I had to DNF this one. Some of the themes were a little too close to home and whilst that normally doesn't bother me, maybe I tried to read it too soon - maybe I will try again some day, but I ended up DNF'ing.

I read this book through a blog tour and found out that it just really wasn't for me. It was a bit slow paced and I wound up DNF it. Maybe down the road, I will try to reread it again.

It starts with:

Will Parks is no longer alone.
This is the precise instant it beings. He is being watched. Followed. Everywhere.

I have to show that because it's important. If you've read the book, you already know why. If not, you're going to be on one heck of a ride.

When I first read those lines, I wasn't sure if this was a ghost story or something more sinister, like having a creepy stalker. I didn't get the Goodreads blurb (the one I pasted up above) but rather the Amazon one, which goes a little differently:

Will Parks needs to man up.
A man stands. A man fights. A man bleeds.
These are the first lessons you learn in a town where girls are objects, words are weak and fists do the talking.
Will's more at home in the classroom than the gym, and the most important woman in his life is his gran. So how can a boy who's always backed away from a fight become the hero who saves the day?
Because a disaster is coming. One that Will can prevent. But only if he learns the most important lesson of all: sometimes to step up, you have to man down.

Okay, sure, it works and it's true to a point, because this is a story about toxic masculinity. But I'd have been more enthusiastic with the promise of the supernatural and glimpses of the future, because I also happen to love time travel and fate/destiny stuff. Even without that, though, I kept going. The premise was interesting and I couldn't find it in me to put the book down.

Eventually, we find out that there is a ghost. Of sorts. We just don't know who it is, and I certainly kept guessing until the end. And the end, by the way, is simply brilliant. The author practically yanked the floor from under my feet and left me lying on my back and staring at the stars in awe. Because I literally cheered. Or, more accurately, I took my elation to Twitter and capslocked at Mr. Goodman.

I loved it that much, okay. The payoff at the end was so worth it.

The story showed a multilayered perspective of things and had complex, real characters. The protagonist, Will, is thrust into situations where he's "left without a choice," but it's written thoughtfully that he doesn't become a character who simply reacts to things. You can see his growth for yourself throughout the story, as well as the development of the key people around him.

Overall, it was a great read. And, again, props to the storytelling. THAT ENDING, and how everything led us to that moment. *chef's kiss*

I also learned British slang and stuff from the story, which was validated as I settled into my new country. That was unexpectedly helpful, in a way!

Recommended Listening: Ghost by Joshua Wicker

James Goodhand has done it again with Man Down. He's created a wonderful novel full of depth, that draws you in and makes you feel like you are there watching the story unfold in person. This is an intricately crafted story with many layers that focuses on some very important subjects such as mental health and toxic masculinity. As you read you feel so many emotions for the main protagonist Will. And the ending will have your jaw-dropping. Absolutely wonderful read.

What a wonderful read!
I loved how it challenged toxic masculinity, especially the way it is experienced by teenage males from their peers and family. There were some strange supernatural themes which I really enjoyed, and the little twist was fantastically done.

I'd definitely recommend this!

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

A really fantastic book exploring toxic masculinity, the pressure from peers and what it means to be a man.
This was a real emotional rollercoaster - I never quite knew where it was going and the ending up-ended everything in the best possible way.
This is certainly a thoughtful, interesting book that will provoke discussion and I'll be recommending it.

I first came across James via an email from Clare Mackintosh when Last Lesson was her book club pick back in 2020. I thought this was an excellent debut and was thrilled when I found out James had another book coming out.

Man Down tells the story of Will. He’s a teenager who isn’t quite your monosyllabic sulky grump. His interests are much more varied than the stereotyped sports, booze and sex. Instead he loves photography, reading, older music and being outdoors. He is devoted to his gran and visits regularly and helps her in a very kind and gentle way. He comes across as an absolute sweetheart and someone you just want to give a big cuddle to and tell him that he is absolutely fine as he is and not to hide or change who his is to suit others!

