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A Long Way Down
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby
Narrated in turns by a dowdy, middle-aged woman, a half-crazed adolescent, a disgraced breakfast TV presenter and an American rock star cum pizza delivery boy, A Long Way Down is the story of the Toppers House Four, aka Maureen, Jess, Martin and JJ. A low-rent crowd with absolutely nothing in common - save where they end up that New Year's Eve night. And what they do next, of course. Funny, sad, and wonderfully humane, Nick Hornby's new novel asks some of the big questions: about life and death, strangers and friendship, love and pain, and whether a slice of pizza can really see you through a long, dark night of the soul.
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review
TheIntrovertedDodoBird
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby
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Mehso-so

Some say coincidence - but I might go as far as to say fate, brought this unlikely bunch of characters together, while they're teetering over the edge of a fifteen-story high tower block on New Year's Eve. Instead of leaping to their doom, Martin, Maureen, JJ & Jess trudge back down having formed a bizarre pact. Hornby delivers a Breakfast Club -esque journey, exploring four various narratives. A memorable dark comedy. A little lacking in parts.

37 likes1 stack add
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Blueberry
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All of the characters meet on a #rooftop famous for suicide jumpers. Happy ending.

#WishesandBlessings
@Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Eggs Yikes - torture for my fear of height 🥶😳 3y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Mine too Sher!! 😱 3y
persephone1408 I LOVED this movie!! 3y
50 likes1 stack add3 comments
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ELMyerholtz
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby
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Pickpick

Nick Hornby never disappoints! Who knew that a book that begins with four very different people meeting because they all pick the same spot to commit suicide could be so entertaining and sweet? This ragtag group of unlikely friends will make you laugh at their hijinks and reflect on your own life while simultaneously charming the pants off you.

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Annie1215
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby
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Today‘s card is: Jack of Diamonds/ The Star; HOPE

“Jane Fairfax was orphaned as a girl, yet she grows up to sing, play piano, and sew, and marries happily.”

The characters in this book, through many misadventures, help one another realize life‘s not so bad and literally talk one another off the ledge. While “hope” may be a strong concept for them, it felt relevant.

What does this make you think of? Comment below!

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Annie1215
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby
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Pickpick

Loved this one. The characters were so great and meshed together so well, some in unpredictable ways. I laughed out loud during so much of this book.

This book gets me to my first bingo in #bookspinbingo !!! @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Yay bingo!!!!! 4y
67 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Annie1215
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby
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“Oscar Wilde once said, “One‘s real life is so often the life that one does not lead.” Well, fucking right on, Oscar.”

Loving all these characters already, excited to keep reading.

Trashcanman Its these little things that can pull you under 4y
62 likes1 comment
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Buechersuechtling
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby
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#ThankfulThursday

Thanks for the tag @julesG – how funny, the first book that came to my mind was also “The English Patient”. Although it was the other way ‘round, first film than book.
Concerning @RamsFan1963 and “Ready Player One” (also thanks for the tag) I sticked with the “correct” order. 😂

• “A long Way Down”. Loved the book – not only for Nick Drake.

1.) “Dawson‘s Creek”

2.) Grateful for summer weather and my boss who let‘s me alone

Cosmos_Moon_River Awww! Dawson‘s Creek! I haven‘t thought about that show in AGES! Thanks for joining in this week ☺️ 4y
13 likes1 comment
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saritaroth
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby
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Panpan

I didn't like this book nearly so much as About A Boy. For one thing, the author seems to be making fun of suicide, which is sadly much too prevalent in this day and age. Secondly, the author again writes a book that has no redeemable characters in it; I don't even know if any of them learned anything by the end. I doubt it. I would take a pass on this one.
🌟🌟

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Andrea313
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby
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Pulling these out made me want to read them again! #clouds #BloomingBibliophiles
@OriginalCyn620 @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Buechersuechtling I only know “A long way down“, but that I loved‼️ As far as I remember, it was the first book where music titles and singers/songwriters were mentioned whose work I knew without having to google the persons or their best known work. I could “sing along“ immediately while reading. One of the things in your reading-life, you never forget, I assume. 😂 5y
Andrea313 @Buechersuechtling I love your remembrance of reading this! Nick Hornby writes so much (and so beautifully!) about being a fan of music and the ways that music can shape our lives. This takes shape in so much of his work, but my favorite is probably his book of essays 5y
OriginalCyn620 The tagged book is on my TBR! 5y
10 likes3 comments
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TheEllieMo
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby
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Four strangers at the end of their respective tethers meet on top of a skyscraper in this novel #SetOnNewYearsEveDay

