taking an 18 hour bus ride to an away game with El Kartel, the drug, sex and booze loving supporters club of Los Indios, the newly promoted team to the Primera Division. We get to the know the members of El Kartel throughout the book and they form a large part of the authors social circle. Violence is everywhere. Violence becomes normal and routine. The football serves as a temporary distraction that brings people together. Hope is the lasting theme of this book, even when there is no reason to have any.
I started to watch more and more Liga MX before the coronavirus hit, especially as a much more entertaining alternative to MLS in the summer months. I picked this book up because I love books that take place in other parts of the world and because I love football and this book seemed to blend the two like so many others have done.
This book is much much much more a study and reflection of an American citizen who decided to move to Ciudad Juarez, the most violent city in the world, and the atrocities that occur there. Murders, drug wars, death as everyday life mixed with the majority of the population who is living "normal" everyday lives.
A minor complaint is the author is clearly a very Americanized "soccer' fan and some of the terminology he uses about the actual soccer itself can be a bit cringeworthy. This is very subtle and likely not noticed by the average reader. Just something that irrationally bothered me a little bit
The actual soccer is a backdrop. The book opens with the author taking an 18 hour bus ride to an away game with El Kartel, the drug, sex and booze loving supporters club of Los Indios, the newly promoted team to the Primera Division. We get to the know the members of El Kartel throughout the book and they form a large part of the authors social circle. Violence is everywhere. Violence becomes normal and routine. The football serves as a temporary distraction that brings people together. Hope is the lasting theme of this book, even when there is no reason to have any.
September 5, 2023
en apariencia este es un libro sobre futbol, pero nada más alejado de la realidad. es un texto que transita entre el periodismo y la crónica (¿no son esto lo mismo?) durante la época de mayor violencia en Ciudad Juárez durante la declaración de guerra al narcotráfico por parte de Felipe Calderón. el autor, Robert Andrew Powell, un norteamericano en busca de aventura, decide vivir por un periodo largo de tiempo en la que en ese momento es la ciudad más violenta del mundo. en sus andares por la antigua Paso del Norte, el de Miami burla a la muerte en más de un par de ocasiones, donde de no ser por la suerte, pudo haber sido asesinado como cientos de personas que estuvieron en el lugar equivocado en el momento erróneo. en su estancia se dedica, además de sobrevivir, a documentar el papel que juega el futbol profesional en una ciudad como esta. así que convive con jugadores, staff, directivos y aficionados de los ahora extintos Indios de Ciudad Juárez. Robert documenta su ascenso, así como su terrible descenso al infierno y posterior desaparición debido a (¡oh sorpresa!) la terrible violencia que cubre a toda la ciudad. en este libro se habla de futbol, sí, pero es solo un medio para explicar lo que sucede en un lugar tan ensangrentado y cómo el deporte, por iluso que parezca, puede hacer que se sufra menos o por lo menos que se olvide, por un momento, que se está viviendo en el infierno. un MUST READ definitivamente.
July 28, 2025
It's been said that soccer is the most important of the least important things, and this book captures that notion in a lot of ways. Juárez was experiencing an overwhelming amount of cartel-related violence at the time when Powell lived there and wrote about Los Indios, a team trying to remain in the top flight of Mexican soccer, all the while bodies dropped in the city at horrifying rates.
While people largely stayed in their homes to try and be out of the way of the indiscriminate and seemingly unending violence, they would nevertheless venture out every Saturday night to join family, friends and neighbors in supporting their beloved Indios. The club mirrors its citizens as they are both facing a dire challenge that at times feels hopeless, yet that hope continues to peek through against all logic. Despite the author's reporting on the stacks of murders happening all around him, it's still a story about the resilience, love and optimism of the Juarenses that Powell befriends while covering the Indios during the time where Juárez was considered "the most dangerous city on earth".