The story can be a little dark and uncomfortable in parts. Without giving away too much for those yet to have had the chance to read for themselves yet, there is exploration of difficult relationships, familial, friends and relationships. There is trauma, addiction and suicide amongst others. And all on a background of the challenges, pressure and expectation of toxic masculinity. I am not the primary target audience as a far from young adult but I thought the themes were well examined and developed and although perhaps not always easy to read, there was an underlying sensitivity.

I think Man Down will be enjoyed by many including those of us a bit beyond YA days! If you liked Last Lesson I think you’ll love this and if you haven’t tried either, what are you waiting for?

Man down was an incredibly complex and dark read. It had me hooked, paying close attention to the finer details in the book.

This book was like a breath of fresh air and focuses on topics including masculinity and what it means to be a hero.

This was a refreshing read that read from the male perspective of what peer pressure is like for a man, which is very rarely spoken about so it was an incredible and interesting read.

I read Man Down for a blog tour, because it sounded really interesting. The main character was apparently the only one to stop something awful from happening and I was curious to see how it played out. While I enjoyed the twist at the end of the story this book just wasn’t for me.

After reading a quick description of Man Down when a book tour was announced by @The_WriteReads/@WriteReadsTours I was definitely intrigued. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to read this one in time for the tour but I have since read it and here are my thoughts.

Man Down was definitely not what I was expecting, and honestly, I struggled with this one to start with. I was rather confused as to where it was going and also found the narrative confusing but I was determined to get to the end and I was so glad as the story really picked up and by about the 70% mark it really took off.

Although I struggles with the story at the start I liked the variety of likeable and unlikeable characters. I liked Will’s character the most you could really see his character grow. At the start of the book he starts off a shy and quiet character but as the story unfolds you can see both his confidence and personality grow. I absolutely loved the relationship between Will and his Nain (Grandmother). Another favourite character of mine was Alfie. Alfie is the total opposite of Will. His confident and always up for a laugh. But behind closed doors his a troubled young boy struggling with mental health issues, while trying to keep up with school work and keeping his family fed. One character I wasn’t sure about was April. I really didn’t know what to make of her. The character’s that I found unlikeable from the start were Danny (Will’s brother) and his dad. They were just twats. But after finishing the book I can see they were intentionally made to be unlikeable.

Man Down may have started off slow and confusing but it does pick up and come together nicely with an ending that I wasn’t expecting at all. It totally shook my mind. It’s cleverly done and honestly if it wasn’t for the ending this would have been just an ok read.

If you’re looking for an unexpected and original read then this is definitely a book to give a go!!

Please check out the trigger warnings at BookTriggerWarnings.com before picking up this book as there are topics within the book that readers may find triggering.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for my eARC on Man Down.

I ended up skimming to about 50% before I just admitted defeat and put this book down, I just really could not get into the story no matter how hard I tried.

Thank you to The Write Reads for organizing and inviting me to participate in this blog tour. Thank you, Penguin, for providing me with a copy of this book through Net Galley and tour materials in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn’t sure what I was expecting when I picked up Man Down because it was outside my usual wheelhouse. This book was different from anything I’ve read before, and I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about it. I found some parts of the book disturbing, and they left me feeling unsettled, but I am glad that I gave it a try.

The first thing I want to mention is some of the trigger and content warnings for this book. Man Down includes scenes with suicidal ideation, attempted suicide, suicide, attempted sex with a minor, mentioned sex with a minor (off-page), drug use, and homophobia. A full list of trigger and content warnings can be found on Book Trigger Warnings. I include this list of trigger and content warnings because I would have appreciated a warning about these things so I could have mentally prepared for it.

I didn’t mind most of the characters in this book. I liked watching Will become more confident, and I was rooting for him throughout the book. I also liked Nain (Will’s grandmother), Alfie, and April. I did not like Will’s Dad or Will’s brother Danny, but they were designed to be unlikeable characters.