#AuldLangReads @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @OriginalCyn620

OriginalCyn620 I want to read this! Stacked! 5y
BlameJennyJane Love this book and loved the movie! 5y
26 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Karisa
Long Way Down | Nick Hornby
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Pickpick

Four very different people find themselves with the same problem on New Year's Eve: they aren't sure if they want to live. To top it all off some of them are very unlikable characters. Not your usual holiday read, but still I found it a funny, enjoyable read. #WinterGames #TMSkellington @Crimson613 @StayCurious @Clwojick

kyraleseberg I really liked this one! 5y
coffees 21pts!! 12-15 I've heard of this author a lot and I think I even owned one of his books for some time but never read it 😮😮 5y
25 likes2 comments
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Mindyrecycles
Long Way Down | Nick Hornby
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Pickpick

I love Nick Hornby and this is one of his very good ones. #dontletmedown #beatlemaynia

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Madison91
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby
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Mehso-so

This isn‘t really what I‘m into so not a pick for me

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MrBook
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby
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Picture 5/5 of the latest batch of books we‘re getting queued up for processing for our library‘s branch in the county jail.

Surprised we take any of these particular titles?
Have you read any of these?

#LitsyLovesLibraries

plemmdog I love Nick Hornby and really liked that one. Touching characters. 6y
sk888888 Thunderstruck was really interesting! 6y
DivineDiana Not the particular titles, but I think Wayne Dyer and Louise Hay are great choices! 6y
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kgriffith Is it a men‘s jail? I noticed that there are only about a half dozen titles by women, and only one a woman of color. (edited) 6y
kgriffith (Which is, coincidentally, the only one I‘ve read) 6y
MrBook @kgriffith It runs roughly three-quarters men and one-quarter women. There‘s 10 blocks, 3 are for women. (edited) 6y
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Hannah7
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Pickpick

I enjoyed reading this book because of its completely different take on a serious topic. I found my self laughing way too much for a book that started with four people wanting to jump off of a tower block. As the four people begrudgingly help each other to carry on. I love that four stranger who didn't want anything to do with each other in the end help each other solve problems, acting as each other's own cosmic prime minister.

StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego Welcome to Litsy 📖💙 6y
CoffeeNBooks Welcome to Litsy! 📚 6y
Hannah7 Thank you ! 6y
Eggs Welcome to Litsy 🌷 6y
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Hannah7
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Absolutely love this quote x

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Hannah7
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Starting February by reading a long way down 📖 xx

Chelleo Welcome to Litsy! Hope these #Litsytips by @RaimeyGallant http://bit.ly/litsytips and #LitsyHowTo videos: goo.gl/UrCpoU are helpful. #LitsyWelcomeWagon 6y
RaimeyGallant Welcome! 6y
Hannah7 Thanks x 6y
2 likes3 comments
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Mindyrecycles
Long Way Down | Nick Hornby
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Pickpick

One of Hornby‘s best! #fallingslowly #musicalnewyear

vivastory I really need to read more Hornby! 6y
86 likes1 comment
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Reveurs
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby
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Book - Long Way Down
Author - Lori Lansens
Movie/Tv - Luther
Food - Lemon Curd

#manicmonday #whoopsitswednesday @JoScho

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Ash.on.the.line
Long Way Down | Nick Hornby
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1. I honestly don‘t know lol
2. Going for food and just talking, I‘m simple 😆
3. 17
4. It was a while ago but it just moved too slowly for me at the time.
5. Here I go!

