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Go, Team
A short story featuring moms at a children's birthday party discussing a mysterious, relatable event
Unknown Binding
Published March 1, 2020
About the author
Samantha Hunt
22 books835 followersSamantha Hunt was born in 1971 in Pound Ridge, New York, the youngest of six siblings. She was raised in a house built in 1765 which wasn't haunted in the traditional sense but was so overstuffed with books— good and bad ones— that it had the effect of haunting Hunt all the same. Her mother is a painter and her father was an editor. In 1989 Hunt moved to Vermont where she studied literature, printmaking, and geology. She got her MFA from Warren Wilson College and then, in 1999, moved to New York City. While working on her writing, she held a number of odd jobs including a stint in an envelope factory.
Samantha Hunt received a National Book Foundation award for authors under 35, for her novel, The Seas. The Invention of Everything Else was shortlisted for the Orange Prize. She won the Bard Fiction Prize for 2010.
Samantha Hunt received a National Book Foundation award for authors under 35, for her novel, The Seas. The Invention of Everything Else was shortlisted for the Orange Prize. She won the Bard Fiction Prize for 2010.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 17, 2020
Excellent! A group of mothers sit around chatting at a kids birthday party. So normal, yet the chatter moves from TV shows to the meaning of life almost. I read an interview with the author afterward where she talked about the “tyranny of normalcy” and how mothers are expected to be the most normal of all. A commentary on “normal” and how everyone has their own issues.
November 14, 2023
Suspense Doesn’t Always Make a Good Story
Samantha Hunt is a well-known American novelist, essayist and short-story writer who was written many successful pieces. One piece that found my interest is called “Go, Team.” My original thought of this short story after seeing the cover picture of a soccer field and the name “Go, Team” was the story would have something to do with kids playing a soccer game. I was far from correct.
After reading the story for about five minutes, I instantly realized the story did not have to do much with soccer, but more with suspense and mystery. The moms only briefly mention soccer, “Who won? Won what? The game. I have no idea.” This was one of the only times soccer was mentioned, and they don’t care about soccer whatsoever. I was upset and happy about this at the same time. I was upset because soccer is my favorite sport so after realizing soccer did not play a key role in this story, I was dejected. But I was excited that this story would be suspenseful because this is my favorite topic to read. I love reading stories and being anxious about what is going to happen next. This story keeps you anxious for sure but disappoints at the same time.
The story starts off in a way that instantly hooked me in. A few moms are talking at one of their kid’s birthday parties about a woman who walked through the middle of a kid’s soccer game and walked into the woods. This seemed strange that a mom would walk into the middle of a soccer game and then into the woods. What made it even more bizarre was that the woman did not return from the woods after the soccer game concluded. “She walked across the field mid-game like she didn’t even see the rest of us and disappeared into the woods.” The women were all saying how they remember seeing the woman disappear into the woods but none of them really checked to see if she returned or who it was that disappeared. When they asked the kids at the birthday party if they knew whose mom it was that was gone, none of them knew. However, the kids did suggest that everyone should go to the woods and try to find the mysterious woman. Only the moms went to the woods, and they ended up splitting up when they got there. The moms stayed for a little but got scared and decided to leave. They went back to the party and returned to talking from before. After a while of the woman talking, someone mysterious comes to the door and all the women get very scared.
One reason I am not thrilled about this story is that there is a lack of plot. The story starts off strongly in my opinion. Samantha Hunt creates suspense by making all the moms wonder where the woman and see what their reactions will be. They then go to the part of the woods where the woman disappeared to go look for her. This originally made me anxious because I wanted to see what would happen when the women enter the woods and when they split up. But in the end, the women leave shortly after, and nothing really happens at all. After they go back to the party, the women just talk about their lives and barely even talk about the missing woman anymore. The suspense that was built up in the beginning is now gone. The story just becomes very boring and changes the topic.
