Long Way Down, by Jason Reynolds - my review

[Simon]

I read this because it was loaned to my daughter by her school teacher, and I saw it lying on the kitchen bench. After the first two pages I was hooked, which surprised me because I'm really not a reader of poetry. Don't get me wrong, poetry is a wonderful art form, but much of it goes over my head.
Not so with Jason Reynolds' work, Long Way Down. Nowhere in this collections of poems, masterfully linked together with simple language to form a coherent story, are there complicated or needlessly long words. His writing is accessible, gently leading you by the hand to go on a young man's journey of emotional maturation.
It is a masterclass on painting the scene for the reader. I believe Margaret Atwood would be sorely challenged to illustrate in words such a complex and emotionally fraught event.

The illustrations are simple, capture the essence of each beat, and are perfect for the tale.

An excellent experience.