Impressive Writing
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. ...
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... (blurb)
This book was on my "What to read next"-list for a long time. I met Jason Reynold´s writing in "All american boys" and wanted to read more. "Long way down" is different, but also good. There is not much action in the story what let me focuss on the word, but sometimes bored me. Jason Reynolds puts emotions in words like nobody could do. I loved the writing. I loved the Anagramms. I loved the random thoughts. I loved how the words could perfectly describe what Will feels, but also show that he can´t say what he feels. But sometimes the poems and thoughts made the story boring. I´m sure it´s hard to connect an actionstory with thoughtful poems but after I read the blurb I exspected more action. After reading "Punching the Air" and "Long way down" I still don´t know if I like these kind of novels. I love novels about racism and ganglife in America and I loved this topic in the novels. But I don´t know if I like them together. Will meets his father after many years. This was my favorite scene. He finds out that his father shot the wrong guy. Jason Reynolds put all the different feelings together in one poem. This poem reached my heart. "Long Way Down" also shows how hard the gangculture and life in a neighborhood like Will´s are.
I loved the writing of "Long Way Down" and enjoyed the story, but I am still not sure what to think about the whole novel.