A Long Way Down

infobox Book |
name = A Long Way Down
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image_caption = First edition cover of "A Long Way Down"
author = Nick Hornby
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country = United Kingdom
language = English
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publisher = Riverhead Books
release_date = 7 June 2005
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media_type = Print (Hardcover and Paperback) & Audio CD
pages = 352 pp
isbn = ISBN 1573223026
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"A Long Way Down" is a novel written by British author Nick Hornby, published in 2005. It is a dark comedy, playing off the themes of suicide, angst, depression and promiscuity.

The story is written in the first-person narrative from the points of view of the four main characters, Martin, Maureen, Jess and JJ. These four strangers happen to meet on the roof of a high building called Topper's House in London on New Year's Eve, each with the intent of committing suicide. Their plans for death in solitude, however, are ruined when they meet. The novel recounts their misadventures as they decide to come down from the roof alive - however temporarily that may be.

Characters

*Martin Sharp - The former host of a top rated morning show, Martin made the mistake of sleeping with a girl who was 15 years and 250 days old, (a 115 day gap of legality). He served time in prison for statutory rape, but upon his release, discovered that his career was ruined and his marriage was over.

*Maureen - A pious, sheltered middle-aged Catholic woman whose life revolves around caring for her vegetative son Matty. She has led the past 19 years of her life in relative seclusion, going only to church and spending the majority of her time pretending like Matty is a healthy child by buying him posters, video games and cassette tapes.

*Jess Crichton - A tactless, unpredictable, drug-abusing teenager who carries around the emotional baggage of family issues and her own self-destructive personality. She originally persuades the group to "postpone" their suicidal intentions to help her find and confront her ex-boyfriend Chas, who slept with her then dumped her.

*JJ - An American whose sole purpose for being in London is a relationship with his British girlfriend Lizzie. He was in a band, Big Yellow, who until recently had been performing across the UK. The band broke up and Lizzie dumped him, so JJ has now found himself delivering pizzas via moped.

Film rights

As with several of Hornby's earlier books, it seems likely that "A Long Way Down" will be adapted for the screen. Johnny Depp bought the rights to the book before it was even published and has since hired writer D.V. DeVincentis, who previously wrote the script for the film "High Fidelity", to write the screenplay. [ Pamela McClintock, Variety: [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117955716.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 Book buys for Depp] ] Depp is also quoted on the back of the paperback edition as saying that the book is "Masterful … some of the finest writing, and some of the most outstanding characters I've ever had the pleasure of reading." [http://www.penguin.co.uk/static/cs/uk/0/minisites/nickhornby/books/alwd_synopsis.html "A Long Way Down" page at Penguin Books UK] ]

Reviews

The book received mixed reviews from critics. The review aggregator Metacritic reported the book had an average score of 55 out of 100, based on 32 reviews. [cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/books/authors/hornbynick/longwaydown |title=A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby: Reviews |accessdate=2008-02-15 |publisher=Metacritic]

References