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Long Way Down Book: A Deep Dive into Jason Reynolds' Powerful Novel
Have you ever felt the crushing weight of grief, anger, and the agonizing weight of inherited trauma? Jason Reynolds' Long Way Down isn't just a young adult novel; it's a visceral experience that confronts the harsh realities of gun violence and its ripple effects on a community. This post will delve deep into the book, exploring its compelling narrative, impactful themes, and the reasons why it resonates so powerfully with readers of all ages. We'll dissect its structure, analyze its characters, and ultimately, explore what makes Long Way Down a must-read.
The Gripping Narrative Structure of Long Way Down
What immediately sets Long Way Down apart is its unique structure. The entire novel unfolds in real-time within an elevator. Sixteen-year-old Will, grappling with the murder of his best friend, Shawn, is trapped in the elevator with the ghosts of those who have died due to gun violence, each with a story to tell. This claustrophobic setting amplifies the emotional intensity, mirroring Will's internal struggle and the inescapable nature of the cycle of violence. This innovative approach is not merely a stylistic choice; it's a powerful metaphor for the feeling of being trapped by circumstance and the weight of the past.
Exploring the Core Themes: Trauma, Grief, and Revenge
Long Way Down doesn't shy away from complex and challenging themes. The book masterfully explores the devastating impact of gun violence, particularly on young people. It doesn't offer easy answers or simplistic solutions but instead paints a raw and unflinching portrait of the emotional fallout.
#### The Weight of Inheritance:
Will's encounters with the ghosts aren't just about death; they are about inherited trauma. Each ghost recounts their own story, revealing a pattern of violence and retaliation that echoes through generations. This exploration of intergenerational trauma highlights the systemic issues contributing to gun violence, making the novel far more than just a story about a single tragedy.
#### The Power of Choice:
Despite the overwhelming pressure to avenge Shawn's death, Will is presented with a critical choice: perpetuate the cycle of violence or break free from it. This internal conflict forms the emotional core of the novel, forcing readers to confront the complexities of revenge and the potential for redemption.
#### The Importance of Community:
While the elevator is a claustrophobic space, the stories shared within it create a sense of community, albeit a ghostly one. The interconnectedness of the characters' lives underscores the wider impact of gun violence, reminding us that every death leaves a ripple effect on family, friends, and the community at large.
Analyzing the Characters: More Than Just Victims
The characters in Long Way Down are complex and multi-faceted. They are not simply victims; they are individuals with their own stories, motivations, and flaws. Will's internal struggle is particularly compelling, as he grapples with grief, anger, and the pressure to conform to the expectations of his community. The ghosts he encounters, each with their own unique voice and perspective, offer a wider understanding of the cyclical nature of violence and the shared trauma that binds them.
The Power of Language and Style in Long Way Down
Reynolds’ writing style is both accessible and impactful. The use of free verse poetry creates a visceral and rhythmic reading experience, mirroring the emotional intensity of the narrative. The short, impactful sentences add to the urgency and immediacy of the story, effectively capturing the raw emotion of the moment. The absence of lengthy descriptions allows the reader to focus on the emotional core of the narrative, leaving room for personal interpretation.
Why Long Way Down is Essential Reading
Long Way Down isn’t just a captivating story; it's a crucial conversation starter. It forces readers to confront the harsh realities of gun violence and its impact on individuals and communities. Its unique structure, powerful themes, and compelling characters make it a truly unforgettable and impactful reading experience. The novel’s ability to connect with young readers on a deeply emotional level is particularly noteworthy, making it a vital tool for fostering important discussions about violence, trauma, and the power of choice.
Conclusion
Jason Reynolds' Long Way Down is more than just a book; it's a call to action, a powerful testament to the enduring impact of gun violence, and a poignant exploration of grief, trauma, and the possibility of redemption. It’s a must-read for anyone seeking a powerful and thought-provoking literary experience.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is Long Way Down appropriate for all ages? While the novel is categorized as young adult fiction, its mature themes of gun violence and death might be challenging for younger readers. Parental guidance is recommended.
2. What makes the structure of Long Way Down so effective? The real-time setting in the elevator creates a claustrophobic and intense atmosphere, mirroring Will's internal struggle and the inescapable nature of the cycle of violence.
3. How does the book address the issue of gun violence? The book doesn't offer simple solutions but rather provides a visceral and unflinching portrayal of the devastating consequences of gun violence on individuals, families, and communities.
4. What is the overall message of Long Way Down? The novel explores the cycle of violence and the importance of breaking free from inherited trauma, emphasizing the power of choice and the potential for redemption.
5. Where can I buy Long Way Down? You can purchase Long Way Down from most major booksellers, both online and in physical stores. It is widely available in print, ebook, and audiobook formats.
