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Thirteen Reasons Why

by Jay Asher

4.06 · rating details · 49,213 ratings · 8,417 reviews

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 o

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Hardcover, 288 pages

Published October 18th 2007 by Razorbill

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Nov 11, 2011

Nina ♥ rated it

Before I get into the actual review, watch this AWESOME fan-made trailer. It is so amazing it made me read this book, damn it.

WARNING: I did not like this book. If you did, and would hate it if someone (me) ranted and bitched about it, then DO NOT READ THIS REVIEW.

REVIEW: I don't know why this book is so popular. And I honestly don't know what all the rave is about. I heard so many great things about this novel, that's why I read it. While this was a good book, well writt...moreBefore I get into the actual review, watch this AWESOME fan-made trailer. It is so amazing it made me read this book, damn it.

WARNING: I did not like this book. If you did, and would hate it if someone (me) ranted and bitched about it, then DO NOT READ THIS REVIEW.

REVIEW: I don't know why this book is so popular. And I honestly don't know what all the rave is about. I heard so many great things about this novel, that's why I read it. While this was a good book, well written and all…the plot was just not good enough—no, the reasons leading to Hannah Baker killing herself were not believable enough for me. I mean sure, they did some horrible things to her in high school, that doesn't mean you should just go off and commit suicide. As far as I'm concerned, those kinds of situations happen to everyone. And I don't believe for one second that no one noticed that she wanted to commit suicide. What about her haircut? Didn't the author mention that the teacher passed out a flyer called "The Warning Signs of a Suicidal Individual?" And wasn't there "A sudden change in appearance" on top of the list? What about "Giving away possessions?" Didn't they discuss suicide in the same class? Didn't Hannah leave an anonymous note telling the teacher that? After she told Mr. Porter? And he didn't stop her? Come on, they couldn't have been that dumb! Hannah, above all, just sounded whiny. And I just couldn't sympathize with her character. And committing suicide and then blaming people for it is just a stupid excuse for killing herself. She was the one that decided to kill herself, not them—not anyone. She just needed someone to blame. And poor Clay! If Clay wasn't one of the reasons Hannah killed herself, then why put him through the agony? Why give him the tapes? She could've just written him a letter. And Tony! Hannah put even the ones that had nothing to do with her in pain. For example: what did Tony do to her? Because I know he was hurting, too. He felt helpless because he couldn't have saved her.

It was also very difficult and confusing to keep up with what Clay and Hannah said/thought. One second I'm reading in Clay's point of view, the next Hannah's. And sometimes I had to reread a whole paragraph because I got the POV wrong in my head.

Also, I think suicide is a very serious issue so I didn't really buy Jay Asher's portrayal of Hannah's feelings. If someone wanted to commit suicide, their emotion had to be deeper, stronger than just hatred and petty resentment for having a bad reputation in High School. Therefore, I thought Hannah's emotions weren't very serious, even childish and overly dramatic at times. And after finishing the books I was like, "seriously?! That's why she killed herself?!" I honestly felt like Asher was making fun of the teens who have been through terrible things in their life and are still trying to stay strong after everything they've been through. This was like telling them, "what the heck, end your life if you're so miserable."

UPDATE: Just found out this is going to be a movie. Starring Selena Gomez.(less)

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Dec 16, 2011

stephanie rated it

Recommends it for: EVERYONE.

Recommended to stephanie by: A.

Shelves: 2008, absolutely-must-read, suicide, would-rec, young-adult, contemporaryfiction

eta 2: this is also the perfect book to listen to on audiotape. usually i am annoyed with audiobooks, but i enjoyed listening to this one almost as much as reading it, because i was hearing hannah while driving in my car, much the same way clay was. still love this book and it's boldness.

