Posted by There will be moments in your life that will unexpectedly alter the course of your life. One such instance is in Jason Reynolds’ Long Way Down. Will’s older brother has just been murdered, and he is overwhelmed with grief. But, his father taught him The Rules.
1. Don’t cry
2. Don’t snitch
3. Get revenge
Will finds his brother’s gun and sets out to kill the person he believes killed his brother. The entire book takes place in an elevator, and in the 60-second ride down he is confronted by ghosts who are all victims of violence and who he personally knew. They make him question whether he is making the right decision. As the elevator approaches ground level, he is left with the choice…to kill and face the consequences, or to back away and let his brother’s alleged killer walk away without a scratch.
There are two versions of this book, and I read the graphic novel version.
Reynolds’ affinity for writing is prominent in this novel. There is nothing to criticize, as he is flawless in all departments that account for writing a novel. I read this book in one day, and it has to be one of my favorites now. When I was younger, I reviewed Patina and As Brave As You, also by the author.
I was amazed at how wonderfully executed this story was. I really liked the concept, it could make a good movie. Will was a good, flawed character. Some of his decisions were not wise, but he had good intentions behind them. The illustrator did a great job portraying Will’s inner turmoil and the eerieness of the ghosts in the elevator.
Long Way Down made me realize how violence can be a cycle, and why good people feel inclined to do bad things. The way the book ended also shocked me. It is up for interpretation, which I loved and hated.
Four out of four roses!
Elena Reads and Reviews 