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Book Review of A Long Way Down

A Long Way Down
reviewed on + 55 more book reviews


While the premise of this novel was certainly intriguing enough - four disparate individuals meet on a popular London rooftop on the night each has individually decided to kill him/herself - enjoying it hinges on connecting with the characters in some fashion, whether it's emotionally or otherwise. Their troubles vary, but it's hard to be sympathetic for characters you genuinely don't like. Half the time, I felt like these characters had brought all this hardship on themselves (well, not Maureen), and listening to their constant whining over their situations grew thin halfway through the book. I liked the way the book was structured, with short sections dedicated to each character in that character's 1st POV, which gave it a theatrical quality, like each sat on a stool on a stage and when it was their turn, the spotlight would come on him/her while they told their tale. But enjoying a story's structure and premise isn't enough to make it a keeper. I needed to connect and care about the characters in some way to do that. And I didn't.