*

eta: for everyone that thinks hannah's suicide was unbelievable, or that the reasons were just stupid and petty, take a moment and think about how what happened could have been the impetus ...more

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Feb 05, 2011

Janina rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: suicide-death-loss, young-adult-fiction, books-i-own, contemporary, read-in-2011, tbr-challenge, alternating-pov, available-for-swapping, male-pov, problem-focused

When I tried to structure my thoughts to write this review, I discovered that it’s actually very hard to write something about a book I liked but didn’t love. I definitely have no hard feelings towards Thirteen Reasons Why but I also don’t really have anything to rave about. Which makes me feel a little conflicted about the rating. This book will stay with me for a while, it made me think, but it also had its flaws.

I thought the novel was based on an original and great concept. We have...moreWhen I tried to structure my thoughts to write this review, I discovered that it’s actually very hard to write something about a book I liked but didn’t love. I definitely have no hard feelings towards Thirteen Reasons Why but I also don’t really have anything to rave about. Which makes me feel a little conflicted about the rating. This book will stay with me for a while, it made me think, but it also had its flaws.

I thought the novel was based on an original and great concept. We have a simultaneous narration: We get to hear Hannah’s thoughts through the tapes she recorded, and mixed with that, we see how Clay reacts to the things she says. While that is without doubt the perfect way to tell this story (that can probably be enjoyed even more in an audiobook format), I sometimes found it hard to distinguish their voices. I read a sentence, and when I went over it too quickly, I sometimes had to check back if it was in bold or italic to find out who actually said what. While Clay certainly was a sweet guy, I found him to be almost too nice to be true and compared with Hannah, his character and voice felt rather flat.
Also, I expected this story to make me sad and touch me deeply because, after all, it is a story about missed opportunities, about a life ending much too soon, about guilt and grief. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

But, all in all, despite the fact that I wasn’t really emotionally invested, I simply HAD to know exactly what drove Hannah over the edge. I wanted to know her story, to get an idea what made her feel so depressed and alone. I read in quite some reviews that people thought her reasons to commit suicide were shallow. I don’t agree with that at all. They were her reasons and nobody else’s, and I think that she shouldn’t be judged by them. People don’t always have this big reason behind their decisions. Sometimes small things add up to each other, and when you suffer from depression, as Hannah clearly did, even everyday life can be too much for you to take. It can make everything feel like a chore.
Yet, I also found it difficult to understand why Hannah went to such lengths to record her tapes and make sure everybody received them. It seemed to be more about getting back at the people who hurt her than about closure and explanation. Those people did her wrong, no question, but do they deserve what they got? Do they deserve to live with the guilt of being responsible for Hannah’s death? I’m not sure. But this book definitely showed me that even small things we do (or don’t do) can have a huge impact on somebody else’s life, and that sometimes we should take more time to try to understand the people we deal with everyday – be it at school or somewhere else.
But all things considered, I’m glad that Jay Asher didn’t portray Hannah as a victim. She also had her faults, made wrong decisions and – in the end – gave up.

Now I’m still pondering over one question: What is actually worse? Knowing exactly why somebody killed himself and what role you yourself played in his decision? Or living with the fact that you will never find out what caused his suicide and that your questions will never be answered?

#4 TBR Pile Reduction Challenge (Brooke)
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May 26, 2010

Annalisa rated it

Shelves: young-adult, issue, psychology, contemporary, cover

I liked the idea of this book more than the execution. Clay received a package in the mail with audiotapes narrated by Hannah because he is one of the thirteen reasons she committed suicide. As he wanders through town visiting the monumental spots in Hannah's life, he listens to the tapes waiting for the one that accuses him. The suspense was good. I liked Clay and applaud Asher for bringing to light the tragic subject of teen suicide, but there were things about it that bothered me:

I ...moreI liked the idea of this book more than the execution. Clay received a package in the mail with audiotapes narrated by Hannah because he is one of the thirteen reasons she committed suicide. As he wanders through town visiting the monumental spots in Hannah's life, he listens to the tapes waiting for the one that accuses him. The suspense was good. I liked Clay and applaud Asher for bringing to light the tragic subject of teen suicide, but there were things about it that bothered me:

I didn't sympathize with Hannah. I really wanted to. From the get go, I wanted to pity the wrongs done her, but she started off the tapes laughing, taking her impending suicide as a joke, which comes off as spite. I know Asher did this to show a character arc of someone who was fun and outgoing until the stupid cruelties of teenagers destroyed her, but where she started these tapes after she decided to kill herself, the humor is jarring. We should only get depressed Hannah on the tapes and the outgoing Hannah through Clay's memories. And we don't even see the transition from happy to ruined, only the word of Clay that she changed. I wanted to see it in Hannah's story.