Another reason I don’t like this story is that it is completely unrealistic. I think that it is strange that a woman would walk in the middle of a soccer game and into the woods out of nowhere. Also, the fact that none of the other women were freaking out over a missing woman is weird. All the women just talk about how she’s gone but don’t seem like they care until the kids recommended the moms go look for the missing woman. After this, the women reluctantly go try to find then woman, but barely even look. “Anyway, enough. That’s it. That’s all that happened. Eventually I walked out of the woods.” And after this, they only talk about her very little. If someone went missing in front of me, my first reaction would have been to call the police. The fact that not one person in the whole story even thinks about calling the police for help is deranged.
This story is not one that I would recommend. I was disappointed in the end and wished for more. I was eager to keep reading this story after such a promising start, but overall, I think more should have been done to develop this story more. Samantha Hunt usually does a great job with her short stories and essays, but this story has to be one of her worst.
Samantha Hunt is a well-known American novelist, essayist and short-story writer who was written many successful pieces. One piece that found my interest is called “Go, Team.” My original thought of this short story after seeing the cover picture of a soccer field and the name “Go, Team” was the story would have something to do with kids playing a soccer game. I was far from correct.
After reading the story for about five minutes, I instantly realized the story did not have to do much with soccer, but more with suspense and mystery. The moms only briefly mention soccer, “Who won? Won what? The game. I have no idea.” This was one of the only times soccer was mentioned, and they don’t care about soccer whatsoever. I was upset and happy about this at the same time. I was upset because soccer is my favorite sport so after realizing soccer did not play a key role in this story, I was dejected. But I was excited that this story would be suspenseful because this is my favorite topic to read. I love reading stories and being anxious about what is going to happen next. This story keeps you anxious for sure but disappoints at the same time.
The story starts off in a way that instantly hooked me in. A few moms are talking at one of their kid’s birthday parties about a woman who walked through the middle of a kid’s soccer game and walked into the woods. This seemed strange that a mom would walk into the middle of a soccer game and then into the woods. What made it even more bizarre was that the woman did not return from the woods after the soccer game concluded. “She walked across the field mid-game like she didn’t even see the rest of us and disappeared into the woods.” The women were all saying how they remember seeing the woman disappear into the woods but none of them really checked to see if she returned or who it was that disappeared. When they asked the kids at the birthday party if they knew whose mom it was that was gone, none of them knew. However, the kids did suggest that everyone should go to the woods and try to find the mysterious woman. Only the moms went to the woods, and they ended up splitting up when they got there. The moms stayed for a little but got scared and decided to leave. They went back to the party and returned to talking from before. After a while of the woman talking, someone mysterious comes to the door and all the women get very scared.
One reason I am not thrilled about this story is that there is a lack of plot. The story starts off strongly in my opinion. Samantha Hunt creates suspense by making all the moms wonder where the woman and see what their reactions will be. They then go to the part of the woods where the woman disappeared to go look for her. This originally made me anxious because I wanted to see what would happen when the women enter the woods and when they split up. But in the end, the women leave shortly after, and nothing really happens at all. After they go back to the party, the women just talk about their lives and barely even talk about the missing woman anymore. The suspense that was built up in the beginning is now gone. The story just becomes very boring and changes the topic.
Another reason I don’t like this story is that it is completely unrealistic. I think that it is strange that a woman would walk in the middle of a soccer game and into the woods out of nowhere. Also, the fact that none of the other women were freaking out over a missing woman is weird. All the women just talk about how she’s gone but don’t seem like they care until the kids recommended the moms go look for the missing woman. After this, the women reluctantly go try to find then woman, but barely even look. “Anyway, enough. That’s it. That’s all that happened. Eventually I walked out of the woods.” And after this, they only talk about her very little. If someone went missing in front of me, my first reaction would have been to call the police. The fact that not one person in the whole story even thinks about calling the police for help is deranged.
