All the Men Are Gone: a novel

by K.A. Claytor

Kate has an idyllic life on a remote farm with her four daughters. She’s in love with her neighbor, Lucy. And she has never known a world with men.

All the men are gone. Their decline occurred over the course of generations, fewer boys born every year, until eventually, none were born at all. After the Waning Wars, the Governing Council promised there was a plan and seed stores to last.

But when an imprisoned old woman writes a deathbed revelation declaring she was mother of the last son, and he’d been stolen fifty years ago, it creates unrest in a civilization where men had become little more than myths.

Rumors of men—the last men—being held in secret, stirs a ragtag group of women to find them, bringing the battle for womankind’s future straight to Kate’s doorstep.

Genres: Fiction

327 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 14, 2024

About the author

After living near both coasts, the mid-Atlantic, and the mountains, K.A. Claytor now resides in the United States Midwest. Her novel writing began in earnest after coaxing her family to compose short stories during summer breaks and realizing she was the only one who actually enjoyed that. Her short fiction has appeared in The Metaworker Literary Magazine.

Reviews

[Hannah Matzke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read! If I could channel the character of Karen Blixen (played by Meryl Streep), I’m sure she would say something like this:
“In the vast silence of an unspoiled world, "A World Without Men" unfolds with the grace and melancholy of a forgotten dream. Kate, living serenely on her remote farm with her four daughters, embodies the quiet strength of a woman who has never known a world tainted by the presence of men. She finds solace and love in her neighbor, Lucy, their bond a tender defiance against the encroaching shadows of history.
The tale weaves through the remnants of a civilization altered by the mysterious disappearance of men, a decline spanning generations. The Waning Wars left behind whispers of a future safeguarded by the Governing Council, with promises as fragile as the seed stores they guarded.
Yet, the tranquility is shattered by an old woman's deathbed revelation—a son, the last of his kind, stolen away fifty years past. The confession stirs the embers of myth into a blazing reality. The struggle for the future of womankind becomes a poignant and perilous journey, echoing the timeless battle between past and present, myth and reality.
This story is a testament to the enduring spirit of women, their resilience, and the bonds that sustain them. It is a lyrical exploration of love, loss, and the relentless pursuit of truth in a world forever changed. This tale, much like the African landscape, is beautiful, haunting, and unforgettable.”

[Johanna Haas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read, world turned upside down

Start with a world without men. War is gone. Inequality is taken care of. Except it isn't totally without them. A handful of men raid a farm. The book chases the mystery of where they came from and what these men may mean for the future of the human race. Really interesting and worth reading.

[Nerdy Pingwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was... okay. A couple inconsistencies in like where people were and what they were doing and then a couple SUPER CRINGE plot lines (Simple Gifts - ICK!) but that being said the concept was interesting and the commentary on men as a commodity was an interesting take.