Asher also played it too safe with Clay. He was a bit of a Gary Stu (view spoiler)

I get that the point is that we never know how our deeds affect those around us--even the smallest cruelty can destroy someone--but where Hannah had the chance to show us how these thirteen faults add up to something, I expected more connecting the dots. All I got was a mention that their weight on top of everything else is the whole story. I wanted the whole story. Story nine was built up as the big event, a turning point that expounded the prior incidents to a climax that was too much, but after that I just became frustrated with Hannah and wanted to hear her name as one of the thirteen. She was given plenty of lifelines but refused them and then pulled people down with her. Like the last story. What was the point of that unless she wanted to ruin someone's life? Hannah deserved to be on some of these people's lists more than they deserved to be on hers.

In the end, I think that it is a plus that Hannah isn't portrayed as a victim but fleshed out to both good and bad. It doesn't make suicide the natural answer. As I said before, the message in the book is good and I was into the story, breezing through it quickly. It was clever and different and will make you think or get angry or sad or proactive. I loved the play, pause, and stop icons too. I think it's an important YA novel and despite my nitpicking would recommend it. I wish Asher had taken a few more risks with his characters, but all-in-all a great debut novel.(less)

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May 04, 2008

Kristen rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I really enjoyed this book. This book did a nice job explaining that suicide is not caused by one event alone. It is caused by many events that start to add up.

I love the blend between the two narrators. There wasn't too many detail descriptions on all the rumors about Hannah and what Hannah did at the end of the book, which didn't make this too graphic.

The ending was disappointing. You never found out how the last two characters reacted to the tapes. The whole thing ...more

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Jul 27, 2011

Hannah rated it

I figured this deserved a real review.

I'm a bipolar chick. I'm a girl who has struggled with suicidal thoughts since she was nine years old at the very latest. And I just do not buy 13RW's representation of a suicidal girl. The very premise of the book is flawed to me; you don't kill yourself for REASONS, you kill yourself because there is a bug in your brain gnawing at you and sucking out any valuable thought you've ever had, and I never saw that kind of bug in Hannah. I saw a girl ...more

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Mar 22, 2008

Susan rated it

Shelves: young-adult

This book is tricky to recommend to say the least. On the one hand, this book is packed with suspense. It presents the very "It's a Wonderful Life"-esque but worthwhile message that one person's behavior can have a ripple effect in a community, that there is no such thing as a meaningless act. It shows teens that even a person who might appear on the surface to be collected, attractive, smart, funny, and moderately popular could have real problems and could feel lonely or rejected. It ...moreThis book is tricky to recommend to say the least. On the one hand, this book is packed with suspense. It presents the very "It's a Wonderful Life"-esque but worthwhile message that one person's behavior can have a ripple effect in a community, that there is no such thing as a meaningless act. It shows teens that even a person who might appear on the surface to be collected, attractive, smart, funny, and moderately popular could have real problems and could feel lonely or rejected. It shows the dangerous simultaneous power and hollowness of gossip. If you're not afraid of being a little controversial, I think this would make a bang-up book for a teen book discussion group because you would have a forum to discuss and debate these things and make sense of them along with the more troubling aspects, especially the main one, which is...

This is a revenge story. Hannah Baker is a girl surrounded by admirers and would-be friends, as well as some pretty toxic people,to say the least. In the end, she is influenced by the wrong crowd. The accumulated slings and arrows from the latter group deepen a growing depression (with all likelihood literal Depression) and she commits suicide. She records the reasons behind her decision onto a set of tapes that are passed on to very people that did her wrong. While Hannah staunchly believes she gave people enough of a chance to intervene, it also becomes clear that to a point, she didn't really let anyone really know her at all, and so everyone was set to fail. While some of the wrongs committed by her former enemies are grave enough to perhaps merit the blackmail that follows (a second set of tapes are be released to the public if the original tapes aren't passed along as instructed), the reader feels the guilt, pain, regret, and helplessness of the narrator (who is one of the recipients) so keenly that the reader must question whether if the punishment in some cases isn't worse than the crime. One hopes that at the end, the teen reader would see the big waste of it all, the destruction of a life, the ruins of the lives left behind, the hollowness of a triumph under such conditions, the error all around (on Hannah's part as well as the others)--and not just the fact that the bad guys pay dearly at the end, but that's what a good discussion could bring out. (less)

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May 13, 2011

Laura rated it

Shelves: ya-literature, fiction

Immediately before teenager Hannah Baker takes her own life, she sends audiotapes to 13 people, explaining the reasons for her suicide.

This book, written for young adults, has a very fine premise with an engrossing narrative, and Asher knows how to build suspense. Most importantly, his characters ring true, and he deserves a lot of credit for refusing to take the easy way out by making Hannah an innocent victim. To the contrary, some readers may justifiably find Hannah nearly as pet...more

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Aug 03, 2011

Minli rated it

Shelves: made-me-cry, young-adult, contemporary, awesome-writing, mystery

This book is amazing, and since I'm the last person I know who has read it, I'll just sum up my thoughts briefly.

I love that this book has no beginning and no ending; it's perpetually in transition. Hannah Baker commits suicide before the novel begins--there's no buildup or exposition. All she leaves is a set of cassette tapes holding the scratchy ghost of her memory, meant to be circulated to thirteen people. Each person is a reason--though "reason" is probably not the ri...moreThis book is amazing, and since I'm the last person I know who has read it, I'll just sum up my thoughts briefly.

I love that this book has no beginning and no ending; it's perpetually in transition. Hannah Baker commits suicide before the novel begins--there's no buildup or exposition. All she leaves is a set of cassette tapes holding the scratchy ghost of her memory, meant to be circulated to thirteen people. Each person is a reason--though "reason" is probably not the right word--each person Hannah had an interaction with had some sort of contribution to her ultimate decision. The tapes are circulated in order, the thirteen people watching and knowing and not knowing amongst themselves, and Clay Jensen is both horrified that he is on this list yet compelled to know what happened.

I don't pretend to know what goes through someone's mind when they're suicidal. I don't have any credentials in psychiatry, nor did I have religious upbringing. However, I'm pretty certain that there is no one-glove-fits-all for people who commit suicide. For a lot of teens, their reputation in high school is everything. Hannah, while distant emotionally, still rang true for me. As I was reading, I kept thinking how horrible her classmates were... the only one I could stand was Clay, and I had to know what he did to get on those tapes. I HAD TO KEEP READING.

The best part about this book (besides the pacing and structure) is that it doesn't matter whether you find Hannah or Clay's characterizations to be believable. Hannah stands in for every shunned, troubled teenager who may be thinking about suicide, whether it's a cry for help or attention or both, and Clay is... well, Clay is the reader. Clay is the only one the reader can sympathize with because everyone else is cruel. As I said, there's no ending, the tape just gets passed onto the next person and that's it. It's ultimately about Clay's transformation into a better person, and not someone who ignores problems and "moves on." (less)

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Oct 05, 2011

Callista rated it

Recommends it for: Everyone!

