The Graphic Novel adaptation of Jason Reynold's "Long Way Down" is absolutely stunning. The graphic representation of the story adds a new layer of depth for reader's of the original novel-in-verse. Reynolds is the master of capturing a reader from the first line, and this new graphic novel version does exactly that. Whether you've read the original version of "Long Way Down" or not, I highly recommend this title for all middle and high school collections.

I loved the original book and think this is a fantastic adaptation so readers can connect with the story in a new way. The art was compelling, haunting, and perfectly matched the tone of the story. I liked the visuals that helped me connect with the characters even more.

Jason Reynolds really took the subject of gun violence and spoke about it in such an intricate way. Unfortunately, the cycle of gun violence is very prevalent in these times and I feel like this book did a good job in showcasing how it never ends. Revenge can lead to some harmful (sometimes even fatal) paths and innocent people can be hurt. I feel like this the perfect book for our youth today and really shows what it means when you decide to pick up that gun.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this title. All opinions are my own.

Stunning. Amazing. Phenomenal. Powerful. I mean, we are talking about [book:Long Way Down|22552026] and then add in that it is a graphic novel? Reynolds's story is as powerful as ever and Danica Novgoradoff's illustrations took it to another level. I still think that reading the original is important, but graphic novels work better for some readers and the story on its own is important. A must read.

I can definitely 100% recommend Long Way Down. It's gripping and emotional. However, I can't recommend this graphic novel as an eBook. For me it was hard to follow what was going on. If I hadn't read the book prior to reading this, I think I would have DNFd. Hopefully, the formatting will be fixed when it releases.

100% anything by Jason Reynolds is a MUST BUY! I loved this graphic novel adaptation of one of my favorite books of all time. The illustrations were beautiful.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for giving me an eARC in exchange for an honest review. The graphic novel of this book is powerful. I feel like the pictures add to the story and will be very popular with the students at my school.. Will be ordering for my school library.

#LongWayDown #NetGalley

This graphic adaptation is visually stunning, and my hope is that it will make an already compelling story even more accessible to kids and teens, especially reluctant readers who are likely to feel less intimidated and more drawn into the story because of the visual element. I must admit that I feel like the original novel in verse is perfect and did not need to be improved upon, and I feel like this version loses some of the power of the story conveyed through the spacing and sparsity of the words on the page of the original. But as I said before, if what is important is giving more kids access to the story itself, then this graphic version does that beautifully.

I am very much in favor of graphic novel adaptations of popular novels as they give the story and message a wider audience. This title especially will engage readers in a new way with this format and I’m glad that it will reach a whole new set of readers. This is an important text that deserves a place in every classroom.

Plain and simple, this book is as amazing you expected it to be. Jason Reynolds writes in graphic novel form just takes this story to a whole new level. I felt like I was in the elevator. Absolutely stunning and incredible.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for giving me an eARC in exchange for an honest review. I am a huge fan of Jason Reynolds and Long Way Down is one I share almost weekly with my students. It is a go to book to recommend. Students also love graphic novels, so when I saw there was an adaptation, I was so excited. This GN version is so powerful. The words are powerful anyway and combined with the illustrations...this book is just amazing. It is a must read. It will break you. And we all need it.

The visual representation of Jason Reynolds hit novel Long Way Down was visually stimulating. It did not disappoint! This book will be amazing for young adults that struggle to read and need the story to come alive on the printed page. Every thing Jason Reynolds writes and touches has such a heart to the deeper story that adolescents struggle with. He gave the story life and breath with came will beautiful illustrations.

Danica Novgorodoff has adapted Jason Reynolds' masterpiece, Long Way Down, as a graphic novel. It is a beautiful piece of art. Watercolors create a stormy background for the somber tone of the story. Flashbacks are done in shades of moody blue and white. The emotions and the details and the personalities of each character are tangible. The illustrations bring the story to life.

On the down side, the beauty of Jason's words are not the focus of the book. His words are exquisite and impactful in the original. Words you want to remember. In the graphic novel, the words just don't stand out as much. The graphic novel is again, beautiful and powerful, but does not take the place of the original.

Any fan of Jason Reynolds will adore this book as will graphic novel lovers.

