Long Way Down

Justification

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds was starred on Booklist, Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books. Horn Book Guide, Horn Book Magazine, Kirkus Reviews, publishers Weekly, School Library Connection and School Library Journal. This book was a Coretta Scott King Author Honor, Newberry Honor and Printz Honor book.

Response

Long Way Down was one of the more interesting ways I have seen an author approach gang violence in a novel. I have read many books that include gang violence, death of family and feelings of vengeance. (a) This book allowed me to take a closer look into the mindset of a young teenager in the middle of grieving for a murdered family member. Personally, I have not been involved with gangs and violence of the magnitude that the author portrays in Long Way Down. Reading this book will allow me to better connect with students and young people I work with who have had similar struggles in life. (b) Long Way Down opened my mind up to an entirely different way of life. The main characters in the story live by certain “rules” that guide their actions. To me, living by strict rules does not allow anyone to break free from dangerous cycles, such as gang violence. (f) Although I would not have typically picked this book out myself, I have found that it is a beautiful piece of art. The author takes an approach on a topic that has been written about in droves and makes it unique. I loved the symbolism involved with the character riding the elevator down on his way to exact revenge for the death of a family member.

Conclusion

Long Way Down is recommended for young readers who desire a raw and edgy book to read. This realistic fiction novel will catch the attention of reluctant and struggling readers because of its content and relatively short length. Some may find this story to be cliche’d and overdone. However, this book allows for an in-depth look into the mind of one young individual who has been shaped by gang violence.

Citation

Reynolds, J. (2019). Long way down. Atheneum.