I didn’t think Long Way Down could be improved. I thought it was perfection. Then I read this graphic version and discovered just how wrong I was. The beautiful artwork in this edition makes Reynolds’s words even more powerful and meaningful. It’s a must read.

I absolutely loved the original story, but the graphic novel adds an incredible element. The artwork is amazing and so well done. It adds depth and so much more emotion to the story. I could feel the emotion pulsing through the novel, but to see the actual facial expressions and the drawing of events as they played out just made it that much more powerful. Highly recommend.

Having read this story before, I knew what to expect going in. What I wasn’t ready for, was the way this story paired with art would make me feel. And trust me, it’s pretty heavy.

Since this is a book I’ve already reviewed in a way, I’m going to mostly talk about the art. In short, I loved it. I loved the kind of muted color scheme of Black, Blue, Gold, and grays. I thought the red words were bold and were meant to stand out and it did exactly that. And I thought that the watercolor effect the art has is brilliant.

As for the story, I still had the same likes and dislikes. I LOVE the writing style. (Jason Reynolds is a BEAST.) And I still LOVE the way it’s told in 60 seconds. I don’t know that anyone else could have written a book like this. And last but not least, the ending. I still want to know what he decides. If he goes back upstairs or if he decides to follow through no matter what they’ve said. I still wonder if that’s what made him write it like this. Like is it up to the reader to decide? I’m too indecisive for that. I go back and forth and back and forth trying to make the decision that works best for me lol

This book is still a tear-jerker and still one of my favorites from Reynolds. I was so happy when I saw there was a graphic novel, and I hope that everyone else is as excited as me. You still have time to pre-order this one! Trust me, this isn’t one you want to miss.

The art in this book is absolutely STUNNING. A graphic novel's format is the perfect add on to this story, enhancing it that much more. It was already a poignant story; this just boosted it even more!

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for letting me read this one! I loved how this story came to life.

This is an amazing visualization of Reynolds’ thought-provoking novel in verse. The style perfectly matches the story and adds another element to its impact.

This book is heartbreaking and is a must-read! Perfect for fans of The Hate U Give and Dear Justyce, I think this should be in every classroom. It's one of the best graphic novels I've ever read.

We meet William during a basketball game in his neighborhood. During the game, shots ring out and his brother Shawn is shot and killed. For the rest of the graphic novel, we follow William on his journey coming to grips with his brother's death, the gun violence in his neighborhood and whether or not he should seek revenge for what has happened. All of this takes place on the elevator ride from his apartment to the ground floor, the long way down, and along the way he is confronted by visions of his past to help him decide what to do.

This was so powerful. Gun violence is something that effects so many people, but especially the Black community. Too often we're caught up in "The Rules": don't snitch, Black men don't cry, get revenge for you and yours. Violence leads to more violence and suddenly things have gotten so out of hand that innocent lives are being claimed and there seems to be no one is able to stop it. All of that is tackled in this book and to say that it's an emotional read is an understatement. I truly enjoyed it and encourage everyone to give it a read.

This book I’ve read a couple of times and the colors and art work fits the book so amazing. And it fits so so well.

Sometimes you read a book that just shakes you to your core & this is it. I wasn't sure how this book would translate to the graphic format, but wow. Just wow. The watercolor style is gorgeous and everything about this moved me. I am left feeling emotionally devastated. This book is needed.

For libraries: Buy it!

I still think the original (especially in audio book format) is amazing. This is a great remake into graphic novel form and I hope it will reach more readers with it's powerful message. The artwork can really make or break a graphic novel and this is spot on in my opinion.

I haven't read many graphic novels, but this one was drawn and watercolors perfectly. There wasn't many words in all, but the pictures are what showed the emotion. A boy is thinking about going after the guy that killed his brother. While in an elevator going down, people from his past come into the elevator. His father, the little girl he used to play with, others that have also been killed by guns. This graphic novel will stay with for a while.

Shawn has just been shot and killed in the street. Will, consumed by his brother's murder, is determined to play by "the rules" -- taught to him by his brother, and by his father before him, and by his brother before him -- and seek revenge against his brother's killer. On his way to do the deed, he is visited by the ghosts of those around him taken too soon by gun violence, making his elevator ride seem like an extremely Long Way Down.

I'm ashamed to admit that I haven't read the original novel, but this graphic novel was so powerful that it has definitely moved up higher on my TBR list. The watercolor illustrations added so much depth to Will's confusion and frustration, and the narrative use of color versus black and white was absolutely phenomenal. The story and words themselves, though brief, pack a powerful punch and leave you desperately wanting for more. Jason Reynolds never fails to disappoint, and a graphic novelization only made his work more incredible.

