Insta Review: Long Way Down, by Jason Reynolds

Insta Review gives you a new book recommendation in under a minute. Go ahead, time it!

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Jason Reynolds is a unicorn. He’s open about the fact that growing up, he was not a reader: “It’s not something I’m proud of. It’s not cool. The truth is, my life was made infinitely more difficult because I didn’t read any books. But I didn’t read any books. That’s my story. That’s my truth.” But when he found literature, he found it with a passion – and because of the unorthodox path he took to get there, he has the first-hand knowledge of the kinds of stories that reluctant and struggling readers need. This knowledge (plus an unbelievable talent) explain his drive behind creating groundbreaking story after groundbreaking story – All American Boys, Ghost, As Brave As You, The Boy in the Black Suit… and now, perhaps the most gut-wrenching of all (as if I could ever choose), Long Way Down. Will’s brother Shawn was just murdered. Will may only be 15, but he’s old enough to know the rules in his neighborhood: No crying. No snitching. Get revenge. With a gun tucked in the back of his waistband and a plan solidifying in his mind, he steps into his building’s old, rickety elevator; and the novel begins. I can’t do this book justice with a review, so I won’t try. Buy it, read it, read again, read it one more time for good measure, and then pass it along to someone else who needs it. Then buy another copy for yourself. Then come talk to me about it. #ireadya #youngadult #yalit #jasonreynolds #weneeddiversebooks #wereadtoo #bookreview

A post shared by Ms. Fitz (she/her) (@fitzbetweentheshelves) on Apr 29, 2018 at 8:28am PDT

2 thoughts on “Insta Review: Long Way Down, by Jason Reynolds”

Bought this book and read it on the plane ride from Salt Lake City to San Francisco on a trip to your country. It was fantastic, I was so transfixed by the characters, the story. Awesome book – best book by far of 2019.

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fitzbetweentheshelves says:

July 15, 2019 at 5:02 pm

Isn’t Jason Reynolds amazing? I feel that way about almost all of his writing. He crafts stories and characters like no one else!

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