Rowena’s review of Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher.
Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker–his classmate and crush–who committed suicide two weeks earlier.
On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out how he made the list.
Through Hannah and Clay’s dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.
Every once in a while, a book will capture my attention and hold it for a while but then every once in a blue moon, a story will capture my heart and won’t let go. This story was that story for me. Throughout the entire book, I kept thinking, “Oh goodness, what could Clay have possibly done to end up on Hannah’s list?” and the more I read, the more I needed to know what happened. I was intrigued with this story because on the cover of the book that I got, it read:
“There are 13 reasons why your friend died. You are one of them.”
The main character in this story is a girl named Hannah. Hannah committed suicide but before she did that, she made tapes listing the reasons (there were 13) why she committed suicide. The way that her reasons connected and how they ended up on her list had me thinking back to high school and wondering over my actions and even my non-actions. Can you imagine being in high school, being a teenager and receiving a box with tapes that a friend of yours recorded, listing you as one of the reasons she killed herself? I cannot even imagine something like that and yet this was reality to Clay Jensen.
Clay had the biggest crush on Hannah but he was too shy to reveal his feelings to her. He thought that he had time but when she killed herself, his time ran out and then he gets this box from her and he listens to the tapes and the tapes reveal reason after reason of her suicide and you can’t help but feel for Clay because he’s about to find out why he was a reason Hannah (his crush) killed herself. While you’re reading this book your mind is racing, your heart is hurting for this young girl and you can’t help but wonder….what if I had gotten a box like this? How would I react? What would I do? What would I think? Have I given anyone reason to add me to their list of reasons they’d want to kill themselves? This book was a very deep book, one that had me guessing right up until the last chapter.
I was invested in this story and Asher did a fantastic job of keeping me into this story. I hated those other kids of Hannah and it made me realize how one small rumor can snowball into a bunch of little incidents that hurt people and it made me ashamed and regret my actions as a teenager. I wasn’t a bad kid, I’m what one of my co workers calls a “pleaser” I don’t like others to be mad at me so I go out of my way to be nice to everyone and yet there were times in high school that I repeated a rumor I heard or treated someone with caution because of a rumor I heard. I very well might have passed up some amazing friendships because of rumors I heard.
It’s weird how reading this book brought back so many faces to mind of people that I went to high school with. People who had rumors spread about them, the snickers you’d hear when that person walked by and we all know how rumors are, they spread like wildfire and this book showed us how some of those rumors could effect the people around us and it made me sit up and take notice.
This book was really good. It wasn’t a romance, it wasn’t a flighty young adult novel, it was a story that had depth, a story that made you think and a story that made you want to be better. I definitely recommend this book to everyone. It’s a book that I think everyone should read, just because. It’s an eye opener of a book.
Grade: 4.75 out of 5
This book is available from Penguin. You can buy it here.
The book sounds great. What’s the age range? Do you think it’s appropriate for a 13-14 year old? Thanks.
Wow. I mean, just by reading this review my heart aches. This book sounds really interesting. I have to read this. Great review.
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@ Wena
Hi Wena, Did you think it was cruel of Hannah to send the tapes to Clay and “blame” him as one of the 13 reasons she killed herself? It might be explained in the story in some way but that’s the first thing I thought of – “wow, she really wanted to punish him, what did he do to deserve that?”
I’m probably missing the point a bit but I do get a bit grumbly when people don’t take responsibility for their own actions. I understand that suicide is a serious issue but there are plenty of people out there who have the same or worse kind of trauma and DON’T kill themselves so in the end, doesn’t it boil down to the individual’s decision to act in a certain way (ie, suicide)?
My uncle committed suicide a few years back and he did it to get back at his soon-to-be ex-wife – before he did it he said words to the effect of “I’m going to fix it, she’ll see what’s she’s done”. His daughter found his body. My mum blamed herself for ages for not “seeing it and stopping him”. At the time and ever since, I’ve thought that, even though he had big problems, he made a bad choice that caused so much harm to his children and his extended family and he wasted his life.
I realise that this is a YA book and the circumstances are no doubt very different to what my family experienced (and I only mention it so you understand that I have had some limited experience with this issue personally and I’m not just talking from an intellectual POV) and I also realise that a grown man’s decision making and a teen’s decision making are different too.
I guess from my own experience, I see a person blaming someone (even 1/13th) for their own suicide is pretty cruel and mean and I’m interested in your take on it – obviously the book touched you, after all.
Sorry for rambling but I’m curious to know how it was handled in the book and what you think about it. thx.
I felt much the same about this book after finishing it. It was one of my top reads for last year. Glad you enjoyed it!!
thx for clarifying Wena. I guess if I want more I’ll HAVE TO READ THE BOOK!! 🙂
Lorraine,
My 16 year old niece read this book as a sophomore for assigned reading in her English class. I let my 12 year old niece read this book and she really enjoyed it.
LCzinha,
Thanks for stopping by, you should definitely read this book, it’s really good. The ending was abrupt but the rest of the book makes up for that.
You know before we get to Clay’s tape, I was kind of peeved in a way that Hannah would blame Clay in any way but then I kept thinking, well, maybe he did something that he was unaware of but everything is explained in the story and it’s all for the better so I was able to stick with the storyline.
My brother in law and I were having a discussion about suicide while I was reading this book and though I don’t think that its ever the answer, reading this book has definitely opened my eyes to the way that I treat others and the way that I want to be treated. The main focus wasn’t on Hannah’s suicide but on the actions of the people that drove her to kill herself.
It’s definitely a book that you’d want your kids (middle school age and up) to read so that they can understand that their actions and their words can affect others in a way that could be harmful.
It’s not a book that glamorizes suicide, it’s a book about treating others with the respect that you’d want for yourself.
Sunnysmileqt,
This was a great book, its definitely in my top reads of this year!
Kaetrin,
Yes, you should definitely read this book.
this book is so awesome it is suitable for ages 13 and up or should i say middle school and up but my teacher has the book and i want a copy but cant find one can someone help with that i need a store need a store near euclid