| long way down book: Long Way Down Jason Reynolds, 2017-10-24 “An intense snapshot of the chain reaction caused by pulling a trigger.” —Booklist (starred review) “Astonishing.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “A tour de force.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) A Newbery Honor Book A Coretta Scott King Honor Book A Printz Honor Book A Time Best YA Book of All Time (2021) A Los Angeles Times Book Prize Winner for Young Adult Literature Longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature Winner of the Walter Dean Myers Award An Edgar Award Winner for Best Young Adult Fiction Parents’ Choice Gold Award Winner An Entertainment Weekly Best YA Book of 2017 A Vulture Best YA Book of 2017 A Buzzfeed Best YA Book of 2017 An ode to Put the Damn Guns Down, this is New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds’s electrifying novel that takes place in sixty potent seconds—the time it takes a kid to decide whether or not he’s going to murder the guy who killed his brother. A cannon. A strap. A piece. A biscuit. A burner. A heater. A chopper. A gat. A hammer A tool for RULE Or, you can call it a gun. That’s what fifteen-year-old Will has shoved in the back waistband of his jeans. See, his brother Shawn was just murdered. And Will knows the rules. No crying. No snitching. Revenge. That’s where Will’s now heading, with that gun shoved in the back waistband of his jeans, the gun that was his brother’s gun. He gets on the elevator, seventh floor, stoked. He knows who he’s after. Or does he? As the elevator stops on the sixth floor, on comes Buck. Buck, Will finds out, is who gave Shawn the gun before Will took the gun. Buck tells Will to check that the gun is even loaded. And that’s when Will sees that one bullet is missing. And the only one who could have fired Shawn’s gun was Shawn. Huh. Will didn’t know that Shawn had ever actually USED his gun. Bigger huh. BUCK IS DEAD. But Buck’s in the elevator? Just as Will’s trying to think this through, the door to the next floor opens. A teenage girl gets on, waves away the smoke from Dead Buck’s cigarette. Will doesn’t know her, but she knew him. Knew. When they were eight. And stray bullets had cut through the playground, and Will had tried to cover her, but she was hit anyway, and so what she wants to know, on that fifth floor elevator stop, is, what if Will, Will with the gun shoved in the back waistband of his jeans, MISSES. And so it goes, the whole long way down, as the elevator stops on each floor, and at each stop someone connected to his brother gets on to give Will a piece to a bigger story than the one he thinks he knows. A story that might never know an END…if Will gets off that elevator. Told in short, fierce staccato narrative verse, Long Way Down is a fast and furious, dazzlingly brilliant look at teenage gun violence, as could only be told by Jason Reynolds. |
| long way down book: Long Way Down Jason Reynolds, 2020-10-13 A Time Best YA Book of All Time (2021) Jason Reynolds’s Newbery Honor, Printz Honor, and Coretta Scott King Honor–winning, #1 New York Times bestselling novel Long Way Down is now a gripping, galvanizing graphic novel, with haunting artwork by Danica Novgorodoff. 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… |
| long way down book: Long Way Down Ewan McGregor, Charley Boorman, 2008-07-15 Eighteen countries. Five shock absorbers. Two bikers. One amazing adventure... After their fantastic trip round the world in 2004, fellow actors and bike fanatics Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman couldn't shake the travel bug. Inspired by their UNICEF visits to Africa, they knew they had to go back and experience this extraordinary continent in more depth. And so they set off on their 15,000-mile journey with two new BMWs loaded up for the trip. Their route took them from John O'Groats at the northernmost tip of Scotland to Cape Agulhas on the southernmost tip of South Africa. Along the way they rode some of the toughest terrain in the world -- and met some of the friendliest people. They rode their bikes right up to the pyramids in Egypt and visited Luke Skywalker's house in Tunisia. They met people who had triumphed over terrifying experiences -- former childhood soldiers in Uganda and children living amidst the minefields of Ethiopia. They had a close encounter with a family of gorillas in Rwanda and were nearly trampled by a herd of elephants in Botswana. Riding through spectacular scenery, often in extreme temperatures, Ewan and Charley faced their hardest challenges yet. With their trademark humor and honesty they tell their story -- the drama, the dangers and sheer exhilaration of riding together again, through a continent filled with magic and wonder. |
| long way down book: A Long Way Down (Movie Tie-In) Nick Hornby, 2006-05-02 A wise, affecting novel from the beloved, award-winning author of Dickens and Prince, High Fidelity, and About A Boy. New York Times-bestselling author Nick Hornby mines the hearts and psyches of four lost souls who connect just when they've reached the end of the line. A Long Way Down is now a major motion picture from Magnolia Pictures starring Pierce Brosnan, Toni Collette, Aaron Paul, and Imogen Poots. Meet Martin, JJ, Jess, and Maureen. Four people who come together on New Year's Eve: a former TV talk show host, a musician, a teenage girl, and a mother. Three are British, one is American. They encounter one another on the roof of Topper's House, a London destination famous as the last stop for those ready to end their lives. In four distinct and riveting first-person voices, Nick Hornby tells a story of four individuals confronting the limits of choice, circumstance, and their own mortality. This is a tale of connections made and missed, punishing regrets, and the grace of second chances. Intense, hilarious, provocative, and moving, A Long Way Down is a novel about suicide that is, surprisingly, full of life. |
| long way down book: Long Way Down Krista Ritchie, Becca Ritchie, 2015-11-20 With a seven-year age difference, Ryke & Daisy have faced an uphill battle in the eyes of the world and their families. Known as the most adventurous, fast-paced couple — their next step has always been elusive to the rabid media. Behind the scenes, heartbreaking troubles continue to test Ryke & Daisy’s resilience and shape their future together. They promise: To never slow down. To never compromise who they are. To never abandon their love for each other. But preserving their happiness also means adding more risks. Ones that Connor Cobalt wouldn’t even take. As a professional free-solo climber, Ryke is no stranger to risk, but his next step with Daisy wagers more than just his health. With their lives on the line, Ryke & Daisy head towards the vast, wild unknown. |
| long way down book: Long Way Down Jason Reynolds, 2017-10-24 As Will, fifteen, sets out to avenge his brother Shawn's fatal shooting, seven ghosts who knew Shawn board the elevator and reveal truths Will needs to know. |
| long way down book: The Temptation of Adam Dave Connis, 2017-11-21 Adam Hawthorne is fine. Yeah, his mother left, his older sister went with her, and his dad would rather read Nicholas Sparks novels than talk to him. And yeah, he spends his nights watching self-curated porn video playlists. But Adam is fine. When a family friend discovers Adam’s porn addiction, he’s forced to join an addiction support group: the self-proclaimed Knights of Vice. He goes because he has to, but the honesty of the Knights starts to slip past his defenses. Combine that with his sister’s out-of-the-blue return and the attention of a girl he meets in an AA meeting, and all the work Adam has put into being fine begins to unravel. Now Adam has to face the causes and effects of his addiction, before he loses his new friends, his prodigal sister, and his almost semi-sort-of girlfriend. |
| long way down book: Long Way Round Ewan McGregor, Charley Boorman, 2004-11-02 It started as a daydream. Poring over a map of the world at home one quiet Saturday afternoon, Ewan McGregor - actor and self-confessed bike nut - noticed that it was possible to ride all the way round the world, with just one short hop across the Bering Strait from Russia to Alaska. It was a revelation he couldn't get out of his head. So he picked up the phone and called Charley Boorman, his best friend, fellow actor and bike enthusiast. 'Charley,' he said. 'I think you ought to come over for dinner...' From London to New York, Ewan and Charley chased their shadows through Europe, the Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Russia, across the Pacific to Alaska, then down through Canada and America. But as the miles slipped beneath the tyres of their big BMWs, their troubles started. Exhaustion, injury and accidents tested their strength. Treacherous roads, unpredictable weather and turbulent politics challenged their stamina. They were chased by paparazzi in Kazakhstan, courted by men with very large guns in the Ukraine, hassled by the police, and given bulls' testicles for supper by Mongolian nomads. And yet despite all these obstacles they managed to ride over 20,000 miles in four months, changing their lives forever in the process. As they travelled they documented their trip, taking photographs, and writing diaries by the campfire. Long Way Round is the result of their adventures - a fascinating, frank and highly entertaining travel book about two friends riding round the world together and, against all the odds, realising their dream. |
| long way down book: The Long Way Down Craig Schaefer, 2016-05 Nobody knows the seedy underbelly of Las Vegas like Daniel Faust, a sorcerer for hire and ex-gangster who uses black magic and bullets to solve his clients' problems. When an old man comes seeking vengeance for his murdered granddaughter, what looks like a simple job quickly spirals out of control. Soon Daniel stands in the crossfire between a murderous porn director; a corrupt cop with a quick trigger finger; and his own former employer, a racket boss who isn't entirely human. Then there's Caitlin: brilliant, beautiful, and the lethal right hand of a demon prince. A man named Faust should know what happens when you rub shoulders with demons. Still Daniel can't resist being drawn to Caitlin's flame as they race to unlock the secret of the Etruscan Box, a relic that people all over town are dying -- and killing -- to get their hands on. As the bodies drop and the double-crosses pile up, Daniel will need every shred of his wits, courage and sheer ruthlessness just to survive. Daniel Faust knew he was standing with one foot over the brink of hell. He's about to find out just how far he can fall. |
| long way down book: A Long Way Down Randall Silvis, 2019-06-04 Next in the literary, emotionally propulsive Ryan DeMarco Mystery books from Randall Silvis, critically acclaimed master of crime fiction. Just when you think you've reached the bottom... Ryan DeMarco would rather not go home. Not now, maybe not ever. But when his estranged wife attempts suicide, he has no choice but to return to western Pennsylvania, and all the memories that wait for him there. Unfortunately, it's not only ghosts from the past waiting to greet DeMarco upon his return. An old high school classmate has risen through the ranks to become a county sheriff, and he is desperate for help investigating a series of murders that might tie into a cold case from his and DeMarco's school days. DeMarco and his new love, Jayme, agree to join the team working on the case. But it's not easy for DeMarco to be walking the streets of his troubled past, and the deeper he and Jayme dig into the disturbing murders the less likely it is that either one of them will escape the devastation. Rife with intrigue and suspense, A Long Way Down is an emotionally wrenching thriller perfect for readers of Harlan Coben and Lisa Regan. Silvis is at it again, striving for a blend of crime story and literature, mutilated bodies and lapidary prose.—Booklist Ryan DeMarco Mystery Series: Two Days Gone (Book 1) Walking the Bones (Book 2) A Long Way Down (Book 3) No Woods So Dark as These (Book 4) |
| long way down book: The Raging Ones Krista Ritchie, Becca Ritchie, 2018-08-14 From New York Times bestselling authors Krista and Becca Ritchie, comes The Raging Ones, an edge of your seat sci-fi romance with twists and turns that you will never see coming! In a freezing world, where everyone knows the day they will die, three teens break all odds. Franny Bluecastle, a tough city teen, dreams of dying in opulence, to see wealth she’s never known. Like the entire world, she believes it’s impossible to dodge a deathday. Until the day she does. Court Icecastle knows wealth. He also knows pain. Spending five years in Vorkter Prison, a fortress of ice and suffering, he dreams of life beyond the people that haunt him and the world that imprisoned him. Mykal Kickfall fights for those he loves. The rugged Hinterlander shares a frustrating yet unbreakable connection with Court—which only grows more lawless and chaotic as their senses and emotions connect with Franny. With the threat of people learning they’ve dodged their deathdays, they must flee their planet to survive. But to do so, all three will have to hide their shared bond as they vie for a highly sought after spot in the newest mission to space—against thousands of people far smarter, who’ll live longer, and never fear death the way that they do. |
| long way down book: Long Way Down Michael Sears, 2016-02-02 Working as a financial investigator after two years in federal prison, Jason Stafford looks into a biofuel engineer's claims about being set up by dangerous adversaries. |
| long way down book: Patina Jason Reynolds, 2018-10-23 A newbie to the track team, Patina must learn to rely on her teammates as she tries to outrun her personal demons in this New York Times bestselling follow-up to the National Book Award finalist Ghost by New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds. Ghost. Lu. Patina. Sunny. Four kids from wildly different backgrounds with personalities that are explosive when they clash. But they are also four kids chosen for an elite middle school track team—a team that could qualify them for the Junior Olympics if they can get their acts together. They all have a lot to lose, but they also have a lot to prove, not only to each other, but to themselves. Patina, or Patty, runs like a flash. She runs for many reasons—to escape the taunts from the kids at the fancy-schmancy new school she’s been sent to ever since she and her little sister had to stop living with their mom. She runs from the reason WHY she’s not able to live with her “real” mom anymore: her mom has The Sugar, and Patty is terrified that the disease that took her mom’s legs will one day take her away forever. And so Patty’s also running for her mom, who can’t. But can you ever really run away from any of this? As the stress builds, it’s building up a pretty bad attitude as well. Coach won’t tolerate bad attitude. No day, no way. And now he wants Patty to run relay…where you have to depend on other people? How’s she going to do THAT? |
| long way down book: All American Boys Jason Reynolds, Brendan Kiely, 2015-09-29 A 2016 Coretta Scott King Author Honor book, and recipient of the Walter Dean Myers Award for Outstanding Children’s Literature. In this New York Times bestselling novel, two teens—one black, one white—grapple with the repercussions of a single violent act that leaves their school, their community, and, ultimately, the country bitterly divided by racial tension. A bag of chips. That’s all sixteen-year-old Rashad is looking for at the corner bodega. What he finds instead is a fist-happy cop, Paul Galluzzo, who mistakes Rashad for a shoplifter, mistakes Rashad’s pleadings that he’s stolen nothing for belligerence, mistakes Rashad’s resistance to leave the bodega as resisting arrest, mistakes Rashad’s every flinch at every punch the cop throws as further resistance and refusal to STAY STILL as ordered. But how can you stay still when someone is pounding your face into the concrete pavement? There were witnesses: Quinn Collins—a varsity basketball player and Rashad’s classmate who has been raised by Paul since his own father died in Afghanistan—and a video camera. Soon the beating is all over the news and Paul is getting threatened with accusations of prejudice and racial brutality. Quinn refuses to believe that the man who has basically been his savior could possibly be guilty. But then Rashad is absent. And absent again. And again. And the basketball team—half of whom are Rashad’s best friends—start to take sides. As does the school. And the town. Simmering tensions threaten to explode as Rashad and Quinn are forced to face decisions and consequences they had never considered before. Written in tandem by two award-winning authors, this four-starred reviewed tour de force shares the alternating perspectives of Rashad and Quinn as the complications from that single violent moment, the type taken directly from today’s headlines, unfold and reverberate to highlight an unwelcome truth. |
| long way down book: The Last Painting of Sara de Vos Dominic Smith, 2016-04-05 “Written in prose so clear that we absorb its images as if by mind meld, “The Last Painting” is gorgeous storytelling: wry, playful, and utterly alive, with an almost tactile awareness of the emotional contours of the human heart. Vividly detailed, acutely sensitive to stratifications of gender and class, it’s fiction that keeps you up at night — first because you’re barreling through the book, then because you’ve slowed your pace to a crawl, savoring the suspense.” —Boston Globe A New York Times Bestseller A New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice A RARE SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY PAINTING LINKS THREE LIVES, ON THREE CONTINENTS, OVER THREE CENTURIES IN THE LAST PAINTING OF SARA DE VOS, AN EXHILARATING NEW NOVEL FROM DOMINIC SMITH. Amsterdam, 1631: Sara de Vos becomes the first woman to be admitted as a master painter to the city’s Guild of St. Luke. Though women do not paint landscapes (they are generally restricted to indoor subjects), a wintry outdoor scene haunts Sara: She cannot shake the image of a young girl from a nearby village, standing alone beside a silver birch at dusk, staring out at a group of skaters on the frozen river below. Defying the expectations of her time, she decides to paint it. New York City, 1957: The only known surviving work of Sara de Vos, At the Edge of a Wood, hangs in the bedroom of a wealthy Manhattan lawyer, Marty de Groot, a descendant of the original owner. It is a beautiful but comfortless landscape. The lawyer’s marriage is prominent but comfortless, too. When a struggling art history grad student, Ellie Shipley, agrees to forge the painting for a dubious art dealer, she finds herself entangled with its owner in ways no one could predict. Sydney, 2000: Now a celebrated art historian and curator, Ellie Shipley is mounting an exhibition in her field of specialization: female painters of the Dutch Golden Age. When it becomes apparent that both the original At the Edge of a Wood and her forgery are en route to her museum, the life she has carefully constructed threatens to unravel entirely and irrevocably. |
| long way down book: For Every One Jason Reynolds, 2019-04-02 “A lyrical masterpiece.” —School Library Journal (starred review) Originally performed at the Kennedy Center for the unveiling of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, and later as a tribute to Walter Dean Myers, this stirring and inspirational poem is New York Times bestselling author and National Book Award finalist Jason Reynolds’s rallying cry to the young dreamers of the world. For Every One is exactly that: for every one. For every one person. For every one who has a dream. But especially for every kid. The kids who dream of being better than they are. Kids who dream of doing more than they almost dare to imagine. Kids who are like Jason Reynolds, a self-professed dreamer. Jason does not claim to know how to make dreams come true; he has, in fact, been fighting on the front line of his own battle to make his own dreams a reality. He expected to make it when he was sixteen. Then eighteen. Then twenty-five. Now, some of those expectations have been realized. But others, the most important ones, lay ahead, and a lot of them involve kids, how to inspire them: All the kids who are scared to dream, or don’t know how to dream, or don’t dare to dream because they’ve NEVER seen a dream come true. Jason wants kids to know that dreams take time. They involve countless struggles. But no matter how many times a dreamer gets beat down, the drive and the passion and the hope never fully extinguishes—because simply having the dream is the start you need, or you won’t get anywhere anyway, and that is when you have to take a leap of faith. A pitch-perfect graduation, baby, or inspirational gift for anyone who needs to me reminded of their own abilities—to dream. |
| long way down book: As Brave As You Jason Reynolds, 2016-05-03 When two brothers decide to prove how brave they are, everything backfires--literally--Provided by publisher. |
| long way down book: Look Both Ways Jason Reynolds, 2020-10-27 A collection of ten short stories that all take place in the same day about kids walking home from school-- |
| long way down book: Jason Reynolds's Track Series (Boxed Set) Jason Reynolds, 2018-11-27 Race through Jason Reynolds’s New York Times bestselling Track series, now in a complete boxed set. Ghost. Patina. Sunny. Lu. A fast but fiery group of kids from wildly different backgrounds, chosen to compete on an elite track team. They all have a lot to lose, but they also have a lot to prove, not only to each other, but to themselves. Discover each of their stories in this complete collection of Jason Reynolds’s explosive New York Times bestselling Track series. This collection includes: Ghost Patina Sunny Lu |
| long way down book: The Little Engine That Could Watty Piper, 2005-09-27 I think I can, I think I can, I think I can... Discover the inspiring story of the Little Blue Engine as she makes her way over the mountain in this beloved classic—the perfect gift to celebrate the special milestones in your life, from graduations to birthdays and more! The kindness and determination of the Little Blue Engine have inspired millions of children around the world since the story was first published in 1930. Cherished by readers for over ninety years, The Little Engine That Could is a classic tale of the little engine that, despite her size, triumphantly pulls a train full of wonderful things to the children waiting on the other side of a mountain. |