One of the things this book deals with is toxic masculinity and society’s expectation of what a “real man” is. This was interesting to read about and watch Will grapple with society’s expectations and who he wants to be. I thought it made some interesting points, and I think this could be a good choice for a book club to discuss because it this commentary. I also liked some of the philosophical discussions in this book.

This book had a lot of twists and turns, and there were a lot of moments that I didn’t see coming. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out the mystery that Will was trying to solve and trying to figure out where the premonitions were coming from. These twists and turns certainly made for an interesting read.

This book was certainly different from what I’m used to. It’s a thriller with some supernatural aspects in it. It was easy enough to read, though it left me feeling slightly uneasy and unsettled.

This book is about Will - who all of a sudden seems to be able to see the future along with his bolted Nain. This book was a little bit confusing at the start as I got a bit confused by the narrative but as it went on I found it more enjoyable. It also had a lot of themes in it that were typical to teenagers and growing up and I felt like these really added to the story. It wasn’t my usual type of book but I’m glad that I read it.

I wasn’t quite sure what I was getting myself into when I started reading this book. It is written like a thriller, but also has elements of magical realism and even science fiction. My experience reading Man Down reminded me a lot of how I felt reading Fight Club. It was this strange sense of foreboding mixed with outright confusion about what exactly was going on.

A good portion of the novel is social commentary, particularly about toxic masculinity and sexism. Our main character, Will Parks, is by all means not a “manly” man. He has social anxiety, cries and apologizes constantly, and doesn’t quite know how to fight or stand up for himself and others. Throughout the novel, Will is is forced to confront the sexist and misogynistic world that we live in, whether it be the way men put on macho facades when around other people, or the way society victim blames and slut-shames women for crimes committed against them.

Man Down is an incredibly thought-provoking novel that is sure to illicit emotional reactions from its readers. Definitely heed the trigger and content warnings if you’re interested in trying this one out.

My thoughts



Narrative and Plot



Man down has the advantage of a non-linear narrative. We have one pov that foreshadows future events, and the other is the main character Will who takes the journey along with the readers. There are many ways a non-linear narrative can go wrong, especially with a time-jumping premise. However, if done right, it can be riveting like this one.

The plot is strong, and that keeps you hooked to the pages. There are a lot of topics covered in the book but it never overshadows the principal theme of the book, which I believe is the coming of age story of Will Parks.





Characters and Conflict



Will Parks is the main character of this story. He is your typical shy and awkward teenage boy with a lot going on in his life. At the lowest point of his life, Will encounters something strange and mysterious. From there, his life takes a turn for the better. However, all is not that simple. This mysterious entity has a mission for Will and in order to achieve it, Will needs to grow and become the "man" that he is supposed to be.




This brings us to the central conflict of the story without which the character arc of Will Parks would never be complete. There are very few books that shed light on toxic masculinity and how the idea is propagated around society. Not just in our social circle, but even within our family. Will starts as prey to these archaic ideas. However the moment he makes peace with himself and lets go of the idea of what is expected of him, his character arc is elevated to that of a confident young man or some might even say " hero".

The ensemble cast is well rounded and complements the main character's journey. The ending is smart and kind of leaves you in a hopeful situation or a perpetually perplexed one depending on how you interpret things.




Conclusion

Overall, Man Down is a must-read in today's times. It has a lot of trigger warnings. So make sure you check them before picking it up. But if you are up for it, hop in for a roller coaster ride of emotions and philosophies that will make you question the gender norms of the world we live in.

