Review: Thirteen Reasons Why

Thirteen Reasons Why – Jay Asher
Genre – Young Adult Contemporary

Clay Jensen returns home to find a strange package wth his name on it. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker – his classmate and first love – who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

Hannah’s voice explains there are thirteen reasons why she killed herself. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out why.

All through the night, Clay keeps listening – and what he discovers changes his life…Forever.

What can I say that already hasn’t been said by book reviewers throughout the blogosphere? Thirteen Reasons Why is a phenomenal piece of literature and I am so glad that I had the opportunity to read it.

It felt almost private; like I didn’t deserve the privilege to listen to Hannah Baker’s last words. I felt very much like Clay and did not put the book down until I finished reading it. I just had to know, I had to find out the reasons that Hannah committed suicide. I couldn’t rest until I was sure that her reasons were justified and then I was sad because I felt like they weren’t. I felt like someone could have saved Hannah and helped her and that she came to the conclusion of suicide too quickly – I know she said that she’d been thinking about it for a while but I wish her parents had been more involved in her life.

At times I didn’t understand Hannah’s reasons for doing things – driving Courtney to the party, staying with Marcus after he was late – but I did feel for her every single time something went wrong. I also feel that Hannah’s story is written in a “worst case scenario” way. These are all the worst things that can happen to you. These are all the different ways that you life can fall apart at once. I must admit, when she got into that hot tub with Bryce, my life did fall apart. All the strength I had been carrying for Hannah, hoping that she would snap out it, failed when she gave in to Bryce. That was a very powerful scene.

I knew what to expect when I picked up this book but I was still hoping that maybe Hannah hadn’t killed herself and that maybe this was just a big joke she was playing on everyone to get revenge. I hoped, but I knew it wasn’t true. Hannah was well and truly gone. I hoped because I fell in love with Hannah and wanted to save her.

Jay Asher tells us an emotional story in a unique way. The writing style is fresh and interesting and everything connects so well at the end. You become invested in Hannah’s story and the message behind it. I recommend this book to everyone.

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