While people largely stayed in their homes to try and be out of the way of the indiscriminate and seemingly unending violence, they would nevertheless venture out every Saturday night to join family, friends and neighbors in supporting their beloved Indios. The club mirrors its citizens as they are both facing a dire challenge that at times feels hopeless, yet that hope continues to peek through against all logic. Despite the author's reporting on the stacks of murders happening all around him, it's still a story about the resilience, love and optimism of the Juarenses that Powell befriends while covering the Indios during the time where Juárez was considered "the most dangerous city on earth".
April 6, 2019
This is a must read for soccer. I don't think this book gets enough love in the soccer book community. Robert Powell chronicles Indios de Ciudad Juárez soccer team in their promotion to Mexico's top flight.
Upon promotion you get an immediate sense that survival in the top flight will be a herculean task. The Indios players get everything thrown at them; whether it's the tough Mexican competition, their wages not coming in on time, and the relentless cartel violence in Juarez. Despite all that, I still found myself pulling for them. There was a glowing charm to the team. Despite the insurmountable odds the players and the ultras aptly nicknamed, El Kartel, kept marching forward. You can't help but to pull for these players.
Powell also chronicles his life in the unforgiving city of Juarez. As the book progress you witness an internal struggle of man who has been charmed by Juarez's rough-around-the-edges nature and packing everything up and leaving this city for an easier life.
Whether Powell is writing about the excitement of Indios' games or the politics of the city of Juarez, he writes with passion. I highly recommend this book, especially if you are a fan of the beautiful game.
Upon promotion you get an immediate sense that survival in the top flight will be a herculean task. The Indios players get everything thrown at them; whether it's the tough Mexican competition, their wages not coming in on time, and the relentless cartel violence in Juarez. Despite all that, I still found myself pulling for them. There was a glowing charm to the team. Despite the insurmountable odds the players and the ultras aptly nicknamed, El Kartel, kept marching forward. You can't help but to pull for these players.
Powell also chronicles his life in the unforgiving city of Juarez. As the book progress you witness an internal struggle of man who has been charmed by Juarez's rough-around-the-edges nature and packing everything up and leaving this city for an easier life.
Whether Powell is writing about the excitement of Indios' games or the politics of the city of Juarez, he writes with passion. I highly recommend this book, especially if you are a fan of the beautiful game.
October 13, 2024
Let’s be clear: this is a genre I do not read. I only got here because Rory Smith of the New York Times tipped this as his favorite book about soccer.
And it was great. Way less about top flight Mexican soccer, and way more about what roles a relegation-threatened franchise plays for the people of a city that had one of the world’s highest murder rates (this was written back around 2010). I always feel like books in this vein hinge on the narrator, and Powell is a good one. Human, humane, curious, brave; clearly someone pushing themselves past comfort zones and finding a footing. If it reminds me of anything I’ve read, it’d be “Travels with my Donkey” by Tim Moore, about navigating el Camino in Spain as a form of self-growth narrated for others.
I know so embarrassingly little about Mexico. This book made me want to rectify that. Strong recommendation for anyone with an interest in either professional soccer, the border, or Mexico in general.
And it was great. Way less about top flight Mexican soccer, and way more about what roles a relegation-threatened franchise plays for the people of a city that had one of the world’s highest murder rates (this was written back around 2010). I always feel like books in this vein hinge on the narrator, and Powell is a good one. Human, humane, curious, brave; clearly someone pushing themselves past comfort zones and finding a footing. If it reminds me of anything I’ve read, it’d be “Travels with my Donkey” by Tim Moore, about navigating el Camino in Spain as a form of self-growth narrated for others.
I know so embarrassingly little about Mexico. This book made me want to rectify that. Strong recommendation for anyone with an interest in either professional soccer, the border, or Mexico in general.
July 28, 2023
Great insight into the people, politics, and passions of Juarez during one year of turbulent soccer season amidst the cartel battles in the city.
Equally fascinating and horrifying, this true account is hard to sit with. There are joys. There is humor. But there is so much death and sadness.
I had some familiarity with the situation due to my extended family living in El Paso, but the on-the-ground realities were shocking to read.
If you read the excellent “The Miracle of Castel di Sangro: A Tale of Passion and Folly in the Heart of Italy” by
Joe McGinniss, then this book is a great companion to compare and contrast.
