Review: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

My Rating: 5/5





Synopsis from Goodreads:


Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen 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.

Review:

I don't know what to say about this book. I think a simple "it's great" wouldn't suffice for the masterpiece that Asher has managed to create in a matter of 228 pages. Thirteen Reasons Why addresses such a relevant issue plaguing our society that sometimes, we tend to neglect or overlook. This book brings the harsh reality of the consequences of our actions before us, stripping us from the facade of ignorance. You can't just ignore this book, it stays with you.

There are a few main reasons why I'm giving this book 5/5 stars-

1. The brutal simplicity of how Asher wrote Hannah's cassette tapes. I felt like I could really hear her. There was no extravagant flair to her tone or a feeling of over exaggerated emotions. It was just simple and to the point, making the readers ache for Hannah and her pain even more. The author's tone complemented the message of the story beautifully. Also, the point of view switches from Hannah to Clay, giving the reader a complete insight on Clay and a limited one on Hannah. That was a plus for me because it not only took me inside the victim, but also someone who knew the victim and how they felt.

2. Cassette tapes? How original! Really! I think Hannah's words came to life even more so because her words were recorded in tapes and not written down or told to someone. It's horrifyingly beautiful though. Someone wanted to kill herself so badly that she would go through the trouble of preparing for after her death.

3. Some people think that Hannah's reasons for murdering herself weren't legitimate enough. Hmm... Really now? I actually thought the reasons for making such a drastic decision... made sense. Not everyone can cope with emotions and words the same way. We're all different. And this book makes us realize that we can impact absolutely anyone. Whether we do in a good or a bad way is up to us.

Interested? Check it out on Goodreads!