Graphic Novel Review – Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds, Danica Novgorodoff (5/5 stars)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Graphic Novel/Contemporary Fiction
Length: 208 pages
Publisher: Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books
Release Date: October 13, 2020
ISBN-13 : 978-1534444959
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: Borrowed from Library
Rating: 5/5 stars
“Will’s older brother, Shawn, has been shot.
Dead.
Will feels a sadness so great, he can’t explain it. But in his neighborhood, there are THE RULES:No. 1: Crying.
Don’t.
No matter what.No. 2: Snitching
Don’t.
No matter what.No. 3: Revenge
Do.
No matter what.But bullets miss. You can get the wrong guy. And there’s always someone else who knows to follow the rules….”
Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book that I borrowed from the library.
Story (5/5): This is the story of a boy, Will, whose older brother is shot in front of him while playing basketball in the neighborhood. Will struggles with the next steps in his life and following the family “rules”. This was incredibly well done and written in a very poetic and thoughtful way. I loved the scenes in the elevator where Will is exposed to the ghosts of people who have been victims of shooting as a result of following the “rules”. I also thought the open ending to the story was very appropriate.
Characters (5/5): The characters are incredibly well done. You are immediately drawn into Will’s story and his mother’s plight. I was amazed how I was drawn into the history and story of each and every character we meet in the elevator. Watching how all of these characters’ lives and deaths have been stuck in this cycle of violence made a huge impact. I love how at the end you can see how Will can make the choice to either break the cycle or perpetuate it, it really shows how much power an individual has.
Setting (5/5): We start off in Will’s neighborhood, which is pieced up into gang territories. However, most of the story takes place in an elevator. I loved this idea and the setting works great for the story. Not to mention Novgorodoff’s beautiful watercolor drawings really make this setting come alive!
Writing/Drawing Style (5/5): I absolutely love Novgorodoff’s beautiful watercolor drawings throughout, they really set the tone for the story and are amazingly well done. I love the poetic style to the story and enjoy the symbolism included as well. The story is easy to engage with, easy to follow, and just really impactful. All the characters introduced really come alive for the reader and I love how things ended.
My Summary (5/5): Overall this was a really amazing graphic novel that I am happy I read. It is beautifully drawn with beautiful prose throughout. The story is real, engaging, and poetic all at once. I would highly recommend it to everyone.