Shelves: contemp-pop-fiction, five-stars

This book gave me a pain in my gut; invaded my thoughts; stirred up old, awful memories from school; disturbed my sleep; and made me cry. I had to set it aside for a few days during the process of reading it to keep from getting even more swamped.
But it's an important book, and I think everyone should read it. I'd recommend that parents read it first, then introduce it to their children aged 13 and up. Teachers definitely need to read it, as well.
It took me a while to get accustome...more

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May 06, 2009

Madeline rated it

Shelves: young-adult

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Aug 13, 2011

Giselle rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

I absolutely loved this book. What an eye opener. In Thirteen Reasons Why we listen to audio tapes that was sent to 13 people by Hannah who committed suicide, to explain her reasons why.

First I want to mention that to all the reviewers who say that her reasons weren't "good enough" for her to kill herself, you're wrong. Everyone doesn't cope with situations the same way, and problems that may seem minimalistic to you, can send the next person into depression. We all have ou...more

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Sep 12, 2009

Tatiana rated it

Recommends it for: anyone interested in quality YA

Recommended to Tatiana by: Arlene

Shelves: 2009, ya, ala-ya-2008

Jay Asher's debut novel "Thirteen Reasons Why" is certainly one of those books that give YA a good name. This is a book that stays with you for a long time.

The subject matter is definitely not easy or comfortable. This is a story of Hannah, a teenage girl who commits suicide and leaves behind a series of tapes addressed to people who she finds more or less responsible for her decision to end her life. The story is told from the point of view of Clay, Hannah's classmate and...more

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Oct 26, 2008

Kristi (The Story Siren) added it

Shelves: books-i-own

What an unbelievable book. If you haven’t read it, you should. If your thinking about reading it do it now.

I don’t know about you, but I love getting stuff in the mail, especially getting packages. Well so does the main character of this story, Clay. But Clay would rather have not received this package.

Hannah Baker. Clay has had a crush on Hannah forever, but he never had the guts to really tell her. Now he never will. Hannah committed suicide. But before Hannah killed he...more

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Feb 03, 2012

Tina rated it

SPOILERS IN 4TH PARAGRAPH, I will have a warning preceding them :)

Before I address the positive points of this novel (which I did overall enjoy), let me complain a bit first. After a certain point, and I believe it was around the time of the “climax,” I felt frustrated and let down by a novel I had anticipated to be deep and life-changing.

First, although I try not to compare myself to the main character and judge her accordingly, and although I try to put myself into eac...moreSPOILERS IN 4TH PARAGRAPH, I will have a warning preceding them :)

Before I address the positive points of this novel (which I did overall enjoy), let me complain a bit first. After a certain point, and I believe it was around the time of the “climax,” I felt frustrated and let down by a novel I had anticipated to be deep and life-changing.

First, although I try not to compare myself to the main character and judge her accordingly, and although I try to put myself into each character’s shoes, Hannah was written in a way where I found it hard to do so. I felt like there was a barrier where I couldn’t connect with her, couldn’t understand her, and perhaps I’m heartless, but I could not sympathize with her for many parts of the novel.
I felt she was a weak character that wasn’t fully fleshed out. I found it hard to believe that someone would commit suicide over the reasons she listed, as it felt like she blew everything out of proportion and made everything a bigger deal than it was. In most of the events that occurred, she had more power to do something than she realized, and she just chose not to take action.

It was hard to sympathize with her because it seemed like she created these situations for herself. She willingly made stupid decisions concerning people who she knew she didn’t trust – but purposely did them anyway against her better judgement. And after she made these stupid decisions and acted upon them, she chose to blame others and dwell on them instead of learning from her mistakes and moving on. She handled everything quite poorly, and it felt like Jay Asher was just going down a list of as many horrible things as he could think of in order to justify her suicide. We are not given insight into WHY she is this way, WHY she does the things she does and WHY she feels so much more hopelessly depressed over normal teenage woes and cruelties than is rational or normal for the average teenager. It bothered me that we never truly got to understand Hannah’s decision and all the thoughts and feelings that accompanied what happened to her. It made it unbelievable.

(view spoiler)

I feel there were some plot holes and parts that did not connect: the scenes with Skye were vague, and part with the girl in the coffee shop felt like it needed some more explanation instead of being tossed in the story and never being mentioned again. I was also bothered by how Clay Jensen was a complete Gary Stu and how he was the perfect nice guy with no faults. I prefer my main characters to be more realistic and three-dimensional.

I do think the format of the novel was creative, and that for the most part, it was suspenseful. I loved the puzzle/mystery feel of the story, and it kept me turning the pages. (The ending just did not satisfy me and I felt the story lacked a bit of depth.)
I also appreciated that it gave me insight into my actions and how I treat others. It made me want to re-evaluate how I live my life and to be a better person, because little things do matter. Seemingly inconsequential things may have a greater impact on a person’s life than you can ever imagine, and you can never know what someone is going through just by looking at them on the surface. It’s a good lesson to take from this novel.

A major part of the story is how devastated she is by her false reputation. When I read this, it reminds me strongly of a line I read on a "Would You Rather?" board game box: "Would you rather have cheated on your spouse and have nobody know, or have not cheated but have everyone think you did?" In other words, would you rather have done something awful and gotten away with it, or been innocent but have everyone think otherwise? The answer I always choose is the latter, because it's more important what I think of myself than what others think. As long as I know the truth and know that I am a good person, the people who don't believe me don't matter in my life. I always wish Hannah could find this self-satisfaction in the fact that she isn't at all what the rumors make her to be, and that she is above all that. I also wish there had been true friends or family who could have believed her and helped her as well.

This novel also makes me thankful that I do not live my life the way Hannah does/did. Sometimes, when things go wrong, you can’t blame others for not helping you or not picking you off the ground; when everything goes to hell, oftentimes you have to learn to pick yourself up. You have to work past your problems, take responsibility for your actions and what you can control, and brush off the little things to look at the bigger picture. You have to think optimistically and focus on all the wonderful, positive things you have to live for and that you have to be thankful for, instead of sulking over all the things that go wrong. Sometimes, you can’t change the situation itself, but you can change the way you think about it and you can use it to grow as a person and become stronger. It reinforces my belief that suicide is not the answer.

Suicide is a tough issue to write about. I feel Asher was on the right track and he had a great plot in the works, and that he did a decent job illustrating the snowball effect of how little seemingly insignificant events can pile up. But I also feel the execution of this novel could have been better.
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Dec 31, 2011

Jude Henderson rated it

Shelves: in-my-shelf, my-favorites, favorites

http://inbetweenwritingandreading.blogsp...

My goodness, I don’t even know where to begin with this novel, it's just… wow, I seriously don’t know how to, I’ll just start throwing things and see how it goes:

The story follows Clay Jensen, one day, he receives a pack of mysterious tapes, old-school stuff, and he's anxious to listen to them, and the he discovers that they are Hanna Baker’s detailed journey, and somehow diary, to death. Her last words. But, wait, Hanna Baker killed...morehttp://inbetweenwritingandreading.blogsp...

My goodness, I don’t even know where to begin with this novel, it's just… wow, I seriously don’t know how to, I’ll just start throwing things and see how it goes:

The story follows Clay Jensen, one day, he receives a pack of mysterious tapes, old-school stuff, and he's anxious to listen to them, and the he discovers that they are Hanna Baker’s detailed journey, and somehow diary, to death. Her last words. But, wait, Hanna Baker killed herself. How is it that he received tapes from her? Well, she made a whole plan, where she would record in seven tapes (thirteen stories total), the thirteen reasons why, she would kill herself, in the end, a why she killed herself.

Each side of the tapes, or each story, explains one reason, and she mentions a person in each one, naming them as contributors to her decision. So Clay – naturally – is completely freaked out, What did he do to her? He had always had a thing for her, but other than that, nothing.

