Long Way Down

Product Information

The "rules" are the root of the perpetual cycle of violence that is the cause of so many senseless killings. As I have already mentioned, this book is a quick read, but the emotional impact it has, is phenomenal. Jason Reynolds' extraordinary Long Way Down follows Will, a 15-year-old boy out for revenge after his older brother is shot dead.

The "an eye for an eye" mentality only serves to perpetuate a cycle of violence in which nothing ever really changes or gets better until someone is brave enough to break the cycle. She has a Bachelor's degree in Special Education, Elementary Education, and English from Gordon College and a Master's degree in Special Education from Salem State University. When his older brother Shawn is shot dead in front of him, Will is overcome with grief, despair and fury.However, the 67 seconds he spends in the lift from his apartment to the ground floor are life-changing for Will. Long Way Down is a young adult novel in verse by Jason Reynolds, published October 24, 2017, by Atheneum Books.

I was invigilating in a GCSE English room recently, and I picked up this book whilst I was waiting for the students to enter! He’s succeeded in his aim by a million degrees: this is one of the most exciting books written for young people or anyone. I don’t tolerate self-absorbed people who go out of their way commenting on my review because they think theirs is the only right opinion. Long Way Down is a young adult novel, written in prose, that tells the story of a teenage boy, Will who is seeking revenge for the murder of his older brother. When Wil's brother is killed in a gang related shooting, he does the only thing he knows how to do: follow the neighborhood rules.While the prose of these two books are certainly different, I found Long Way Down slightly superior because of the narrative in verse. When Shawn, the beloved big brother of 15-year-old Will, is shot dead, Will is ready to follow "the rules" and get revenge.

That said, I still absolutely loved this book and cannot wait to see what Jason Reynolds releases next. Shawn, Will's deceased brother enters last; he doesn't speak to Will, but cries, breaking the rules which emotionally moves Will. Although paced extremely well, it was such a quick read that I didn't have time to properly digest what I was reading.

You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie preferences, as described in the Cookie notice. I had trouble visualizing the setting for some reason, the writing style in verse lacked something for me. The layered, fragmented layouts found across many spreads have potent impact, along with stylistic touches such as Polaroid photos, video screens, and storyboards seamlessly substituted for panels. Your words, like your reviews, bring books to life and give them a voice before the front cover is even turned.