Equally fascinating and horrifying, this true account is hard to sit with. There are joys. There is humor. But there is so much death and sadness.
I had some familiarity with the situation due to my extended family living in El Paso, but the on-the-ground realities were shocking to read.
If you read the excellent “The Miracle of Castel di Sangro: A Tale of Passion and Folly in the Heart of Italy” by
Joe McGinniss, then this book is a great companion to compare and contrast.
September 6, 2025
“A hell of a book.”
Very, very well-researched. Very, very well-written.
For those interested, know that in “This Love Is Not for Cowards”, soccer takes a backseat. This is an eye-opening love letter to Ciudad Juarez, and the colorful Juarenses that Robert meets during his time living in the city.
The author follows the activity of the Indios, the team situated in Juarez, as they stumble through their final season in Mexico’s elite division. However, most of the writing focuses on the murders in the city, the political power struggles, the police and army presence (or lack thereof), and the all-encompassing shadowy threat of La Linea, the cartel that controls the city.
Very, very well-researched. Very, very well-written.
For those interested, know that in “This Love Is Not for Cowards”, soccer takes a backseat. This is an eye-opening love letter to Ciudad Juarez, and the colorful Juarenses that Robert meets during his time living in the city.
The author follows the activity of the Indios, the team situated in Juarez, as they stumble through their final season in Mexico’s elite division. However, most of the writing focuses on the murders in the city, the political power struggles, the police and army presence (or lack thereof), and the all-encompassing shadowy threat of La Linea, the cartel that controls the city.
April 24, 2020
Yes, there is soccer in here - but it's really about this Mexican city, Juarez, the people there, and the daily cartel-related violence. A powerful look at what seems an intractable problem - all couched around the soccer team's dismal season. PS: I miss live football. So I guess I got to read about it.
August 11, 2021
This is a pretty wild story. Powell moved his life to the most dangerous city in North America and followed the local soccer team in their first year in the top division. Closely surrounded by violent murders.
Powell immerses himself in the team, and weaves it all together: soccer, local politics, US-Mexico politics, culture, food, violence.
And he does in a very personal way.
Powell immerses himself in the team, and weaves it all together: soccer, local politics, US-Mexico politics, culture, food, violence.
And he does in a very personal way.
August 15, 2021
Pretty entertaining look into Ciudad Juarez and the football team there. The author actually lived in Juarez during a really deadly time period when the city was taken over by violence. Whoever said the violence only reaches those who are involved in crime is full of it. There were a lot of ordinary people susceptible to the cartel violence in Juarez.
April 13, 2023
This book is about more than just soccer. It’s about culture, human resiliency, and the ability for people who love their city and their country to find the diamonds in the rough. The characters were rich and easy to follow — and the narrative easy to read. I’d recommend for anyone, even if sports isn’t your typical interest.
May 12, 2025
Enjoyed the portrait of a people, a flailing team, and the support groups that live by it to the end. It was a bit show at times and felt overly and bluntly traumatic. It's not done with malice, and I can't deny if violent crime is part of daily life in Juárez, but at times it felt like "look at how messed up this is", which in turn dehumanizes the town even more. Juarez does exist. Would give it 3.5
January 25, 2017
I read a mix of fiction and non fiction, add this book to your non fiction list. Following this soccer team in the midst of growing violence, creates an un forgettable story, that is true. As far as a writer going to Mexico to do this work, I'm reminded of Carlos Fuentes book, The Old Gringo.
December 30, 2018
Powerful story of life in one of the world's most violent cities. Powell conveys the danger but manages to capture hope and human resilience in a way that Charles Bowden in Murder City does not. The two books should be read together, two powerful examples of creative nonfiction at its best.
September 21, 2020
Fantastic work by Powell, who immersed himself into a hapless city and hapless soccer squad, and death and bloodshed and body parts, strewn in the street and sidewalks, became commonplace ... that's when he knew he had an issue, and had to exit. Exceptional.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews