Title: Thirteen Reasons Why
Author: Jay Asher
Series: -
Genres: Contemporary, Realistic
Fiction
Publisher: Puffin
Release: August 6th, 2009
Source: Kindle
Pages: 319
// Goodreads //
BLURB:
You can't stop the future. You can't rewind the past. The only way to learn the secret . . . is to press play.
Clay Jensen returns home to find a strange package with his name on it. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker - his classmate and first love - who committed suicide.
Hannah's voice explains there are thirteen reasons why she killed herself and 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.
Bestselling US author Jay Asher had the idea for his debut young adult novel Thirteen Reasons Why at a museum. Whilst taking an audio tour, he was struck by the eeriness of the voice in his ear - a woman who described everything he was looking at but wasn't there. You can hear Hannah's tapes at hannahsreasons.blogspot.com.
EXPECTATIONS: I knew about this book for a while
now, but never kind of picked it up to read. I was going through new TV series
and noticed that this book was made into a television show, so this was a sign
to read this book. And - I did!
THE WORLD: Our normal world. Nothing special, not out of the ordinary. Normal, town, school, people.
But before we move with this review, I have to say that I DID NOT like this book. This book brought so much emotion in me and while some was ok-ish, some was just plain anger for the stupidity. I have to mention that this book deals and talks about suicide, so if you don't want to read or know about such things you shouldn't continue. However, if you continue to read I'll explain everything!
But before we move with this review, I have to say that I DID NOT like this book. This book brought so much emotion in me and while some was ok-ish, some was just plain anger for the stupidity. I have to mention that this book deals and talks about suicide, so if you don't want to read or know about such things you shouldn't continue. However, if you continue to read I'll explain everything!
CHARACTERS: Hannah Baker is our main character in this book. She is the girl who commits suicide and records 13 tapes where she tells the side of her story, about what specifically led to her killing herself. I have to admit, I do not like Hannah. Now this is only my opinion of course, but I do not agree with her choice to records these tapes and pass them a long to other people. Why would anyone do that? I mean, true when you are broken mentally and you truly cannot handle the pressure of the world you do things you can't explain, but in all honesty, the majority of the reasons she killed herself for was pure attention seeking. And she ended up ruining many lives and causing pain to many more people than the book actually led us to believe. I mean as I read the book, I didn't really understand why she acted the way she did, and then blamed everyone else for it. So, in all honesty, no, I do not like Hannah, I do not like how she manipulated people, kept secrets and then hurt people. The book tried to make her into martyr, into this absolute victim but let me tell you, as a woman in the 21st century, I go through these things everyday, I get picked on, and guys try to grab me and insult me when being rejected, and you know what that makes me want to do? Show them that I am better than that, that I am not a number, or an object. It surely doesn't make me want to kill myself. Of course Hannah is a teenager, but I was a teenager and I went through the majority of things Hannah went through and it made me stronger. So personally, I think the author should have town down on the reasons and perhaps have a couple of them including rape because I agree, this is a huge issue and more books should be brought up to the day light actually telling what a horrible experience that is to go through. I will discuss in the minus section one of the 13 reasons, that I think not even didn't make Hannah a victim, but made her a criminal!
Our next main character is Clay, a boy who was kind of in love with Hannah, since they worked together during summer, and he was just everywhere she was, so they kind of had this friendship. I liked Clay honestly, I think he had this rational mind and I was very sad for what Hannah did to him honestly (I'll explain this part in the Bad section). But he was very genuine to me, I mean he didn't pretend to be anyone else than he was. He was just a nice guy. A nice guy, us girls sometimes look pass without seeing how *** (insert a swear word) amazing they are, because we simply want that bad boy too much. And I cannot get over the fact what Hannah did to him!
We also have other characters, who are not as leading as these two. But I liked Tony a lot, I also liked Alex to some point, Justin I thought was the victim of circumstances. Totally hated Bryce.
I liked Skye A LOT! I loved her actually. I mean I'm not putting myself out there, but she reminded me of myself honestly. I dunno I liked her a lot a lot a lot!
Our next main character is Clay, a boy who was kind of in love with Hannah, since they worked together during summer, and he was just everywhere she was, so they kind of had this friendship. I liked Clay honestly, I think he had this rational mind and I was very sad for what Hannah did to him honestly (I'll explain this part in the Bad section). But he was very genuine to me, I mean he didn't pretend to be anyone else than he was. He was just a nice guy. A nice guy, us girls sometimes look pass without seeing how *** (insert a swear word) amazing they are, because we simply want that bad boy too much. And I cannot get over the fact what Hannah did to him!
We also have other characters, who are not as leading as these two. But I liked Tony a lot, I also liked Alex to some point, Justin I thought was the victim of circumstances. Totally hated Bryce.
I liked Skye A LOT! I loved her actually. I mean I'm not putting myself out there, but she reminded me of myself honestly. I dunno I liked her a lot a lot a lot!
ROMANCE: There is all sorts of love in this book. Hannah has a crush on Justin, then on Zach, then on Alex and all these other jerks. Clay has a crush on Hannah, is even in love with her, but Hannah only sees the bad boys, the jerks, the wrong ones!
One again will contain spoilers
GOOD: Now I want to talk about this book in full because teenage suicide is not something to just push aside, so for those who don't want to be spoiled, I say let's talk when you read this. For those who will keep reading, I hope you will understand me:
I think it's good these books exist. People commit
suicide everyday and we need to finally understand that this is something that more
attention needs to be brought to. Another thing that I liked was the concept of
the book and the way it was written, because we get Hannah talking in the tapes
and then suddenly Clay interrupts it's amazing!
Also what I loved about this book was it's very
quotable. For example:
No one knows for certain how much impact they have on
the lives of other people. Oftentimes, we have no clue. Yet we push it just the
same
or
But you can't get away from yourself. You
can't decide not to see yourself anymore. You can't decide to turn off the
noise in your head
Lovely quotes. I also did like the relationship, the
kids had with their parents. I mean it was truly a relationship.
The ending to me made me cry. Not the story with
Hannah and all, but the book ends with Clay seeing Skye in the hall and he
looks at her and just calls after her by saying her name. I started to cry,
literally, because in that moment Clay could possible save Skye for killing
herself, he probably began a friendship. maybe even a relationship, who knows
really. But the fact is that he called a girl, who just needed a friend. Oh and
I am so Clay+Skye!
BAD: I am numerating this part s always to make sure I won't forget something:
1. The 13 reasons why Hannah killed herself - I have to say, and judge me if you want, but this is my opinion only, but I did so not agree with the majority of the reasons why Hannah committed suicide. I understand that the author wanted to have them, but let me tell you something right here, bullying I agree with, rape I agree with, because no person deserves to be violated like that. But calling names, boys asking her out and then trying to touch her ass or something, is not a reason to kill yourself. I mean some of the reasons where to stupid, and Hannah wanted the attention herself. Like for example: Alex creates a list or something and writes that she has the best ass in school, so boys ask her out, then when they realize she's not a slut they push her away, so she automatically creates all this drama. Or for fighting with her friends. Girls fight Hannah! I dunno, I too went through rough time in school, at one point I had no friend apart from my parents and brother but I didn't kill myself, I realized at the age of 14 that doing that would kill my family so you know what I did? I wrote a story about zombies and teenagers, I spent time with my family, I read! There is a way out guys, if you just say something!
I want to discuss two reasons in more details - in one of the tapes she confesses that she was in a room, during a party, when a girl was raped AND SHE DID NOTHING! I mean she keeps blaming people for the most random things ever, for not saying hello to her and then when she lets some guy rape a girl, while she's in the room, she just presents this fact 'I know cause I was there'. Excuse me? You need to either get up and stop the guy or go straight to the police and tell them what happened! You do not record it in a tape and send it to kids in school. And I mean, she knows all these random crimes that people in her school did and she tells no one, I mean don't kill yourself, go and tell them to the police girl! Because I just cannot wrap my mind around this thing. She was in a room, when someone was being raped and she did sat there, and on top that she then turned it out as if she was the victim and then recorded into tapes and passed them to Clay, for example, who now became a part of this crime because he knows someone got raped! I just....(deep breathing and hands rubbing eyes because of anger)...I just cannot understand this!
2. Sending the tapes to Clay - OK, so Clay gets the tapes and he automatically asks 'What did I do to Hannah? Did I kill Hannah? And everyone, and I do mean everyone, tells him YES! OK, so I keep reading this and so by the end of the tapes we are told that Clay has nothing to do with Hannah killing herself. That he was the nicest guy she has ever met and that she loved him. I mean what the hell Hannah? Are you kidding me? You loved him, so that's why you send him these tapes, to cause him more pain and made him an accomplice to the crimes. I mean Clay is an innocent guy in all of this, he just had a crush on Hannah, who always went after the bad boys and so now he gets some tapes with random crimes his classmates did and what is he suppose to do? Go to the police, then they will kill him, don't go to the police then he is a criminal himself. I mean, how selfish was she? You say you love him and you do this to him? That's not love!
3. Hannah's attitude - I mean....in my short life I have known few people who were suicidal, tried to commit suicide and let me tell you none of them ever said 'some of you cared, just not enough'. What is this? I mean it felt like she played this part of a suicidal girl for attention. Honestly, before realizing that Bryce raped her I didn't even believe she even did want to kill herself. I mean she was just so 'You must stop me, you must show me how I matter, I am the greatest, me me me me me'. I'm sorry if you liked Hannah, but when she goes to the teacher and then basically kills herself because he didn't go after her, I just couldn't anymore. I mean I do understand that the teacher should have reacted and did something, but her move was just a little too much! And also, I feel that the only person who should be blamed is Bryce for raping her. I mean I understand, that the author tried to show she was bullied, but honestly, I don't think the author knows what real bullying is.
