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4.45 AVERAGE
4.45 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
reflective
sad
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
Jason Reynolds has a way of speaking so beautifully about tragedy. This story presents a reflective viewpoint of generational trauma and it’s impact on families and community. The illustrations are equally beautiful.
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I am beginning to think that the best novels to adapt to graphic form are novels in verse, because this was just as wonderful as the graphic novelization of Kwame Alexander's The Crossover. This story was already a gut-punch in its original form. The addition of the art does add something visceral to the narrative, and the art itself is really beautifully done.
Excellence.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for review via NetGalley.
Excellence.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for review via NetGalley.
I’ve already read the original book so I won’t review the story again. However, the graphic novel aspect was really cool and will get more young readers to pick this up.
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is another book that’s difficult for me to rate.
I’ll start off by saying that I’ve read other books by Jason Reynolds, and I loved them, and I do think Long Way Down is an important book, so I don’t regret reading it, and it’ll definitely go in my classroom library, but it didn’t really do anything special for me.
This book tackles important topics like cycles of violence, and it reminds readers that what you’re told to think or do isn’t always the right thing to think or do. It was just incredibly brief! A majority of the story takes place in a 60-second time span, so I feel like I didn’t have time to know the characters or connect with them on any level. This is especially true of the people Will meets in the elevator. For a majority of the book, I wasn’t sure if these people were actually dead or if they were just believed to be dead, and they were introduced so quickly after one another, which left me distracted and confused.
I did listen to the audiobook while I read this graphic novel, and I enjoyed Jason Reynold’s commentary at the very end. It was the best part!
I’ll start off by saying that I’ve read other books by Jason Reynolds, and I loved them, and I do think Long Way Down is an important book, so I don’t regret reading it, and it’ll definitely go in my classroom library, but it didn’t really do anything special for me.
This book tackles important topics like cycles of violence, and it reminds readers that what you’re told to think or do isn’t always the right thing to think or do. It was just incredibly brief! A majority of the story takes place in a 60-second time span, so I feel like I didn’t have time to know the characters or connect with them on any level. This is especially true of the people Will meets in the elevator. For a majority of the book, I wasn’t sure if these people were actually dead or if they were just believed to be dead, and they were introduced so quickly after one another, which left me distracted and confused.
I did listen to the audiobook while I read this graphic novel, and I enjoyed Jason Reynold’s commentary at the very end. It was the best part!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Gun violence
Minor: Child death, Death of parent
emotional
reflective
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
The imagery in this book was definitely more visceral than I had expected, but it was all done so well. I think reading the book first would probably make this even better, but it was still done so well.
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes