Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds | Teen Ink

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

January 29, 2024
By Umari BRONZE, Sacramento, California
Umari BRONZE, Sacramento, California
3 articles 0 photos 0 comments

Favorite Quote:
" No Failure Only Feedback"


No.3 : Revenge

Do No Matter WHAT!


A story full of hate, trust and revenge, all of these feelings felt by a little brother named Will. Willam and his story really made me feel connected to him, the stuff Willam went through and what he did in the past, what relatives did before he even had a chance to meet them. And this book is also a good book when it comes to visualizing it feels like you're watching a movie through your brain. You can just imagine the sort of pain he is feeling and the burden he is carrying from the “Rules”.


Long Way Down is a book about a 15-year-old-boy named Willam Holloman who lived in the hood with his mom and his big brother Shawn. Will heard gunshots outside his house and rushed out and saw something that cut deeper than a blade through your heart. A corpse of his big-brother Shawn with two bullet holes through his chest and his mom and Shawn girlfriend crying. As he saw the yellow tape with “Do Not Cross Cautions” the only thing Shawn can think about with no tears coming out his were “The Rules”.

No.1:No Crying

No.2:No Snitching

No.3:Do Revenge


To just another black kid in the hood to a black kid who is determined to do one thing and that thing were to follow the rules. And when I saw it I realized the burden Willam had to carry as a 15 year-old. He loved his brother and to know that he is gone must have made him go MAD. This hook is what is really what drawed me into the book to struggling in hood to add on top of all of it a person made Will struggle emotionally. It’s like having something priceless stripped away from you but when you catch up to the person who took it and you look and realize they broke it and it can’t ever be Repaired again. Something so precious so priceless and now you’ll never see it ever again.


My connection with Will is that I know how it feels to wake up and know that you’ll never see someone ever again, that person will be out of your reach for the rest of your life. And revenge is a thought that you'll first think about but if you do it you won’t regret it but you’ll realize that a slice in your heart is not repaired because that your heart is like the person who died it’s Unrepairable. I’m only on page 196 but I know if he gets revenge it won’t fill the cut. 


I believe the message of this book is not to be so concerned about revenge because even if Will were to get revenge and kill someone the person he killed will probably have some just like him, someone who’s looking for vengeance. The conversation he has with the characters in the book all wondering why is he acting different and his answer every time was they killed my brother.


That’s the reason why I gave this book a high rating. I enjoy the love that he has for his brother that he will go through so much to become a revenger. The main character still hasn't wavered so I'm still curious about what happens at the end of the book because I haven't read in awhile. I still tell everyone when they ask me what’s your favorite book and my answer is always “Long Way Down By Jason Reynolds”.



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