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A review by sarahscupofcoffee
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
5.0
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Highlight of the Trip: I huffed and puffed on a cigarette, as Will stood in that elevator. I’ve never smoked a cigarette before.
Two Cent Summary
Long Way Down is a novel in verse about the decision a young man has to make with a gun. Will’s brother was shot. Dead. Will thinks he knows who the killer is and follows the rules that he must follow: no crying, no snitching, revenge. He gets in an elevator, totally prepared to kill who he thinks killed his brother.
First Impressions
I love that this story is in verse. I read it all in one sitting and it took me about an hour, give or take. During that hour, I was sucked into that elevator with Will, feeling the dread that he was feeling. I loved that it took me about an hour to read it because the pacing of the book is one hour. The whole novel is set in 60 minutes.
Characterization
Without sharing a ton, I want to comment briefly on the amount of characterization that went into this novel. We meet several characters, one after another. Usually, it would be difficult to meet characters in this type of format—difficult to separate voices and personalities when we meet them all at rapid fire speed.
Somehow Jason Reynolds made this work beautifully. We get a solid snapshot into Will’s culture through the people he meets and talks to. Each character is set up, full of personality, and easily separated. A work of art.
The Open Ending
I don’t want to give too much away about the story, so this review is going to be short and sweet... but I do want to comment on the ending. The whole story is the telling of different stories, meeting of different characters. Will is confident that he knows who the killer is, but I think he has some doubts. When he gets off that elevator, the ending is open for us to make our own assumptions as to what happened. I love that. It makes you think.
Reason for Rating ~ Should You Read It?
I rated this book 5/5 stars because it deserves it. It’s a quick read, but it’s not an easy one. It will make you think, make you question things—as it should. It’s a brilliant work of art that everyone has time to devour.
Subscribe to my BookTube channel! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqoIzjdWXr4oOkFLlSbe2FQ
Highlight of the Trip: I huffed and puffed on a cigarette, as Will stood in that elevator. I’ve never smoked a cigarette before.
Two Cent Summary
Long Way Down is a novel in verse about the decision a young man has to make with a gun. Will’s brother was shot. Dead. Will thinks he knows who the killer is and follows the rules that he must follow: no crying, no snitching, revenge. He gets in an elevator, totally prepared to kill who he thinks killed his brother.
First Impressions
I love that this story is in verse. I read it all in one sitting and it took me about an hour, give or take. During that hour, I was sucked into that elevator with Will, feeling the dread that he was feeling. I loved that it took me about an hour to read it because the pacing of the book is one hour. The whole novel is set in 60 minutes.
Characterization
Without sharing a ton, I want to comment briefly on the amount of characterization that went into this novel. We meet several characters, one after another. Usually, it would be difficult to meet characters in this type of format—difficult to separate voices and personalities when we meet them all at rapid fire speed.
Somehow Jason Reynolds made this work beautifully. We get a solid snapshot into Will’s culture through the people he meets and talks to. Each character is set up, full of personality, and easily separated. A work of art.
The Open Ending
I don’t want to give too much away about the story, so this review is going to be short and sweet... but I do want to comment on the ending. The whole story is the telling of different stories, meeting of different characters. Will is confident that he knows who the killer is, but I think he has some doubts. When he gets off that elevator, the ending is open for us to make our own assumptions as to what happened. I love that. It makes you think.
Reason for Rating ~ Should You Read It?
I rated this book 5/5 stars because it deserves it. It’s a quick read, but it’s not an easy one. It will make you think, make you question things—as it should. It’s a brilliant work of art that everyone has time to devour.