A long way down

Today, I want to tell you about another great book I read three months ago: A long way down by Nick Hornby.

The book tells the story of four different persons that have got nothing in common but the wish to put their lifes to an end. They meet incidentally on New Year's Eve on the top of a builing they all wanted to jump down. The four individuals start talking to each other, mainly because none of them is willing to jump in front of three strangers, make a pact not to commit suicide and meet again on Valentines Day.
So they leave the roof, want to solve the smallest problem, and from there on, you get to know the four characters.
Martin, a talkshow master, is a man whose life has been pretty perfect until he slept with a 15-year old which didn't do his career and his private life any good.
Maureen is a catholic woman in her fourtees who dedicated her entire life to her son who has a severe mental handicap and doesn't notice anything that happens around him and can't respond to anything.
Then there's Jess, a young girl who just thinks that commiting suicide would be quite a rebellion, especially commiting suicide because of a guy when you're a politicians daughter.
And finally there's JJ whose band broke up and who feels that his life has no sense any longer.

So you can see, people couldn't be more different. Still they spend a lot of time together, go on a holiday, try to solve each others problems.

What I really liked about the book is that the story is always told from another perspective. Every situation is described in four different points of view, which makes the book great to read. It's quite confusing in the beginning, but you get used to it.

I really want to recommend this book although there's been a lot of critique. Many people feel that Hornby is playing down the topic of suicide and that he is making fun of people's problems, but form your own opinion :)