Man down was one of those books where I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first started reading. Man Down is a novel that brings so many current issues into the light, with a strong focus on men, teens and mental health/societal expectations. It makes uncomfortable reading at times and forces the reader to do some real introspection and thinking about their own thought processes.
Will lives in a town that represents many towns in the UK currently. Poverty is commonplace and people seem to hold some really toxic and old fashioned views. Despite being a fictional place (I think), it’s very real.
The main protagonist Will is a gentle, kind and hardworking young man. This is shown through his thoughts, and the way he treats others – including his lovely gran. His brother Danny is the complete opposite – despicable and really got under my skin. I think it takes talent to write lovely sweet characters that people love, but immense talent to write a bad guy who makes your skin crawl with how awful they can be. There is also the thought to be had around upbringing and environment and its impact of development and personality and the question is Danny to solely blame for himself is an important one (in my head anyway).
James Goodhand navigates the general world of teen angst really well, drawing attention to homophobia, toxic masculinity and societal expectations based around gender and he does it so well. I’d love to think that there are teens out there reading this and fully identifying with will’s experiences. And also teens reading this and realising they maybe need to change how they think and speak a little bit to their peers.
On top of the usual teen angst, Will is also seeing glimpses into the future and is being pulled towards a certain path – leading him to make a choice and discover what a true hero really is.
This is such an emotional book, dark in places and not always comfortable reading but so well written and certainly highlights things that need to said to everyone.

When this tour was announced, I was immediately intrigued by Man Down, and really wanted to find out where this book would go. It certainly wasn’t what I was expecting it to be, but that’s not exactly a bad thing.

Will Parks is a quiet, shy, and clearly very awkward teenager. He has no idea how to make friends, and certainly no idea how to talk to girls, but he’s sweet, caring, and respectful. He is the polar opposite of his brother Danny, who is over confident, cocky, and considers himself to be something of a lady’s man. In reality, Danny’s behaviour towards woman is rather disgusting. Actually his entire personality is disgusting, not just the way he is towards women, and instead of making fun of Will, he should be taking notes on how to behave more appropriately. But Danny isn’t the worst of it, there are multiple toxic male characters in Will’s life, including Danny, their father (who is clearly where Danny got his behaviour from), and Will’s boss Mick, and they all think that Will isn’t “man” enough.

The author did a brilliant job of writing this book. As a woman, the level of toxic masculinity at times made me feel quite uncomfortable, but that’s exactly what it should do. It SHOULD be real enough to feel it, and it was incredibly accurate in how it was written.

It took me a little while to get in to this book, it just didn’t grab me straight away and I was unsure how I felt about it for some time, but once the story picked up, I really got in to it. There were some very unusual aspects to this story, with a kind of supernatural element to it that I wasn’t expecting at all. This added a whole new layer to the story, which I really enjoyed. I think this is what really got me hooked, and once I was hooked I couldn’t stop reading.

In regards to the characters, of course I liked Will, and hated Danny, their father, and Mick. But my favourite character was definitely Alfie! Alfie was dealt a really rough hand, and was struggling, but he always put other people before himself. He was still the life of the party, the fun, happy one, and he was just a joy to read. I felt incredibly sorry for April from the very beginning, she was a victim in so many ways, and it was so sad to read. One of my favourite things about this book was Will’s relationship with his Nain (nan), because it was just so pure and beautiful. She was quite clearly the most important part of Will’s family to him, and her love and support for him did not waver. Their relationship was also an integral part of the story.

This book focuses on some very important subjects. As well as the toxic masculinity, it also talks about mental health struggles, and this aspect hit me quite hard. The author did an excellent job of showing how people will hide their struggles and try to deal with them alone, instead of speaking out, and I think that this is even more common within male mental health. A lot of men seem to think that people will consider them “weak” if they admit that they are struggling, or they think they’ll be told to “man up”, and this is where toxic masculinity and mental health issues link together in such a dangerous way. It is not weak to admit you need help, it actually takes a huge amount of strength to open up in that way, and this needs to be spoken about more.

Man Down is one of those stories that starts as a slow burn, and gradually increases in intensity throughout the book, coming together in an explosive and totally unexpected ending. Honestly, the ending blew my mind, I’m still in shock! It was extremely clever, and it definitely makes you think. For me, the ending actually made the book. In a way, it made me think of Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk, not because it was similar in any way (because it wasn’t) but because of how the ending completely changes your perspective of everything you’ve already read up to that point, and I absolutely loved this about it.