| long way down book: Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury, 2003-09-23 Set in the future when firemen burn books forbidden by the totalitarian brave new world regime. |
| long way down book: Exit, Pursued by a Bear E.K. Johnston, 2016-03-15 From #1 New York Times bestselling author E.K. Johnston comes a brave and unforgettable story that will inspire readers to rethink how we treat survivors. Hermione Winters is captain of her cheerleading team, and in tiny Palermo Heights, this doesn’t mean what you think it means. At PHHS, the cheerleaders don't cheer for the sports teams; they are the sports team—the pride and joy of a small town. The team's summer training camp is Hermione's last and marks the beginning of the end of…she’s not sure what. She does know this season could make her a legend. But during a camp party, someone slips something in her drink. And it all goes black. In every class, there's a star cheerleader and a pariah pregnant girl. They're never supposed to be the same person. Hermione struggles to regain the control she's always had and faces a wrenching decision about how to move on. The rape wasn't the beginning of Hermione Winter's story and she's not going to let it be the end. She won’t be anyone’s cautionary tale. E.K. Johnston has a seemingly limitless range.... This is realistic fiction at it's best.—The Globe & Mail ★ Johnston’s clever—but never precious—update of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale is unflinching but not at all graphic in its treatment of sexual violence.... Middle and high school readers will pass this powerful, engaging story around and around.—Kirkus Reviews, starred review ★ Fierce and gorgeously drawn, this is a rape story that doesn’t focus on victimhood.—Booklist, starred review ★ “A beautifully written portrait of a young woman facing the unthinkable, this is a must-buy for high school collections.”—SLJ, starred review Exit, Pursued by a Bear is an important new novel comparable with Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson.”—VOYA. This story of a cheerleader rising up after a traumatic event will give you Veronica Mars-level feels that will stay with you long after you finish.—Seventeen Magazine A NPR Best Book of 2016 A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2016 A Booklist Best Book of 2016 A New York Public Library 2016 Top Ten Book for Teens A Chicago Public Library Best Teen Fiction of 2016 A Globe & Mail Best Book of 2016 A CBC Best Book of 2016 A Quill & Quire Best Book of 2016 A Bustle Top 30 YA Book of 2016 A Bookish Best Book of 2016 A Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year A finalist for Audible’s Best Young Adult Audiobook of 2016 A 2017 Ontario Library Association White Pine Honor Book |
| long way down book: Study Guide Supersummary, 2020-02-20 SuperSummary, a modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, offers high-quality study guides for challenging works of literature. This 36-page guide for Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 7 chapters, as well as several more in-depth sections of expert-written literary analysis. Featured content includes commentary on major characters, 25 important quotes, essay topics, and key themes like Toxic Masculinity and Vulnerability and Expressions of Grief. |
| long way down book: The Road to Wigan Pier George Orwell, 2024-04-26 George Orwell provides a vivid and unflinching portrayal of working-class life in Northern England during the 1930s. Through his own experiences and meticulous investigative reporting, Orwell exposes the harsh living conditions, poverty, and social injustices faced by coal miners and other industrial workers in the region. He documents their struggles with unemployment, poor housing, and inadequate healthcare, as well as the pervasive sense of hopelessness and despair that permeates their lives. In the second half of the The Road to Wigan Pier Orwell delves into the complexities of political ideology, as he grapples with the shortcomings of both socialism and capitalism in addressing the needs of the working class. GEORGE ORWELL was born in India in 1903 and passed away in London in 1950. As a journalist, critic, and author, he was a sharp commentator on his era and its political conditions and consequences. |
| long way down book: When I Was the Greatest Jason Reynolds, 2014-01-07 From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds, a “funny and rewarding” (Publishers Weekly) coming-of-age novel about friendship and loyalty across neighborhood lines and the hardship of life for an urban teen. A lot of the stuff that gives my neighborhood a bad name, I don’t really mess with. The guns and drugs and all that, not really my thing. Nah, not his thing. Ali’s got enough going on, between school and boxing and helping out at home. His best friend Noodles, though. Now there’s a dude looking for trouble—and, somehow, it’s always Ali around to pick up the pieces. But, hey, a guy’s gotta look out for his boys, right? Besides, it’s all small potatoes; it’s not like anyone’s getting hurt. And then there’s Needles. Needles is Noodles’s brother. He’s got a syndrome, and gets these ticks and blurts out the wildest, craziest things. It’s cool, though: everyone on their street knows he doesn’t mean anything by it. Yeah, it’s cool…until Ali and Noodles and Needles find themselves somewhere they never expected to be…somewhere they never should've been—where the people aren’t so friendly, and even less forgiving. |
| long way down book: This Is How You Lose the Time War Amal El-Mohtar, Max Gladstone, 2019-07-16 * HUGO AWARD WINNER: BEST NOVELLA * NEBULA AND LOCUS AWARDS WINNER: BEST NOVELLA * “[An] exquisitely crafted tale...Part epistolary romance, part mind-blowing science fiction adventure, this dazzling story unfolds bit by bit, revealing layers of meaning as it plays with cause and effect, wildly imaginative technologies, and increasingly intricate wordplay...This short novel warrants multiple readings to fully unlock its complexities.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) From award-winning authors Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone comes an enthralling, romantic novel spanning time and space about two time-traveling rivals who fall in love and must change the past to ensure their future. Among the ashes of a dying world, an agent of the Commandment finds a letter. It reads: Burn before reading. Thus begins an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents hellbent on securing the best possible future for their warring factions. Now, what began as a taunt, a battlefield boast, becomes something more. Something epic. Something romantic. Something that could change the past and the future. Except the discovery of their bond would mean the death of each of them. There’s still a war going on, after all. And someone has to win. That’s how war works, right? Cowritten by two beloved and award-winning sci-fi writers, This Is How You Lose the Time War is an epic love story spanning time and space. |
| long way down book: A Little Life Hanya Yanagihara, 2016-01-26 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A stunning “portrait of the enduring grace of friendship” (NPR) about the families we are born into, and those that we make for ourselves. A masterful depiction of love in the twenty-first century. NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST • MAN BOOKER PRIZE FINALIST • WINNER OF THE KIRKUS PRIZE A Little Life follows four college classmates—broke, adrift, and buoyed only by their friendship and ambition—as they move to New York in search of fame and fortune. While their relationships, which are tinged by addiction, success, and pride, deepen over the decades, the men are held together by their devotion to the brilliant, enigmatic Jude, a man scarred by an unspeakable childhood trauma. A hymn to brotherly bonds and a masterful depiction of love in the twenty-first century, Hanya Yanagihara’s stunning novel is about the families we are born into, and those that we make for ourselves. Look for Hanya Yanagihara’s latest bestselling novel, To Paradise. |
| long way down book: Dangerous Alliance Jennieke Cohen, 2019-12-03 The Gentleman’s Guide to Viceand Virtue meets Jane Austen in this witty, winking historical romance with a dash of mystery! Lady Victoria Aston has everything she could want: an older sister happily wed, the future of her family estate secure, and ample opportunity to while her time away in the fields around her home. But now Vicky must marry—or find herself and her family destitute. Armed only with the wisdom she has gained from her beloved novels by Jane Austen, she enters society’s treacherous season. Sadly, Miss Austen has little to say about Vicky’s exact circumstances: whether the roguish Mr. Carmichael is indeed a scoundrel, if her former best friend, Tom Sherborne, is out for her dowry or for her heart, or even how to fend off the attentions of the foppish Mr. Silby, he of the unfortunate fashion sensibility. Most unfortunately of all, Vicky’s books are silent on the topic of the mysterious accidents cropping up around her…ones that could prevent her from surviving until her wedding day. |
| long way down book: A Rush of Wings Laura E. Weymouth, 2021-11-16 For fans of Serpent & Dove and A House of Salt and Sorrows comes a “transportive and beautiful” (Chloe Gong, New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights) romantic fantasy about an untrained witch who must unlock her power to free her brothers from a terrible curse and save her home. Rowenna Winthrop has always known there’s magic within her. But though she hears voices on the wind and possesses unusual talents, her mother Mairead believes Rowenna lacks discipline, and refuses to teach her the craft that keeps their Scottish village safe. And when Mairead dies a sinister death, it seems Rowenna’s only chance to grow into her power has died with her. Then, on a fateful, storm-tossed night, Rowenna rescues a handsome stranger named Gawen from a shipwreck, and her mother miraculously returns from the dead. Or so it appears. The resurrected Mairead is nothing like the old one. To hide her new monstrous nature, she turns Rowenna’s brothers and Gawen into swans and robs Rowenna of her voice. Forced to flee, Rowenna travels to the city of Inverness to find a way to break the curse. But monsters take many forms, and in Inverness, Rowenna is soon caught in a web of strangers who want to use her raw magic for their own gain. If she wishes to save herself and the people she loves most, Rowenna will have to take her fate into her own hands and unlock the power that has evaded her for so long. |
| long way down book: 10 Blind Dates Ashley Elston, 2019-10-01 Sophie wants one thing for Christmas—a little freedom from her overprotective parents. So when they decide to spend Christmas in South Louisiana with her very pregnant older sister, Sophie is looking forward to some much needed private (read: make-out) time with her long-term boyfriend, Griffin. Except it turns out that Griffin wants a little freedom from their relationship. Cue devastation. Heartbroken, Sophie flees to her grandparents' house, where the rest of her boisterous extended family is gathered for the holiday. That's when her nonna devises a (not so) brilliant plan: Over the next ten days, Sophie will be set up on ten different blind dates by different family members. Like her sweet cousin Sara, who sets her up with a hot guy at an exclusive underground party. Or her crazy aunt Patrice, who signs Sophie up for a lead role in a living nativity. With a boy who barely reaches her shoulder. And a screaming baby. When Griffin turns up unexpectedly and begs for a second chance, Sophie feels more confused than ever. Because maybe, just maybe, she's started to have feelings for someone else . . . Someone who is definitely not available. This is going to be the worst Christmas break ever . . . or is it? |
| long way down book: Journey to the West (2018 Edition - PDF) Wu Cheng'en, 2018-08-14 The bestselling Journey to the West comic book by artist Chang Boon Kiat is now back in a brand new fully coloured edition. Journey to the West is one of the greatest classics in Chinese literature. It tells the epic tale of the monk Xuanzang who journeys to the West in search of the Buddhist sutras with his disciples, Sun Wukong, Sandy and Pigsy. Along the way, Xuanzang's life was threatened by the diabolical White Bone Spirit, the menacing Red Child and his fearsome parents and, a host of evil spirits who sought to devour Xuanzang's flesh to attain immortality. Bear witness to the formidable Sun Wukong's (Monkey God) prowess as he takes them on, using his Fiery Eyes, Golden Cudgel, Somersault Cloud, and quick wits! Be prepared for a galloping read that will leave you breathless! |
| long way down book: Ghost Jason Reynolds, 2016 Aspiring to be the fastest sprinter on his elite middle school's track team, gifted runner Ghost finds his goal challenged by a tragic past with a violent father. |
| long way down book: Ain't Burned All the Bright Jason Reynolds, 2022-01-11 A Caldecott Honor winner! Prepare yourself for something unlike anything: A smash-up of art and text for teens that viscerally captures what it is to be Black. In America. Right Now. Written by #1 New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Jason Reynolds. Jason Reynolds and his best bud, Jason Griffin, had a mind-meld. And they decided to tackle it, in one fell swoop, in about ten sentences, and 300 pages of art, this piece, this contemplation-manifesto-fierce-vulnerable-gorgeous-terrifying-WhatIsWrongWithHumans-hope-filled-hopeful-searing-Eye-Poppingly-Illustrated-tender-heartbreaking-how-The-HECK-did-They-Come-UP-with-This project about oxygen. And all of the symbolism attached to that word, especially NOW. And so for anyone who didn’t really know what it means to not be able to breathe, REALLY breathe, for generations, now you know. And those who already do, you’ll be nodding yep yep, that is exactly how it is. |
| long way down book: Long Way Back Charley Boorman, 2018-05 On February 16 2016, motorcycle adventurer Charley Boorman suffered a major road traffic accident in Portugal. Having spent the better part of his life on some form of motorbike, his world came crashing down after he was knocked off a Triumph Tiger Explorer, smashing his right ankle and causing severe damage to his left fibia and tibia. It was unclear if he would ever walk properly again, let alone ride a motorbike. Moving between past and present, Long Way Back recounts Charley's journey back of recovery, the ambulance ride, the numerous operations in a Portuguese hospital, the medivac aircraft flight back to London. In alternating chapters, as his inability to walk for several months provokes introspection, Boorman recounts his childhood, where his passion for motorbikes began, and the formative influences in his life - from his father, a touring film director, to his long-time friend Ewan McGregor, and Sean Connery's son Jason, who first introduced him to bikes. As Charley struggles to cope with this potentially life-changing situation, it is these touchstones who will give him strength on the long way back to health. |
