October 15, 2012

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher


Thirteen Reasons Why

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.


My Thoughts/Review:

Thirteen Reasons Why is a whirlwind, full of emotion, along with a cast full of terrific characters. It pulled me in from the very beginning. If you know me, you know that I absolutely cannot resist a sad story, a sad song, or even a sad movie. The more they make me cry, the better I'll feel at the end. Because it actually says something. It's not meaningless fluff, and you'll know when you're finished that you truly got something out of it. It was truly worth it.

Hannah's story is exactly that. It's amazingly sad, but you know when you're done that it was worth it. It was worth it, just to know why she did it. What her 'Thirteen Reasons Why' were. Why she never truly thought that she belonged. And that sad part is, that through Clay's eyes, she was amazing. But she never knew it. So many things went wrong in her life, and they all just added and added to the catalyst. The real reason why.

Even though we never really get to see Hannah alive (her point of view is told through tapes, made before she died. Her suicide note, if you will.), she is so amazingly developed that I had a hard time believing that she was dead. A lot of authors don't pull out all the stops when writing a character, but Jay Asher definitely did. I had no problem believing that Hannah was real, or that she had killed herself. She was that kind of character, and I really, really wish that she hadn't been a suicide. I would've loved to have read a story about a happy Hannah, but maybe she wouldn't have been as great happy.

Maybe what makes her so great is her heart-breaking story, and the lengths she goes through to tell it. Maybe she would've been mediocre without it.

I hope not. But it's always a possibility. You've heard me sing Hannah's praises enough. Now you need to hear about Clay. Clay is everything that Hannah is not. He's a happy-go-lucky kind of guy. No one ever has anything bad to say about him, because he's simply a good guy. And when he's listening to the tapes, you feel him. You feel his agony, right in your heart, pulsing to get out. He doesn't know why he's on the tapes. And neither do you, until you truly read. You'll be surprised, because he has the best story of all.

Overall, I cannot sing enough praises about Thirteen Reasons Why, so I'll stop now, before I get too carried away.

 stars-desi-glitters-10stars-desi-glitters-10stars-desi-glitters-10stars-desi-glitters-10
Favorite Quote:
And truthfully, I don't know what they could have said to sway me either way. Because maybe I was being selfish. Maybe I was just looking for attention. Maybe I just wanted to hear people discuss me and my problems.

10 comments:

  1. I've been playing with the idea of reading this book, but 13 reasons why seems like a really powerful book that will have me weeping out for day and on it path it will break my heart.
    Thank you for this review and letting us know your thoughts.

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    1. Haha, it's definitely that. If you're ever in the mood for a really sad book, I would certainly recommend this one. If you like your stories light though, I wouldn't read this one. *sobs uncontrollably* ;)

      Your welcome! Thank you for reading my thoughts! :D

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  2. Great review! I've heard such good things about this book but haven't gotten to it yet. It's on my TBR list! :D

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    1. Thank you! It's really a terrific book, you should check it out! (Haha, my TBR is huge!) ;)

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  3. Love this one! I was like, in love with the cassette tape-styled story-telling. It was one of the most interesting way of unraveling a plot I'd ever seen. It really is an great, and very emotional book. (:

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    1. Awesome! I love it too! It seems like it all flowed really seamlessly together, don't you think? I love the tapes! *hugs book* I agree! Sobbing is definitely involved for most readers, I believe. ;)

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  4. I can't wait to read this book! It's on my to read list, but I have a feeling i will cry, so I keep putting it off. May have to get on with it tonight. :)

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    1. Awesome! I love that so many people want to read this book, because it's totally worth it! I didn't cry, but I sure got close. ;)

      Don't put it off for any longer! It is so worth reading. ;)

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  5. I just recommended this book on your giveaway! Yes, I completely agree with you, Thirteen Reasons Why is that roller-coaster ride of emotions you can't help but get drawn in :) I think I read the book in an afternoon or something and cried the whole night after that :(

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    1. Awesome! Now I know that you have good taste! ;) Aww, well thank you. It was a beautiful book, I think! I read it really fast too, but I didn't cry. It's okay though, I cry at the end of The Notebook. ;)

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