Despite struggling to get in to it initially, I ended up really enjoying this book, and I’m still thinking about that ending now. This was unlike anything I’ve read before, and I look forward to seeing what else the author has in store for us in the future.

I give Man Down a 4 star rating!

Well, the plot of this compelling read covers a number of genre's and ended up going in directions that I certainly wasn't expecting when I read the synopsis.

The story is predominantly about seventeen year old William Parks who lived with his mother and elder (Neanderthal) brother Danny and was one of life's invisible people,felt like he was always in the wrong and the need to constantly apologise for his actions (boy, I can really empathise with those feelings) The only person with whom Will felt any true connection was with his Nain (Nan) whose brain was gradually being destroyed by the terrifying, debilitating condition that is known as dementia. Will was the only member of his family who really showed any compassion towards the poor old lady and it was heart breaking witnessing the way that she was ridiculed during what the other's referred to as her 'episodes' Will was in the confusing limbo land between being a child and becoming a Man and the author had imbued his main character with a realistic blend of conflicting feelings and emotions. Will viewed himself as a wimp, a conviction that wasn't helped by the sexist and demeaning attitudes of his brother and obnoxious father but little did he realise the effects that finding himself trapped in his brother's car one Friday evening with Danny and a girl called April will have on his life and future. Will suddenly finds himself living something which closely resembles the plot of a episode of The Twilight Zone only this isn't fiction,it's Will's reality. Many people's lives will depend on him making the correct choices and decisions. So is Will strong enough in character to break the habits of a lifetime or is he destined to spend his life being one of the invisible people?

Will was a really likeable, caring individual who, at the start of the story did actually come across as a bit of a wimp and it was fascinating witnessing the changes in his character,demeanour and personality as the story unfolded. There was one point in the story when I actually cheered and wanted to reach into the book and give him a high five. I loved the interactions between Will and his Nain and also with my favourite character, poor, deeply troubled Alfie, a flawed individual who like many of us was hiding so much pain behind the mask of a happy, jovial clown. I had mixed feelings about April, there was times when I liked her and times when I didn't. She really was a emotionally messed up young lady but I suppose that was completely understandable when you took events from her past into consideration.

Interspersed throughout the story was chapters that were written in italics and voiced from the perspective of someone or something who was apparently stalking Will because they knew his every move. This individual insisted that they were preparing Will for a life changing task but what was that task and who was the mysterious narrator of these chapters. Believe me, you won't see the answer to that question coming, when the truth was revealed I almost dropped the book in shock and surprise and found myself doing a very bad impersonation of omg cat.

The pages of this strangely captivating,complex story are permeated with a chilling sense of foreboding and a large dose of the supernatural. The author cleverly manipulates the reader into believing that tragedy is going to strike in more than one setting of his story causing your feelings of tension and anxiety to ramp up to the max. The intelligently written plot covers a wide range of relatable and realistic issues including bullying, toxic masculinity, homophobia, suicide, first love, mental health issues, judgement and the social divide. It's a powerful story that causes me to experience a wide range of conflicting emotions and had a genuinely unexpected, unpredictable conclusion. To be honest,I did struggle at times to finish the book but that was more to do with my own mental health issues than the story itself. In the end, I did enjoy being a passenger on Will's life changing journey and I would gladly read more of this author's books in the future.

What's it about (in a nutshell):
Man Down by James Goodhand is a supernatural tale about the unlikeliest of heroes and the events that made him what he becomes.

What I Enjoyed:
I loved the supernatural elements. Based on the book's description, I didn't expect them, and the surprise of that aspect, as well as the component itself, are a compelling force that kept the pages turning. I wanted to know if Will Parks indeed had premonitions or if it was just his anxiety. And the two people that kept warning him of things to come – were they real or imagined? It provided me with many spine-chilling moments as the book progressed.