This is the graphic novel version of the book, Long Way Down. This story follows Will and his older brother Shawn as they battle through their difficult lives in the inner city. One day when Will is playing basketball with his friend, his brother Shawn stops by to talk to him. All of a sudden, Shawn is shot and killed by an unknown assailant. Will purposes in his heart to follow the rules handed down to him from his male family members and go after the man he thinks killed Shawn. When Will gets on the elevator with a gun in his pocket, ready to fulfill the rules of the streets, several visitors come to visit him, one for each floor. These visitors tell the stories of their acts of revenge and how they were also killed. Will has a decision to make - will he follow in their footsteps, or will he choose a different path?

This colorfully illustrated graphic novel packs an emotional and realistic punch. The cycle of violence is unapologetically and graphically portrayed through the choppy narrative and bright, chaotic illustrations. Though short, this book carries a powerful message that people would do well to listen to. I didn't care for the language used and the ending was inconclusive, but this important book is one not to be missed, and I recommend it to those who are able to read about the subject matter.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. A positive review was not required, and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

When I first read the original Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds, I thought I couldn't love it any more. Now that I've read this graphic novel adaptation, I do! The illustrations in this beautiful adaptation are gorgeously painted and help to tell the story of Will, whose brother Shawn has been killed in a drive-by shooting. The next day, Will grabs his brother's gun, intent on taking revenge by killing the boy that he is sure killed Shawn. On the elevator ride down from his apartment, Will meets a new person on each floor. However, these people aren't real -they're the ghosts of people he knows that have died by gunfire. As Will interacts with each individual, he begins to rethink his decision. What will he do?

Read this book! It deals with hard issues, but in a way that even upper elementary and middle school kids can handle. This is a great read about loyalty, family, and love.

Jason Reynolds always has my heart. I loved the original story of Long Way Down so much, but seeing the verses translated into a graphic novel brought the story to life in such a heart wrenching way. The watercolor illustrations were so beautiful and complemented the story perfectly.

Anyone who knows me just a little knows exactly how I feel about Long Way Down. I read it for the first time this year and it was AMAZING. Reynolds utilizes this story to capture the discussion around cyclical violence. I think that it's easy to judge people especially youth that are victims of violence when you don't take the opportunity to really learn and understand how they get there in the first place. Both the graphic novel and the book focus on Will's attempt to get revenge for his brother's death. When Will attempts to get revenge he ends up meeting a series of people who are also victims of the cycle of violence. I love that Reynolds leaves the ending as a mystery. We don't necessarily know whether will goes through with it or not. This is all about empathy and how we shouldn't force labels on people especially youth. The graphic novel adaptation was so good and I'm happy about the way it turned out. The water color drawings with the defining of the black ink were absolutely beautiful and I feel like the images I had in my mind the first time I read Long Way Down were captured so well in this adaption. I heard through the grapevine that there is supposed to be either a TV show or movie adaptation of this book. I CANNOT WAIT!

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds, 306 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Simon & Schuster (Atheneum), 2020. $20.
Language: PG13 (13 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
An evening like any other, fifteen-year-old Will is hanging out with a friend when his brother, Shawn, comes by and teases him a bit. And then they hear it: a gun. Everyone gets down on the ground, but that doesn’t stop the bullet from changing Will’s world.
Readers only get a peak into Will’s life, seeing less than 24 hours of what is going on in his family, his community, and his head. The short time period doesn’t diminish the significance of it, though. Reynolds has written a story of loss, revenge, expectations, and desires, which is coupled with powerful illustrations by Novgorodoff. The mature content rating is for gang activity and drug use, and the violence rating is for gun use and murder.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

This graphic novel edition of Long Way Down was just as stunning as the original verse novel. The illustrations were incredible and heart-wrenching. I would highly recommend this to young adult and adult readers.

Written in verse and from the perspective of Will who is seeking to avenge the death of his brother. Jason Reynolds is so talented and this is an amazing book overall. With the art by Daniga Novgorodoff, however, Long Way Down became a masterpiece! The art does not take away from the lyricism and rhythm of Reynold's original work. The adaptation into a graphic novel allows readers to truly see the anguish Will endures, brings so much power to the narrative, and establishes Will's world concretely.