#FriYayIntro

BarbaraTheBibliophage #3 — that‘s mine also! 6y
Ash.on.the.line @BarbaraTheBibliophage let‘s hope it brings us a lot of good luck! 😁💜 6y
BarbaraTheBibliophage Sure hope so!! 6y
46 likes3 comments
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Billypar
Long Way Down | Nick Hornby
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I like Nick Hornby, but this was the only one I didn't enjoy all that much. I think the premise - four people unexpectedly meeting on a rooftop, all contemplating suicide on the same night - just seemed too artificial to work. Like a Breakfast Club for adults that couldn't get the humor/drama ratio quite right. #waydownwego #getmovin @eanderson @Cinfhen

LauraJ Also my least favorite Hornby. 6y
Leftcoastzen Wow, didn‘t know about this one .sounds like I don‘t want to know😆 6y
Cinfhen such a great choice....haven‘t read this book but title and premise are 🙌🏻 6y
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TobeyTheScavengerMonk Yeah, there were moments that were funny, but it was less than the sum of its parts. 6y
ValerieAndBooks I like Hornby‘s essays about books much more than his fiction I‘ve read so far, which was this one and About a Boy. 6y
Suet624 @ValerieAndBooks I agree with you. 6y
41 likes6 comments
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Mindyrecycles
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby
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Pickpick
Schlinkles I love him! 7y
Reviewsbylola I love The Polysyllabic Spree books but I haven‘t read much of his fiction. I know I own Funny Girl so I need to get to that. 7y
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ARoseByAnyOtherName
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby
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The author has really accurately gotten inside the head of the characters. You're not crazy, the world just sucks too much sometimes. Respect ✌️ #beyondblue

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ARoseByAnyOtherName
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby
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Dear Mr Hornby. I'm from Sydney. I take no offense. Your book is dark but hilarious . I also note the irony that I missed my therapy appointment because I got lost in your book 😂😂😂

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jamielaine
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby
Mehso-so

Dark at times but endearing.

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ReadingEnvy
Long Way Down | Nick Hornby
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Littens I need your opinion. I recorded a podcast episode with this lovely human yesterday, and even with edits it will end up around two hours. Most of my episodes are around an hour, some are shorter! What should I do? Post as two parts but post the same day? Post two weeks apart like two separate episodes? Just post the damn thing? #podcastproblems

Notafraidofwords Post them separately. But at the same time :) so that I can listen at work while doing spreadsheets lol 7y
Annl I would post as two parts the same day. 7y
MamaGina Just post the damn thing 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼 7y
See All 20 Comments
Sharpeipup Post two parts on the same day. 7y
MamaGina I've got a pause button and I know how to use it!🤣 7y
Redwritinghood Agree, just post it. 7y
vivastory I think you should post as two parts on the same day 7y
annkuch13 Is that Dr. Bibb? I would post as 2 parts the same day, though I say that selfishly because I want to consume all 2 hours of that conversation at once! 7y
ReadingEnvy @annkuch13 it is! I had no idea we were going so long. 7y
moranadatter I would say anything you want to do is great, but 2 parts in the same day if there‘s a good place to stop near the halfway point would be kind to any listeners who need shorter episodes. 7y
EllieDottie I agree with everyone post two on the same day! 7y
Karkar The whole dang thing!!! 7y
Jerdencon 2 on the same day here too! 7y
shawnmooney However ya slice and dice it, I'll be here for the whole dang thing!😍 7y
Kboltz Just post it, we listen 7y
Centique I agree with two on the same day - and I‘m excited - we get extra book talk that week! 💕 7y
Bookchipmunk Now I'm looking forward to my Bay Area commute! I'd go with whatever is easiest and don't over think it 🤓 (edited) 7y
Reggie I say just post the damn thing, sometimes when I‘m listening I think, oh man we‘re already to the 6th book?!!! 7y
RealBooks4ever Just post the damn thing. 💜 7y
dylanisreading Whatever you choose, I look forward to listening at work. 😀 7y
67 likes20 comments
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GoneFishing
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby

I used to be pretty resourceful when I was being unfaithful to Cindy..I once drove a new BMW into a wall, simply because I needed to explain a 4­-hour delay in getting home from work. Cindy came out into the street to inspect the crumpled bonnet, looked at me, and said, You‘re seeing someone else, aren‘t you? I denied it of course. But then, anything is easier than telling the truth. That look you get...Who wouldn‘t go that extra yard to avoid it?

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GoneFishing
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby

I don't think you can call it stalking when it's just phone calls and letters and emails and knocking on the door.

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GoneFishing
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby

I'm not telling you that suicidal people aren't so far away from people who can get by; I'm telling you that people who can get by aren't so far away from being suicidal.