This was a fascinating read along with a beautifully drawn graphic novel with amazing details, different textures, and vivid coloring. The panels went along perfectly with the text and displayed the emotions of each of the characters perfectly in my opinion. The panels truly enhanced I think Reynolds was trying to get across.

The writing was engaging and kept me invested until the very end to see what Will would decide to do. I enjoyed how Reynold was able to discuss several topics, like grief, masculinity, etc, in a short number of pages and in verse. I felt he efficiently got his point across.

I loved everything about this graphic novel! I hadn't known beforehand that this book was already published in verse, so I was very excited to read it. Jason Reynold's writing is amazing and every line that I read was beautifully written and hit me right in the heart. This is a must read if you are looking for a quick but powerful read!

The Graphic Novel version of Long Way Down is just as breathtaking, haunting, and thought-provoking as the original novel told in verse. Supplemented with gorgeous watercolor art, the story really shines here and might even be accessible to readers who don’t enjoy poetic verse novels, or to readers who prefer graphic novels to text-exclusive books. I’m 100% in support of presenting books in accessible ways that widen their readership, especially books like this that tell stories that need to be read. You wouldn’t normally expect soft watercolor art to be associated with a book about gun violence, but it works so perfectly in this sitatuation! The artist did an excellent job of conveying the scenes.

Long Way Down tells the story of a young teen, Will, who witnesses his brother Shawn’s murder. The next morning, he sets out to follow The Rules taught to him by his brother, which involve not crying, not snitching, and getting revenge. As he descends to the ground level of his apartment building, he is visited by ghosts/spirits/people somehow connected to Shawn and Will. Through them, a greater story and moral dilemma is revealed. I won’t spoil who is met or what happens, of course, but the revelations and story are quite gripping and will keep you wonder who will enter the elevator next. The stories and characters are all connected in some way, which is fascinating to read.

Both the original verse novel and the graphic novel adaptation are very quick reads, but they pack such a punch. The ending will haunt you and leave you wondering. Again, no spoilers, but Reynolds left it very ambiguous and open to the reader’s interpretation, which could be frustrating, but I love that it makes for a great discussion point.

I personally have been quite fortunate to have not been affected by gun violence in my life. I grew up away from the city of Chicago in the nicer suburbs, so this isn’t a directly shared experience. However, this book really opened my eyes to the deeply rooted mentality that someone (especially young people) might face in a situation like this. It really just makes me feel lucky that I had the upbringing I did, and also makes me more sympathetic to the violent situations in big cities.

All-in-all, this graphic novel adaptation gets 5 stars from me! I’d recommend it to anyone tbh, but in a bit of a strange comparison, I’d actually recommend it to fans of Mitch Albom’s The Five People You Meet In Heaven.

This is my first time reading Reynold's book.
It's amazing and fascinating to read with amazing watercolour artwork by Danica 🤩 I felt attracted to her art and vivid texture of watercolours!!
This book did a great job by describing various human emotions like Anger , Depression , Trauma , Violence , Resentment etc...
The story revolves around Will who's brother is shot dead and his urge of taking revenge on his brother's murderer.
This story describes how Black community people suffer and get traumatized 🥴
I was very excited for the book so for mine it was a quick read!!! Absolutely loved the book. Must recommend to all!!!

Wowwwww! A very powerful read. The graphics were beautiful as was the language. Very poetic. I will definitely recommend this graphic novel to my students, especially my hesistant readers. I would have preferred that the language had been more relevant to younger kids (maybe use of slang, etc). So that they could relate more.

A beautiful graphic novel that is the perfect adaptation of the brilliant award-winning novel that should be a must-read for everyone.

Will’s brother, Shawn, was shot and killed while getting an item from the store for his mother. Will thinks he knows who did it … Riggs. He also knows the rules:
1. No crying
2. No snitching
3. Revenge
Will is now on his way to Riggs’ place to take care of the third rule … revenge for his brother’s death. As Will is going down the elevator, he is visited by others who have suffered the same fate has Shawn.

Long Way Down is the graphic novel adaptation of the novel in verse book. This story reads even faster than the original and can be enjoyed by everyone whether they read the original or just this one. The artwork gave some added depth to the story and I will say I loved this one as much as the original. A great read, even if graphic novels are not your normal go-to book.

I loved the original, "Long Way Down" by Jason Reynolds that was published in 2017. The graphic novel did not disappoint! I will highly recommend this book!