4. The portrayal of teachers - Through out this book, the teachers are portrayed as plain assholes. I mean I'm sorry but if a student comes to a teacher and says I was raped, they do not just tell them to move on. I mean even the way Hannah told Mr. Porter, was weird. But in any case a teacher would call police immediately. My mom is a teacher and I know for a fact that she would not just say 'Move on girl', to a child that says she was raped. I got really angry!
1. The 13 reasons why Hannah killed herself - I have to say, and judge me if you want, but this is my opinion only, but I did so not agree with the majority of the reasons why Hannah committed suicide. I understand that the author wanted to have them, but let me tell you something right here, bullying I agree with, rape I agree with, because no person deserves to be violated like that. But calling names, boys asking her out and then trying to touch her ass or something, is not a reason to kill yourself. I mean some of the reasons where to stupid, and Hannah wanted the attention herself. Like for example: Alex creates a list or something and writes that she has the best ass in school, so boys ask her out, then when they realize she's not a slut they push her away, so she automatically creates all this drama. Or for fighting with her friends. Girls fight Hannah! I dunno, I too went through rough time in school, at one point I had no friend apart from my parents and brother but I didn't kill myself, I realized at the age of 14 that doing that would kill my family so you know what I did? I wrote a story about zombies and teenagers, I spent time with my family, I read! There is a way out guys, if you just say something!
I want to discuss two reasons in more details - in one of the tapes she confesses that she was in a room, during a party, when a girl was raped AND SHE DID NOTHING! I mean she keeps blaming people for the most random things ever, for not saying hello to her and then when she lets some guy rape a girl, while she's in the room, she just presents this fact 'I know cause I was there'. Excuse me? You need to either get up and stop the guy or go straight to the police and tell them what happened! You do not record it in a tape and send it to kids in school. And I mean, she knows all these random crimes that people in her school did and she tells no one, I mean don't kill yourself, go and tell them to the police girl! Because I just cannot wrap my mind around this thing. She was in a room, when someone was being raped and she did sat there, and on top that she then turned it out as if she was the victim and then recorded into tapes and passed them to Clay, for example, who now became a part of this crime because he knows someone got raped! I just....(deep breathing and hands rubbing eyes because of anger)...I just cannot understand this!
2. Sending the tapes to Clay - OK, so Clay gets the tapes and he automatically asks 'What did I do to Hannah? Did I kill Hannah? And everyone, and I do mean everyone, tells him YES! OK, so I keep reading this and so by the end of the tapes we are told that Clay has nothing to do with Hannah killing herself. That he was the nicest guy she has ever met and that she loved him. I mean what the hell Hannah? Are you kidding me? You loved him, so that's why you send him these tapes, to cause him more pain and made him an accomplice to the crimes. I mean Clay is an innocent guy in all of this, he just had a crush on Hannah, who always went after the bad boys and so now he gets some tapes with random crimes his classmates did and what is he suppose to do? Go to the police, then they will kill him, don't go to the police then he is a criminal himself. I mean, how selfish was she? You say you love him and you do this to him? That's not love!
3. Hannah's attitude - I mean....in my short life I have known few people who were suicidal, tried to commit suicide and let me tell you none of them ever said 'some of you cared, just not enough'. What is this? I mean it felt like she played this part of a suicidal girl for attention. Honestly, before realizing that Bryce raped her I didn't even believe she even did want to kill herself. I mean she was just so 'You must stop me, you must show me how I matter, I am the greatest, me me me me me'. I'm sorry if you liked Hannah, but when she goes to the teacher and then basically kills herself because he didn't go after her, I just couldn't anymore. I mean I do understand that the teacher should have reacted and did something, but her move was just a little too much! And also, I feel that the only person who should be blamed is Bryce for raping her. I mean I understand, that the author tried to show she was bullied, but honestly, I don't think the author knows what real bullying is.
4. The portrayal of teachers - Through out this book, the teachers are portrayed as plain assholes. I mean I'm sorry but if a student comes to a teacher and says I was raped, they do not just tell them to move on. I mean even the way Hannah told Mr. Porter, was weird. But in any case a teacher would call police immediately. My mom is a teacher and I know for a fact that she would not just say 'Move on girl', to a child that says she was raped. I got really angry!
OVERALL: I would never allow my kids to read this book. It teaches nothing, not how to be strong and ignore your bullies, or how to protect yourself, it doesn't teach you how to express your emotions and tell people how you feel. It teaches nothing! If you have kids, or if you have suicidal thoughts and have issues, do not read this book! You know what? You write me, I'll listen, I'll talk to you, just don't read this book!
And if you have ever been forced into doing something, or
you feel danger or something is wrong, do not keep it to yourself, go tell your
parents, friends, the police! DO NOT keep it in! If you're afraid someone will judge you for something DON'T. There will always be more people who will
stand by you! Trust me!
What do you think about THIRTEEN REASONS WHY?
