Scan barcode
A review by kaitlynnnng
Long Way Down: The Graphic Novel by Jason Reynolds
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
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 and Gun violence
Minor: Child death and Death of parent