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drleonj's review
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A scandal-plagued television personality goes to the roof of a tower block in London on New Year’s Eve to kill himself, but before he can do the deed, he meets three others who have gone there for the same reason. None of them have anything in common other than their wish to die and their inability to follow through, so they decide to band together for thirty days to see if they feel any better or still wish to go through with it. Thus begins Hornby’s ‘odd couple’ - or more accurately ‘odd quartet’ - narrative. Each of the four take turns narrating chapters, which helps us see them as they see themselves but also as they come across to others. The result is often painful, since each of the characters is pretty damaged, yet even the most objectionable of them have redeeming qualities, and at least one has a heart of gold. Also, the novel is often funny -hilarious even - although a wince almost always follows a chuckle. And although this is by no means an easy read, since it makes very few concessions to unrealistic plot twists or Hollywood endings, Hornby’s novel is both wise, and, ultimately hopeful. This definitely isn’t a novel for anyone. Although I’m a suicide attempt survivor myself and liked this book a lot, many who are emotionally fragile will find it tough reading, while those who insist on likable or consistently pleasant characters will be better off staying far away. But for an unflinching yet often humorous exploration of what, if anything, makes life worth living, A Long Way Down is a great novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt
frostap's review
1.0
An exercise in disappointment. I thought this would get good and redemptive by the end, but I was ever so wrong. Wish the characters had jumped off the ledge and taken the manuscript with them.
bart_gunn's review against another edition
2.0
Jess is a pain in the arse. Please jump. Appreciate she is supposed to be an angsty teenager, but it's terrible that you cannot continue a book because a character is so irratible.
leannecoppola's review
5.0
This was a great character novel. Will make a great movie some day. Heard it's in the works!
valentina_05's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
the_red_one's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
gioferrazzi's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
3.25
goodem9199's review
2.0
My first experience with Mr. Hornby, and so far so good. I am particularly loving the audio cd, as it has the super Bri'ish accents!
Well, that didn't last too long. A book about 4 people wanting to off themselves can only hold my attention for so long before I need a stiff drink!
Well, that didn't last too long. A book about 4 people wanting to off themselves can only hold my attention for so long before I need a stiff drink!
saritaroth's review
2.0
I would like to say that this is another book of Nick Hornby's that feels a bit self-indulgent and as if all the characters within the book have no redeemable characteristics. Can he ever write just one sympathetic character . . . ever?
To summarize, the book mostly takes place in London and centers around four main characters: Martin, an aging minor TV celebrity who was sent to prison for a dalliance with a fifteen-year-old girl; Maureen, a middle-aged woman who is trying to escape her stress-filled life of having to care for her disabled son, Matty; Jess, an eighteen-year-old girl who is still mourning the loss of her older sister, Jen, who ran away and/or committed suicide, and who is feeling rather disillusioned by the relationship with her parents; and J.J., a young American failed musician whose band broke up and whose girlfriend dumped him. All four characters end up going onto the roof of a building called Toppers House in order to jump off. They are all suicidal at the beginning and, frankly, for most of the book, for reasons mentioned earlier; Jess' actions seem more impulsive as if she didn't put as much thought into it as the other characters. After they introduce themselves and talk for a bit, they decide to make a pact that they will all defer the act of suicide until a later agreed-upon date. These mutual suicidal thoughts and the general twists of life or fate or whatever you want to call it end up bringing them together.
I would like to add that I did not really like this book; I felt that About A Boy was more humorous and quirky and kept my interest. This book was not only boring in parts, but I came away with an overwhelming feeling that the author was just glorifying suicide and using this terrible and horrifying act as a humorous outlet. Suicide is not something to make light of. Furthermore, I felt that the characters did not really learn anything throughout the book. They remained the same selfish, ego-driven characters they were at the beginning of the book. Maureen was the only character who truly thought of anyone but herself; she also had her son, Matty, to think of. One could argue, however, that she was not thinking of him when she decided to end her life, although she did make sure that he had a facility to go to and nurses to take care of him in the event of her death.
This book was also made into a movie starring Pierce Brosnan and Toni Collette (Toni Collette also starred in About A Boy). I watched the movie and enjoyed it much more than I did the book, which is surprising considering that I usually enjoy the books more. In the movie, however, the characters seemed to get along more and seemed to end up better friends than in the book. In the book, I just didn't get the feeling that the characters liked each other much. In the book, I felt that they were just stuck with each other due to unforeseen circumstances. In the movie, however, they really seemed to like each other, at least by the end. Two of the characters even got together at the end of the movie, an ending that was not in the book. Also, in the movie, the characters were more sympathetic, especially Jess. My heart broke for her and the circumstances in which she found herself. Chock it up to the really stellar acting of Imogen Poots (Jess). So, although I would recommend the movie, I do not think it is worth anyone's time to read the book. As my mother would say, a real slog fest!
To summarize, the book mostly takes place in London and centers around four main characters: Martin, an aging minor TV celebrity who was sent to prison for a dalliance with a fifteen-year-old girl; Maureen, a middle-aged woman who is trying to escape her stress-filled life of having to care for her disabled son, Matty; Jess, an eighteen-year-old girl who is still mourning the loss of her older sister, Jen, who ran away and/or committed suicide, and who is feeling rather disillusioned by the relationship with her parents; and J.J., a young American failed musician whose band broke up and whose girlfriend dumped him. All four characters end up going onto the roof of a building called Toppers House in order to jump off. They are all suicidal at the beginning and, frankly, for most of the book, for reasons mentioned earlier; Jess' actions seem more impulsive as if she didn't put as much thought into it as the other characters. After they introduce themselves and talk for a bit, they decide to make a pact that they will all defer the act of suicide until a later agreed-upon date. These mutual suicidal thoughts and the general twists of life or fate or whatever you want to call it end up bringing them together.
I would like to add that I did not really like this book; I felt that About A Boy was more humorous and quirky and kept my interest. This book was not only boring in parts, but I came away with an overwhelming feeling that the author was just glorifying suicide and using this terrible and horrifying act as a humorous outlet. Suicide is not something to make light of. Furthermore, I felt that the characters did not really learn anything throughout the book. They remained the same selfish, ego-driven characters they were at the beginning of the book. Maureen was the only character who truly thought of anyone but herself; she also had her son, Matty, to think of. One could argue, however, that she was not thinking of him when she decided to end her life, although she did make sure that he had a facility to go to and nurses to take care of him in the event of her death.
This book was also made into a movie starring Pierce Brosnan and Toni Collette (Toni Collette also starred in About A Boy). I watched the movie and enjoyed it much more than I did the book, which is surprising considering that I usually enjoy the books more. In the movie, however, the characters seemed to get along more and seemed to end up better friends than in the book. In the book, I just didn't get the feeling that the characters liked each other much. In the book, I felt that they were just stuck with each other due to unforeseen circumstances. In the movie, however, they really seemed to like each other, at least by the end. Two of the characters even got together at the end of the movie, an ending that was not in the book. Also, in the movie, the characters were more sympathetic, especially Jess. My heart broke for her and the circumstances in which she found herself. Chock it up to the really stellar acting of Imogen Poots (Jess). So, although I would recommend the movie, I do not think it is worth anyone's time to read the book. As my mother would say, a real slog fest!
ktswings's review
4.0
Why could I not have found this suicide related book sooner? Really enjoyed it and as always love Hornby's writing style and pop references!