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anastasia_raf's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
A really touching and important book! I only wish it was longer... I loved the anagrams the whole uniqueness of it, truly clever and profound.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Death, Murder, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Grief, Violence, Murder, Gun violence, Blood, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Drug use
schneckentier's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Hate crime
caughtbetweenpages's review
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was my second time reading Long Way Down and hearing it straight from Jason Reynolds' mouth made the reading even more impactful. His cadence, the weight and importance he gave to each word, really drove home Will's grief, rage, indecision, and fear. I don't know that there will ever be a time that I read Will holding Shawn as he weeps and not end the scene in tears myself. God, and that ending! So ambiguous. On this reading, I found it hopeful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Gun violence
Minor: Drug use and Suicidal thoughts
lynnd's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Blood, Gun violence, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, and Grief
Minor: Drug use
violet_pages's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Death, Violence, Grief, Murder, Child death, Death of parent, Racism, Drug use, and Blood
divine529's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Wow. It's going to be hard to figure out what to say for this book, but I'll try.
First things first, this book is about Will, our main protagonist, after his brother Shawn was shot and killed. He plans to get revenge, and while he's in the elevator getting ready to go kill his brother's killer, he encounters people from his past on each floor.
The writing of this was so good. I've come to realized I really enjoy novels in verse, and that's what this was. Beautiful, heartbreaking and powerful verse that really sucks you in.
The setting of this was so unique. The majority of this book took place in an elevator and it was such a powerful setting to choose. I really liked it a lot. The metaphor of it was just brilliant.
The plot was also great, although subtle. The majority of this book took place in an elevator, but getting glimpses of Will's past through the ghosts of other people who got into the elevator with him was brilliant.
Finally, the characters. At it's core, this book was a character centric book. It's hard to talk about all of them without spoilers, but I loved the interactions of all of the characters with Will and with each other. For such a short work, Reynolds really knows how to show the complexities of characters and their relationships very well.
All in all, an absolutely fantastic book, and one everyone should read.
First things first, this book is about Will, our main protagonist, after his brother Shawn was shot and killed. He plans to get revenge, and while he's in the elevator getting ready to go kill his brother's killer, he encounters people from his past on each floor.
The writing of this was so good. I've come to realized I really enjoy novels in verse, and that's what this was. Beautiful, heartbreaking and powerful verse that really sucks you in.
The setting of this was so unique. The majority of this book took place in an elevator and it was such a powerful setting to choose. I really liked it a lot. The metaphor of it was just brilliant.
The plot was also great, although subtle. The majority of this book took place in an elevator, but getting glimpses of Will's past through the ghosts of other people who got into the elevator with him was brilliant.
Finally, the characters. At it's core, this book was a character centric book. It's hard to talk about all of them without spoilers, but I loved the interactions of all of the characters with Will and with each other. For such a short work, Reynolds really knows how to show the complexities of characters and their relationships very well.
All in all, an absolutely fantastic book, and one everyone should read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, and Violence
bechols002's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Drug use, Child death, Death, and Death of parent
lou_o_donnell's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Murder, and Violence
spiritedfaraway's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
5.0
Jason Reynolds addresses the cycle of gun violence, toxic masculinity, and family in this amazingly crafted novel. We follow fifteen year old Will, who's brother has just been murdered. We follow him as he decides whether or not he's going to murder the person who killed his brother. Because Will knows the rules; no crying, no snitching, get revenge.
The rules are the rules. But then there are sixty seconds in an elevator. But then there are sixty seconds to decide. Sixty seconds, seven floors, three rules, one gun.
"THE SADNESS
is just so hard
to explain.
Imagine waking up
and someone,
a stranger,
got you strapped down
got pliers shoved
into your mouth,
gripping a tooth
somewhere in the back,
one of the big
important ones,
and rips it out.
Imagine the knocking
in your head,
the pressure pushing
through your ears,
the blood pooling.
But the worst part,
the absolute worst part,
is the constant slipping
of your tongue
into the new empty space,
where you know
a tooth supposed to be
but ain't no more."
I'm still new to books in verse, but I've found that I absolutely love them. The feelings they inspire, the impact they make. And this one is no different, it's powerful and heartfelt, it's gut-wrenching and thought provoking. Once you pick it up, you wont be able to put it down.
I read this first and then listened to it via audiobook (the author reads it himself and it's amazing and definitely listen to the interview with Reynolds at the end) and then I read it again, along with the audiobook. Each time I reread it, the impact and feelings the book invoked got stronger and stronger. I noticed all the nuances more on each reread, but it only took reading this once to notice how absolutely incredible this book is. A brilliant must read.
"BEEF
gets passed down like name-brand
t-shirts around here. Always to big.
Never ironed out.
gets inherited like a trunk of fool's
gold or a treasure map leading
to nowhere.
came knocking on my brother's life,
kicked the damn door down and took
everything except his gold chain."
The rules are the rules. But then there are sixty seconds in an elevator. But then there are sixty seconds to decide. Sixty seconds, seven floors, three rules, one gun.
"THE SADNESS
is just so hard
to explain.
Imagine waking up
and someone,
a stranger,
got you strapped down
got pliers shoved
into your mouth,
gripping a tooth
somewhere in the back,
one of the big
important ones,
and rips it out.
Imagine the knocking
in your head,
the pressure pushing
through your ears,
the blood pooling.
But the worst part,
the absolute worst part,
is the constant slipping
of your tongue
into the new empty space,
where you know
a tooth supposed to be
but ain't no more."
I'm still new to books in verse, but I've found that I absolutely love them. The feelings they inspire, the impact they make. And this one is no different, it's powerful and heartfelt, it's gut-wrenching and thought provoking. Once you pick it up, you wont be able to put it down.
I read this first and then listened to it via audiobook (the author reads it himself and it's amazing and definitely listen to the interview with Reynolds at the end) and then I read it again, along with the audiobook. Each time I reread it, the impact and feelings the book invoked got stronger and stronger. I noticed all the nuances more on each reread, but it only took reading this once to notice how absolutely incredible this book is. A brilliant must read.
"BEEF
gets passed down like name-brand
t-shirts around here. Always to big.
Never ironed out.
gets inherited like a trunk of fool's
gold or a treasure map leading
to nowhere.
came knocking on my brother's life,
kicked the damn door down and took
everything except his gold chain."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Alcoholism, Blood, Child death, Death, Drug use, Grief, Cursing, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence
Death of a parent (in the past), death of a friend (in the past), and death of a sibling.my_weird_bookish_heart's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Murder, and Violence