Long Way Down

Will Holloman is the novel’s 15-year-old protagonist and narrator. In his short time on earth, he has witnessed a number of untimely deaths, including the recent death of his older brother and role model, Shawn. After Shawn’s death, Will finds his brother’s gun and resolves to follow The Rules: Instead of crying, he will take revenge and shoot Riggs, the man he believes shot Shawn. During his elevator ride, Will meets a number of ghosts who try to influence his decision to shoot Riggs. Will struggles with where to place his grief and whether to adhere to The Rules imparted on him by a culture of toxic masculinity. He loves his family deeply, and he is sentimental; at the same time, society taught him that the only way to express these feelings is through violence. As the elevator descends, Will sees the flaws in The Rules he was raised with by recognizing their violent repercussions. By the end of the ride, he has a much clearer understanding of the flawed system he is trying to follow.