Alison Parkinson’s Reviews > A Long Way Down > Status Update

Misunderstanding

So tuned in to the way people - especially how accurately women think;
‘They're tossers, aren't they, men like Martin? They think women are like fucking laptops or whatever, like, My old one's knackered and anyway, you can get ones that are slimmer and do more stuff now.’
Cindy moved on with life, new partner - the toppers not made much progress from the lives they led them to get so close to suicide.

‘Martin had read in some posey magazine about a snooty little coffee bar in between Essex Road and Upper Street where they grow their own beans while you waited or something’

This Jess character is so patronising, talking to the reader, suggesting it’s someone young and sad or old and happy - one or the other. And if you’re old and happy you’re too smug to remember what it’s like to have your heart broken. It’s only twenty years since I had mine broken and I can honestly say it was one of the hardest times of my life and I’ll never forget how lost and hopeless it made me feel

Sharp and quick and sarcastic and funny