This story is not one that I would recommend. I was disappointed in the end and wished for more. I was eager to keep reading this story after such a promising start, but overall, I think more should have been done to develop this story more. Samantha Hunt usually does a great job with her short stories and essays, but this story has to be one of her worst.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2020
I loved this story. I seem to gravitate toward the ones that speak to the mundaness and social aspects of middle-aged mom life and this one does that in spades.
In almost all dialogue, a group of moms discuss seeing a woman walking into the woods at their kids’ soccer game and she never comes back out. The setting is a birthday party for one of the kids. Through realistic and at turns funny, angry, sad, and scary dialogue the discussion or gossip by these women is terrific. It really gets you into the question of where this woman went, while also making you feel like you’re there, listening to the conversation. No one even has a name (they’re all referred to by letters), which makes it even more interesting. Each woman’s personality is not tied to a name, it’s instead related exclusively by turns of phrase, language, and the comments of the main character "J." They talk of Netflix, spoiling TV shows, the soccer dad who’s a loud bully, they all get quiet when one of the moms curses (worried the kids will hear). It’s very relatable and true-to-life.
The meat of the story comes from J, who shares that she went into the woods looking for the woman and ended up lying on the ground, overcome with an odd feeling of being alive and dead at the same time. Kind of like becoming one with nature. The women are, at turns, appalled, intrigued, and annoyed. There’s also the undercurrent theme of overworked, harried moms wanting at some point to say “screw it all” and walking into the woods and never coming back. That image...a woman walking away from her kids, life, husband...the prescribed roles she has to play in life for freedom...is compelling. And the way the author explores it here is so well done. Definitely check this one out!
In almost all dialogue, a group of moms discuss seeing a woman walking into the woods at their kids’ soccer game and she never comes back out. The setting is a birthday party for one of the kids. Through realistic and at turns funny, angry, sad, and scary dialogue the discussion or gossip by these women is terrific. It really gets you into the question of where this woman went, while also making you feel like you’re there, listening to the conversation. No one even has a name (they’re all referred to by letters), which makes it even more interesting. Each woman’s personality is not tied to a name, it’s instead related exclusively by turns of phrase, language, and the comments of the main character "J." They talk of Netflix, spoiling TV shows, the soccer dad who’s a loud bully, they all get quiet when one of the moms curses (worried the kids will hear). It’s very relatable and true-to-life.
The meat of the story comes from J, who shares that she went into the woods looking for the woman and ended up lying on the ground, overcome with an odd feeling of being alive and dead at the same time. Kind of like becoming one with nature. The women are, at turns, appalled, intrigued, and annoyed. There’s also the undercurrent theme of overworked, harried moms wanting at some point to say “screw it all” and walking into the woods and never coming back. That image...a woman walking away from her kids, life, husband...the prescribed roles she has to play in life for freedom...is compelling. And the way the author explores it here is so well done. Definitely check this one out!
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September 8, 2023Someone will be care.how many cross our life and we didnt caring.but someone will be.thes not ghost novella and isnt crime one.can be more riallity with more ditalls.but still the wonder in wood make me hase many imotion.maybe all what feel J.i feel it.but sex i wonder if i well.or anyone will.
October 9, 2024
20 páginas sobre la tiranía de la normalidad, especialmente para las mujeres.
En este caso para las madres, no salirse del tiesto porque eso asusta a la sociedad (y a las otras madres).
*Relato en The Atlantic
En este caso para las madres, no salirse del tiesto porque eso asusta a la sociedad (y a las otras madres).
*Relato en The Atlantic
February 25, 2020
Spooky but with some social commentary
You can read it here: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/...
You can read it here: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/...
February 26, 2020
Loved the dialogue and the premise life is death and death is life.
March 25, 2020
I clearly didn’t get it. I was bored by the end of the first page.
February 3, 2026
strange
een kortverhaal als een soort stream of conciousness conversatie tussen soccer moms.
een kortverhaal als een soort stream of conciousness conversatie tussen soccer moms.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews