Thirteen Reasons Why

Review of Thirteen Reasons Why

by Maddie H

Imagine receiving news that alters your outlook on life forever. In the book, Thirteen Reasons Why, by Jay Asher, a mysterious package is delivered to Clay Jensen’s doorstep. After examining the contents of the box, he discovers that it is a taped version of fellow student, Hannah Baker’s, suicide note. On the tapes, Hannah explains that each person that receives them played a role in her death. After each person is finished listening to the tapes, they must pass them onto the next person, they will be exposed to the public.

This novel is definitely one worth reading. It conveys powerful message on how our actions can affect others, which is very important in today's society where suicide is becoming more and more of an issue. The novel is also a quick read. Asher keeps you on the edge of your seat in anticipation to see what each person did to affect Hannah.  The author also does a nice job with making the characters relatable. While reading, I felt the same emotions Clay did while he was listening to the tapes- I laughed, cried, and wanted to scream in frustration at some points. The novel is also very well written. The format in which this book was written in is very engaging for the reader and a refreshing change from traditional novels. However, some people may find this hard to read, as it is written from two perspectives- Clay’s and Hannah’s. I often found it hard to keep track of whose story was whose, despite the difference in font.   One criticism that I have for this book was that it romanticized the idea of suicide. Suicide is a very real issue that affects many people and is not something to be taken lightly.

Overall, I would recommend that everyone read this book. It is a well written story that brings awareness to a serious topic that affects many people and families across the world. It really makes you think about the impact you have on other people's lives and how something that seems trivial to you can be very serious to someone else. The message of this novel will stick with you long after reading and change your outlook on how you should treat others.