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GoneFishing
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby

I was still owed an explanation I thought, but so what? What good was it going to do me? It wouldn't have made me any happier. It was like scratching when you have chicken pox. You think it's going to help, but the itch moves over, and then moves over again. My itch suddenly felt miles away, and I couldn't have reached it with the longest arms in the world. Realizing that made me scared that I was going to be itchy forever, and I didn't want that.

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GoneFishing
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby

People go on about places like Starbucks being unpersonal...but what if that's what you want? I'd be lost if there was nothing unpersonal in the world. I like to know that there are big places where no one gives a shit...I'm happiest in the Virgin Megastore, Borders, Starbucks...where no one gives a shit and no one knows who you are. My mum & dad are always going on about how soulless those places are, and I'm like Der. That's the point.

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GoneFishing
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby

One could argue that most of the trouble in the world is caused by introspection.

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GoneFishing
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby

I've been thinking with my guts since I was fourteen years old, and frankly speaking, between you and me, I have come to the conclusion that my guts have shit for brains.

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GoneFishing
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby

Telling me I can do anything I want is like pulling the plug out of the bath and then telling the water it can go anywhere it wants. Try it, and see what happens.

AmyG I love Nick Hornby. 7y
Gezemice Word. 7y
26 likes2 comments
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GoneFishing
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby

The trouble with my generation is that we all think we're fucking geniuses. Making something isn't good enough for us, and neither is selling something, or teaching something, or even just doing something; we have to be something.

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GoneFishing
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby

Everyone knows how to talk, and no one knows what to say.

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GoneFishing
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby

You're fucked. You thought you were going to be someone, but it's obvious you're nobody. You haven't got as much talent as you thought you had, there was no Plan B, you got no skills, no education, and now you're looking at 40 or 50 years of nothing...That's pretty heavy. That's worse than having the brain thing, because what you got now will take a lot longer to kill you. You've got the choice of a slow, painful death, or a quick, merciful one.

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GoneFishing
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby

Hard is trying to rebuild yourself, piece by piece, with no instruction book, and no clue as to where all the important bits are supposed to go.

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GoneFishing
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby

How do people, like, not curse? How is it possible? There are these gaps in speech where you just have to put a "fuck." I'll tell you who the most admirable people in the world are: newscasters. If that was me, I'd be like, "And the motherfuckers flew the fucking plane right into the Twin Towers." How could you not, if you're a human being? Maybe they're not so admirable. Maybe they're robot zombies.

MiyakoBunny Now that's a quote 🤣 7y
Nuwanda My sister and I joke that she could be a news anchor or politician or something like that, but I would have to be her anger translator for this precise reason. I have to tap into a separate part of my brain to teach without swearing! 7y
42 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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AnukritiLovesReading
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby
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Now reading ✔📖

1 like1 stack add
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keithmalek
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby

And anyway I didn't think it was stalking when someone owed you an explanation. Being owed an explanation is like being owed money, and not just a fiver either. Five or six hundred quid, minimum, more like. If you're owed five or six hundred quid, minimum, and the person who owes it to you is avoiding you, then you're bound to knock on his door late at night, when you know he's going to be in.

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LLindsey
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I'm really liking this one! And a new drink--White Russians (yes, I recently rewatched The Big Lebowski)

kyraleseberg Read this last year - LOVED the unlikeable characters! 8y
9 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Cspen113
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby
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Pickpick

I picked this one up on a whim, truthfully not expecting much. When I read that it's a book about suicide the last thing I expected was to laugh. I was wrong!! The book is hilarious! The characters are both real and a little out there but so lovable in a hot mess kind of way. 🌟🌟🌟🌟1/2 gold stars!!!

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Cspen113
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby
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Someone's spying on me doing a little early morning reading in bed before braving the crowds for some last minute shopping. 👀#catsoflitsy

8 likes1 stack add
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Callemarie
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby
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Day 5 of #octphotochallenge im picking four characters who were terribly flawed but that I still ended up loving at the end of the book.

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This-renegade
A Long Way Down | Nick Hornby

“If you borrow someone else‘s clothes or their interests or their words, what they say, then it can give you a bit of a rest from yourself, I find.”