Long Way Down

“MY MOTHER USED TO SAY,

I know you're young,
gotta get it out,
but just remember, when
you're walking in the nighttime,
make sure the nighttime
ain't walking into you.”

Will is fifteen. His brother was recently killed. He wants revenge. That is the rules. This excellent novel, told in verse, all happens in one minute, as Will rides an elevator, to avenge his brother's death. This is my first experience with Reynolds and it will not be my last. I am glad to see how prolific he is. This also worked wonderfully on audio, with the author nailing the delivery.

"I FELT LIKE CRYING

which felt like
another person
trapped behind my face

tiny fists punching
the backs of my eyes
feet kicking
my throat at the spot
where the swallow
starts.

Stay put, I show more whispered to him,
Stay strong, I whispered to me.

Because crying
is against

The Rules." show less

This novel in verse is gripping. The action and emotional urgency following Will as he makes his way down the elevator to find his brother's killer and get his revenge is always immediately in front of you. Reynolds describes this novel as a mix between "Boyz n the Hood" and "A Christmas Carol," and that is an apt description, as Will encounters with each stop down the elevator ghosts of his past. The urgency in this book by which Will has to make a decision about "following the rules" to avenge his brother's death really puts into perspective the depth of emotion and grief that he is feeling. When he gets on the elevator it is 9:08am, seven floors down and six ghosts later it is 9:09am. The use of language that Jason Reynolds uses is show more incredible. Using the words "shot" and "Pop" to refer to many things, all while holding that visceral reminder of the bullet that had taken his brother from him. The way he portrays the cycle of violence through the machinery of the elevator and links the ghosts of Will's past in a chain of lit cigarettes drives home the feeling of inevitability and destiny. Will Will find himself a part of the same cycle or will something have to give? show less

When fifteen-year-old Will’s brother, Shawn, is shot dead, Will knows there are rules of the street that must be followed. No crying. No snitching. Take revenge. He also knows who’s responsible and Will has his brother’s gun and a plan. But then, as the seven-floors elevator ride descends it begets the unexpected.

Creatively told in verse, the 2018 Edgar YA winner, LONG WAY DOWN, by Jason Reynolds conveys the heartbreak that comes with losing a sibling due to crime on the streets. Rich in simile, the story is so uniquely told and on the whole it is a metaphor on the downfall of seeking revenge. This fast-paced book is one of those that’ll stay with you long after its final page, so if a copy comes you way, know that you’ve show more got an extremely worthwhile read in your hands. show less

Wow. This is an incredibly impactful book. I won’t be able to stop thinking about that ending for a long while.

Content warnings:
- gun violence

Representation:
- all characters are Black

Told in verse, Long Way Down takes place in just sixty seconds -- the time it takes for 16-year-old Will to ride the elevator from the seventh floor of his apartment down to the lobby and decide whether or not he’s going to kill the man who murdered his brother.

I honestly don’t have much to say here. This is so well done, well written, and evocative. A great example of “less is more”, it feels like every word is carefully chosen. And even though there aren’t that many words in total, each character feels well developed with their own distinct show more personalities -- and most importantly (and most difficult to do with such a small amount of words), not built on stereotypes or one single trait.

The only thing I could say is that I wish more women had parts (there was one female character with a speaking role). Besides her, women were mentioned screaming or crying. I understand this novel’s focus is very much on Black men, though, so it’s not so much a big deal as it would be in other stories.

This book (especially that ending!) and Jason Reynolds's beautiful attitude shown in his acknowledgments and author bio have instantly made me a fan of him. I look forward to reading more of his work. show less

Boyz n The Hood meets A Christmas Carol is a crossover I didn't know I wanted or needed, but it turns out I did. This was truly outstanding. Jason Reynolds’s writing is terrific and this is a story that will stay with me for a long time.

Will's brother Shawn is murdered, and even at fifteen Will knows the Rules: 1. No crying 2. No snitching 3. Get revenge. Planning on doing just that the next morning, he gets in an elevator, his brother's gun tucked in his pants. But he's in for a wild ride.

This novel in verse is intense. I thought I understood the direction it might go in, but with the first visitor Will has in his elevator, I realized I was along for the ride myself. I read it in one sitting, in only a couple of hours. Without judgment, Reynolds presents the life Will has left and the legacy of one man killing another that has led up to this moment. For all that it was short, I was completely invested and almost cried at parts.

Listened to this on audio. Will just found out that his brother has been shot and killed. There are 3 rules in his family; Don't Cry, Don't Snitch and always Get Revenge. Will find's his brother's gun and goes out fully intending to seek vengeance for the death. He gets on the elevator at 9:08am and presses the button for the lobby. What follows is the longest minute of his live as the elevator proceeds to stop at each floor going down and picks up a passenger (ghost?) from Will's past to tell their story of gun violence and the consequences. When he finally reaches the ground, will he or won't he carry out the 3rd rule? The style/conceit of the story brought to my mind some of A Christmas Carol, or Mitch Ablom's Five People You Meet in show more Heaven, but much deeper and more profound in impact, in my humble opinion.

This is an excellent (albeit short) novel about gun violence and its impact on black youths (or any youth for that matter). Oh and did I mention that it entirely in verse? I honestly didn't realize until I was almost done. I'm not one for poetry, but this was a very effective decision, it was almost a song.

Reynolds' and this work won a lot of acclaim and awards in 2018, including being a Newbery Honor book and a Printz Award Honor book. Highly Recommend.

9/10

S: 1/26/19 - 1/26/19 (1 Day) show less