A Long Way Down

Suizid ist das Thema dieses Buches. Ich finde, dass weder besonders sensibel noch besonders unsensibel damit umgegangen wird, sondern es ist einfach da, als Hintergrund aller Dinge, die passieren.

Vier völlig unterschiedliche Leute, die absolut nichts gemeinsam haben, außer dass sie sich umbringen wollen, treffen sich zufällig auf dem Dach eines Hochhauses, alle mit der Absicht, dort herunter zu springen. Dazu kommt es dann aber nicht, weil man dabei eigentlich lieber ungestört ist. Und dann schließen sie einen Pakt miteinander und werden zu einer seltsamen Außenseitergruppe.

Das Buch hat mich nicht besonders mitgerissen, weil ich keine der Personen sonderlich sympathisch oder interessant fand und mich daher nicht mit ihnen identifizieren konnte. Die Handlung ist auch nicht so, dass viele besonders witzige oder skurrile Dinge passieren (einige schon, aber die tragen das Buch nicht). Zm Ende hin hatte ich das Gefühl, dass dem Autor die Ideen ausgegangen sind. Was ich mitgenommen habe: Es gibt eine Selbstmordabsichtsskala von Aaron T. Beck. Je höher der Wert, den man bei diesem Fragebogen errreicht, desto höher ist die Wahrscheinlichkeit eines erfolgreichen Suizidversuchs. Fachleute kenne diese Skala. Betroffene sollten sich vielleicht mal damit auseinander setzen.

Zum Schluss möchte ich noch sagen, falls ihr den Gedanken habt, euer Leben zu beenden - bitte sucht euch Hilfe. Wenn ihr niemanden im Umfeld habt, könnt ihr euch an die Telefonseelsorge wenden: 0800 111 000 111 (Deutschland), oder online www.telefonseelsorge.de/suizidpraevention/

Maureen, Martin, JJ, and Jess just happen to meet up one New Year's Eve on the roof of Topper's House, an establishment in London, but they're not there to celebrate the New Year. Each of these four people have made four different journeys to Topper's House to--top themselves, as the British would say. And three out of four of them are, in fact, British. Anyway, each of these people was expecting some privacy at a time like this, but instead, they wound up embarking on another journey altogether.

Nick Hornby is known for writing humorous stories, and in this novel, he successfully tells the story of how four depressed people grudgingly form a support group, albeit a very unorthodox one, with a good balance of humor and seriousness. The four characters take turns first telling their own stories, then telling their common story, each in a very different voice and perspective.

I was impressed by the way Jess, a teenaged girl who is easily one of the most annoying characters I've ever encountered in or out of a book, gradually morphs into a more controlled and likeable young woman. Her problems aren't miraculously going away, but she's better in every way by the end. And then there's Maureen, who seems to have the most obvious reasons to be depressed, but it turns out that a few doable changes is all she needs to feel much, much better. Martin and JJ need to develop their plan B's, and by the end, they are making a start at that, instead of just despairing.

The unusual thing about this group of four is that they really don't much enjoy each other, don't seem to make each other feel particularly better, but--they are hooked on meeting each other, nonetheless. It keeps them going, and the common connection they feel does force them to look outside of themselves. They become unlikely people in each other's lives, and therein lies most of the humor.

I like that the ending isn't perfect. Everyone is better off than they were the night they agreed to walk downstairs and out of Topper's House, but things are not perfect for any of them by a long shot. I also admire the way A Long Way Down manages to be engaging and light, while being so touching and sad at the same time. Nick Hornby has breathed life into these characters, four people with emerging hope for the future.

It's a very enjoyable, interesting read, and I'd recommend this book!