I didn't care for the world full of toxic masculinity that Will lived in, but I liked what that meant for Will's character development. All the men in this story are crude, base, misogynistic, and spoiling for a fight, except for Will Parks, his friend Alfie, and another schoolmate Kris. His brother, the men that came into the bar where he worked, and others around him left me cold with their depiction. But nothing makes someone stand out more than if they are different from the pack.

This character-driven story is told in limited third-person narration, focusing solely on Will Parks. His story is atmospheric and full of darkness and question. For the first seventy-five percent of the novel, I wasn't sure where the story was going or if I wanted to go there. But the last twenty-five percent made me glad that I had, and the ending… oh my, what an ending. Book clubs and teachers will love to discuss that ending and how it reframes the whole story.

What I Wish:
All men other than Will and a few of his friends being so toxically masculine left me wondering where all of the real men were. Where are the masculine men who treat women and other men with respect? Many exist in the world, but poor Will Parks didn't have any such role model and thus was open to all that he had to go through. I wish that his environment had been more reflective of the real world.

Characters:
Will Parks is a tall young man, and he does not enjoy things like sports, lifting weights, and meaningless sexual encounters. He has many anxieties and would rather keep the peace than participate in a physical fight. Everyone around him questions his sexuality because of this, causing him to ask if he was wrong about who he is and who he is attracted to. His life is filled with struggle, and he has to either overcome or be defined by the people around him.

To Read or Not to Read:
If you are looking for a unique, fresh voice telling a story about what it means to be a man in a world full of toxic masculinity and enjoy an ending that will lead you to contemplate for many days after you close the book for the last time, Man Down is just the book you are looking for.

Man Down is one of those books I went in to with zero expectations – I was intrigued by the synopsis for sure but aside from that, I had no idea what the novel was about and didn’t even make any guesses. I think this definitely heightened my experience reading this book and trust me it was a real journey. At first I didn’t think I was going to enjoy the book but as I got deeper into the story and more and more invested in Will’s story – it’s like something clicked and I found myself engrossed.

One of the main things which struck me about this novel was the focus on the protagonist Will growing up as a teenager and the challenges and issues raised by toxic masculinity as part of his experience. As a reader you get to really see how society and specifically the men around him, his brother and dad specifically and how their false sense of bravado and ‘macho’ behaviour has led Will to believing he has to perform and be something other than who he really is, trying and failing to fit in to the narrow boundaries of what a boy or a man ‘should’ be. We read as Will starts to question these ideals and form his own identity and beliefs and reconcile with other peoples expectations versus who he actually is.

The novel grapples with this as a central issue and I believe it manages to delve into this in a pretty touching way. I really enjoyed reading as Will goes from suffering from extreme social anxiety and being somewhat isolated to forming connections with his peers and feeling part of something, indulging in his passions and realising that he is enough and that he is worthy of good things. I think many young readers will be able to relate to Will’s feelings and experiences within the novel and I hope that it can help even one person feel less alone and realise that things will get better.

The author doesn’t shy away from exploring some pretty serious subject matter and I think this is so important in a Y/A novel especially. A lot of the issues and situations the characters find themselves in: dealing with divorced parents, loss, grief, addiction, suicidal ideation, consent and sex to name a few are all things which affect everyone and that a lot of young people specifically are struggling with. I applaud the author for taking these on and providing a realistic depiction but also imbuing the story with hope.

Another great element within the novel was the sense of suspense and mystery cloaking the strange premonitions Will seems to get and the ever present secondary point of view we get every so often. I liked how this plot played out and how it all fits into place once the story reaches its climax – it was clever and made complete sense, and it’s so bittersweet as well. If you’ve read the novel or plan to read it – please tell me you also felt this way because that ending hit me so hard.

Overall, Man Down is a compelling and emotional read which will stick with me – I feel like many readers will benefit from this story and it provides a unique and timely point of view.