| long way down book: It's a Long Way Down Ian Canon, 2018-04-02 To the outside world, David Emmeret Smith has it all. He's at the height of his acting career, is the envy of his peers, and is in a loving, committed relationship. But, on the cusp of the biggest night of his life, one impulsive decision after another begins a downward spiral which puts everything he holds dear at risk. What follows from there is a hedonist's love affair with drugs, depravity, and destruction. |
| long way down book: How to Win at High School Owen Matthews, 2015-03-03 Adam Higgs is a loser, and he's not okay with it. But starting as a junior in a new high school seems like exactly the right time to change things. He brainstorms with his best friend, Brian: What will it take for him to take over Nixon Collegiate? Adam searches for the A-listers' weak spot and strikes gold when he gets queen bee Sara Bryant to pay him for doing her physics homework. One part nerd, two parts badass, Adam ditches his legit job and turns to full-time cheating. His clients? All the Nixon Collegiate gods and goddesses. But soon his homework business becomes a booze business, which becomes a fake ID business. Adam's popularity soars as he unlocks high school achievements left and right, from his first kiss to his first rebound hookup. But something else is haunting him—a dark memory from his past, driving him to keep climbing. What is it? And will he go too far? How to Win at High School's honest picture of high school hierarchy combines with an over-the-top, adrenaline-charged story line, and Adam's rocket ride to the top of the social order (and his subsequent flameout) is by turns bawdy and sweetly emotional. |
| long way down book: The Listeners Jordan Tannahill, 2021-08-17 NATIONAL BESTSELLER SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE FINALIST A propulsive literary page-turner about a family torn apart by a mother’s obsession with a sound that no one else can hear One night, while lying in bed next to her husband, Claire Devon suddenly hears a low hum. This innocuous sound, which no one else in the house can hear, has no obvious source or medical cause, but it begins to upset the balance of Claire’s life. When she discovers that one of her students can also hear the hum, the two strike up an unlikely and intimate friendship. Finding themselves increasingly isolated from their families and colleagues, they fall in with a disparate group of people who also perceive the sound. What starts out as a kind of neighbourhood self-help group gradually transforms into something much more extreme, with far-reaching, devastating consequences. The Listeners is an electrifying novel that treads the thresholds of faith, conspiracy and mania. Compelling and exhilarating, it forces us to consider how strongly we hold on to what we perceive, and the way different views can tear a family apart. |
| long way down book: The Serpent King Jeff Zentner, 2017-06-06 Named to ten BEST OF THE YEAR lists and selected as a William C. Morris Award Winner,The Serpent King is the critically acclaimed, much-beloved story of three teens who find themselves--and each other--while on the cusp of graduating from high school with hopes of leaving their small-town behind. Perfect for fans of John Green's Turtles All the Way Down. Move over, John Green; Zentner is coming for you. —The New York Public Library “Will fill the infinite space that was left in your chest after you finished The Perks of Being a Wallflower.” —BookRiot.com Dill isn't the most popular kid at his rural Tennessee high school. After his father fell from grace in a public scandal that reverberated throughout their small town, Dill became a target. Fortunately, his two fellow misfits and best friends, Travis and Lydia, have his back. But as they begin their senior year, Dill feels the coils of his future tightening around him. His only escapes are music and his secret feelings for Lydia--neither of which he is brave enough to share. Graduation feels more like an ending to Dill than a beginning. But even before then, he must cope with another ending--one that will rock his life to the core. Debut novelist Jeff Zentner provides an unblinking and at times comic view of the hard realities of growing up in the Bible belt, and an intimate look at the struggles to find one’s true self in the wreckage of the past. “A story about friendship, family and forgiveness, it’s as funny and witty as it is utterly heartbreaking.” —PasteMagazine.com “A brutally honest portrayal of teen life . . . [and] a love letter to the South from a man who really understands it.” —Mashable.com “I adored all three of these characters and the way they talked to and loved one another.”—New York Times |
| long way down book: The Undertaking of Lily Chen Danica Novgorodoff, 2014-03-25 Fictional graphic novel telling a magical realist story set in the world of the black market for deceased brides in China-- |
| long way down book: Sato the Rabbit Yuki Ainoya, 2021-02-23 After becoming a rabbit, Haneru Sato gathers stars at an observatory, sails the sea in a watermelon, tastes the emotions captured in different colors of ice, and more. |
Rule Number 1: No crying. Long - EUREKA PUBLIC LIBRARY …
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds. the neighborhood Rules. . ule Number 1: No crying. Rul. Number 2: No snitching. R. and gets on the elevator. He has to follow The Rules-- he has to ki. …
Long Way Down
Title: Long way down / Jason Reynolds. Description: First edition. | New York : Atheneum, [2017] | “A Caitlyn Dlouhy Book.” | Summary: As Will, fifteen, sets out to avenge his brother Shawn’s …
Discussion Guide for Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
Discussion Guide for Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds. This guide has been adapted from a guide provided by Simon & Schuster for classroom, library, and reading group use. . About the …
Winner of the 2021 Anne V. Zarrow Award for Young Readers …
In a 7-minute radio interview, we learn more about the forces that led Reynolds to write Long Way Down – including his own brush with the choice of whether to take revenge for a loved one’s …
TEACHER RESOURCE FOR LONG WAY DOWN BY JASON …
novel Long Way Down. Narrative - Write a sequel or expand the existing text of Long Way Down by imagining a return trip back up the elevator. Dramatize through the presence of new ghosts …
2 0 1 9 s cilip carnegie shortlist 2019 shadowing
Title: Long Way Down Author: Jason Reynolds Publisher: Faber & Faber THE RULES What are The Rules? Why do you think Will clings to them so tightly? How do each of Will’s visitors …
#1 - ReadingZone
Title: Long way down : the graphic novel / Jason Reynolds ; illustrated by Danica Novgorodoff. Description: New York : Atheneum, [2020] | Audience: Ages 14 up. | Audience: Grades 10–12. | …
Pre-Reading Guide for Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
Jason Reynolds draws upon his own experience at the age of 19 of seeing a friend killed and thinking about revenge. Universal has optioned the rights to make Long Way Down into a …
LONG WAY DOWN - Book Looks
LONG WAY DOWN. Young Adult. By Jason Reynolds. ISBN: 9781481438278. Summary of Concerns: This book contains violence; profanity; racial commentary.
