Long Way Down: The Graphic Novel

Gr 9 Up–After witnessing the fatal shooting of his older brother Shawn, 15-year-old Will Holloman must decide whether to follow the rules of his neighborhood that require revenge. Armed with a gun from Shawn’s dresser, Will boards his building’s elevator and as it descends weighs the gravity of what he is considering doing, the loss that preceded Shawn’s death, and the repercussions. At each floor, a new, deceased individual enters and tells their story. Smoky watercolors with rough edges bleed and blend into each other and into unblemished empty spaces in this graphic adaptation of the novel in verse. The all-Black cast of characters is given complexity and nuance, even as they try to live by a code that is figuratively black and white. A denim-blue and white palette depicts those who have passed, while inky black and grays illustrate both the oppressiveness of the neighborhood’s rules and the weight of the anguish they inflict upon the community. Pops of color—red for blood and fear, the yellow of a grocery bag smiley face, police tape, and Will’s T-shirt—are used sparingly but consistently, as reminders of life and obstacles that carry on past death. Much of the text is internal dialogue, including the conversations between Will and the elevator’s occupants. Guns and death are depicted through a fallen body and the spread of blood. No curse words are used.