Saturday, January 20, 2018

Book Reviews: Long Way Down



Title: Long Way Down
Author: Jason Reynolds
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Teen Reviewer: Se Choi

Synopsis: William Holoman’s brother, Shawn, had been shot by who he knew as Riggs. Deeply inflicted by this, he was sucked in by a sadness and darkness. One of his family’s rules were to get revenge. Because of this rule, he knew he had to kill the one who shot his brother. So, with his brother’s gun, he made a plan on how to kill Riggs and how to get away with it. The next day, filled with anxiety and fear, he started to go down the elevator of his apartment to kill Riggs. As he went down each level, everyone he knew that was murdered walked in to talk about how they died and how they felt about it. They had all died because of their family’s rule, to always get revenge. That rule had caused turmoil among his family, starting a chain of unthinking spite and rage. Due to this, Will realized that he was about to murder a man who he thought killed his brother. By doing this, he would continue that chain of revenge. Finally reaching the main floor, he was left with a choice of killing or not.


Review: This novel helps realize that revenge is not always the best choice, that it only spreads hate. It also shows the main character’s emotions and thoughts well. A novel that gives a clear message and shows realistic emotions is what makes it great. The format of the book is also very interesting and intriguing.