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds - Burlington, WA
Long Way Down, by Jason Reynolds, is really about the marginalized side of gun violence. The author puts the reader in a 15 year old's perspective, Will, whose brother, Shawn, got killed …
Long Way Down Book (PDF) - netsec.csuci.edu
Have you ever felt the crushing weight of grief, anger, and the agonizing weight of inherited trauma? Jason Reynolds' Long Way Down isn't just a young adult novel; it's a visceral …
Long Way Down Book Rationale - resources.finalsite.net
This novel will accomplish both of those tasks. Students will be asked to make several text-to-world connections, think critically, and engage within a text that fosters academic and personal …
Long Way Down - wiki.drf.com
Told in short, fierce staccato narrative verse, Long Way Down is a fast and furious, dazzlingly brilliant look at teenage gun violence, as could only be told by Jason Reynolds.
Microsoft Word - Long Way Down.docx
Long Way Down is an emotional roller coaster ride. It depicts through verses of poetry, the side of the world that many of us are lucky not to be in. The author wrote about a very important social …
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds - SharpSchool
In A Long Way Gone, Beah, now twenty-five years old, tells a riveting story: how at the age of twelve, he fled attacking rebels and wandered a land rendered unrecognizable by violence. By …
Get hundreds more LitCharts at www.litcharts.com Long Way …
KEY FACTS. Full Title: Long Way Down. When Written: 2016-2017. Where Written: Washington, D.C. When Published: 2017. Literary Period: Contemporary. Genre: Young Adult Verse Novel; …
Long Way Down Book Online .pdf
2 A Long Way Down Book 3 No Woods So Dark as These Book 4 Lu Jason Reynolds,2018-10-23 Pure gold School Library Journal starred review The perfect anchor leg for a well run literary …
Long Way Down - wiki.drf.com
Told in short, fierce staccato narrative verse, Long Way Down is a fast and furious, dazzlingly brilliant look at teenage gun violence, as could only be told by Jason Reynolds.
P r ai s e for A L O N G WAY G O N E - Archive.org
“ A Long Way Gone i s one of the most important war stories of our generation…Ishmael Beah has not only emerged intact from this chaos, he has beco me one of its most eloquent …
Long Way Down
Come talk with Olney Theatre Center’s Artistic Staff and guest speakers on May 21 for Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds and on May 28 for The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. Following the …
Long Way Down (book) - Wikipedia
Long Way Down is a young adult novel in verse by Jason Reynolds, published October 24, 2017, by Atheneum Books. The book was longlisted for the National Book Award [1] and was named a …
Amazon.com: Long Way Down: 9781481438254: Reynolds, Jason: Books
Oct 24, 2017 · Told in short, fierce staccato narrative verse, Long Way Down is a fast and furious, dazzlingly brilliant look at teenage gun violence, as could only be told by Jason Reynolds.
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds - Goodreads
Oct 24, 2017 · Long Way Down is a novel written in verse that tells the story of fifteen-year-old Will who seeks to venge his murdered brother Shawn. But as he takes the elevator down, with a gun …
Long Way Down: Full Book Summary - SparkNotes
Long Way Down follows fifteen-year-old William Holloman during the two days after his beloved older brother is shot and killed. At the beginning of the novel, which is written in verse, Will …
Long Way Down - Jason Reynolds - Google Books
Oct 24, 2017 · An ode to Put the Damn Guns Down, this is National Book Award finalist and New York Times bestseller Jason Reynolds’s fiercely stunning novel that takes place in sixty potent...
Long Way Down | Book by Jason Reynolds, Danica Novgorodoff
Jason Reynolds’s Newbery Honor, Printz Honor, and Coretta Scott King Honor–winning, #1 New York Times bestselling novel Long Way Down is now a gripping, galvanizing graphic novel, with …
Long Way Down | Book by Jason Reynolds - Simon & Schuster
Long Way Down explores the perpetuation of a cycle of violence and the theme of revenge. Compare the development of these themes in Reynolds’s novel to a classic revenge story like …
Long way down : Reynolds, Jason, author - Archive.org
Jan 12, 2023 · "A Caitlyn Dlouhy book." Why do you show books that are not available?
LONG WAY DOWN - Kirkus Reviews
Oct 17, 2017 · After 15-year-old Will sees his older brother, Shawn, gunned down on the streets, he sets out to do the expected: the rules dictate no crying, no snitching, and revenge. Though the …
Long Way Down: Famous Quotes Explained - SparkNotes
Explanation of the famous quotes in Long Way Down, including all important speeches, comments, quotations, and monologues.