And the story begins. He listens carefully to each one of them, a few of her stories are quite horrible and hard to believe, until the moment she finally finishes, and kills herself. At some parts of the story, I was so desperate, just like Clay, wanting to yell at Hanna to fight! To keep living! To stop! And then you realize… she’s already dead. The idea that a person can take the time, days, weeks, or months, to make tapes detailing their way to suicide, is just twisted. Why would someone do that? And why did Hanna killed herself? The answer: she wasn’t strong enough, she was never able to see beyond her current situation and realize that, she wasn’t always going to live in high school. By the end you can see how she practically wants reasons to kill herself, looking for reason to give up. And it's easy to see, that there was nothing to do for her, her mind was made up already, she was already dead.

Jay Asher’s writing style is straight-forward, it's hard to tell if it's his writing style or if it is because it's his debut novel. But it worked perfectly. Jay Asher’s novel will open your eyes. It lets us know that this matters are to be taken seriously. I think It's brilliant, and a must read. You won’t be able to see death and suicide the same way. Ever. A valuable lesson, a strong novel, and a heartbreaking choice.

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Oct 08, 2010

Mery rated it

Shelves: english, own, i-love-its-cover, heart-wrenching, mental-illness-psychology, drama-ya

Masa remaja memang penuh liku-liku.
Penuh kesenangan dan kesedihan. Tapi siapa yang bilang masa-masa SMA adalah masa yang paling indah? Well gak semuanya yang mendapatkan hal seperti itu. Setidaknya bukan bagi Hannah Baker.

Suatu hari Clay Jensen menerima sebuah paket berisi 7 kaset. Ketika dia mendengarnya, dia terperanjat lantaran yang didengarnya adalah suara Hannah Baker, gadis yang ditaksirnya, gadis yang dua minggu lalu memutuskan bunuh diri tanpa sebab.

Na...more

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Sep 02, 2010

prettybooks rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: read-after-university

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 3.5/5

At first, I didn't think much of Thirteen Reasons Why. I'd seen so much hype about it but I found it quite whiny. I didn't particularly sympathise with Hannah that much. So, someone gossiped about you? That's not a reason to kill yourself. It just sounded like the normal American high school experience to me and considering I'm nothing like the people on Skins either, I cannot relate.

However, the reasons behind Hannah's suicide started to become more complex half way...more3.5/5

At first, I didn't think much of Thirteen Reasons Why. I'd seen so much hype about it but I found it quite whiny. I didn't particularly sympathise with Hannah that much. So, someone gossiped about you? That's not a reason to kill yourself. It just sounded like the normal American high school experience to me and considering I'm nothing like the people on Skins either, I cannot relate.

However, the reasons behind Hannah's suicide started to become more complex half way through the book. It was easy to imagine her desperation and need for someone to talk to, for example, writing the anonymous note saying you wanted to commit suicide and have people be unsympathetic in class. I could imagine her sitting in her chair fuming, raging, wanting to run outside and cry because these people just weren't getting it. I think the whole "easier to imagine" thing contributed to my liking the book. At the beginning, I could not understand the reaction Clay was having. I personally thought he and Hannah were a bit odd. As the book goes on, as you find out what she meant to him, it becomes more clear. The author is male and I think this affected Hannah's characterisation. She didn't seem real enough to me whereas Clay did.

I think suicide is a topic that should be discussed more at school. Suicide, especially on the internet, is seen as a joke. Overall, the book is very blunt. It doesn't care about describing settings and uses simple language. I'm guessing this is because the whole book is told by two teenagers - it is going to be very self-centred.

I'm giving the book 3.5/5 because I liked it - I found myself rushing through to the end to find out what other events occurred. I agree with what someone else told me "you just want to shout "STOP HER!" even though you already know you can't". I liked it but I feel it did not live up to the hype.

"I hated poetry until someone showed me how to appreciate it. He told me to see poetry as a puzzle. It's up to the reader to decipher the code, or the words, based on everything they know about life and emotions."

(less)

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Nov 21, 2011

cαss нαngs wιтн тнє cool ĸιds ♥ rated it

· review of another edition

Let me tell you right now, when you reach the end and Hannah is gone if you got the same connection to the story I did you will feel something.

Honestly, one of my favorite books of all time. Jay Asher is right up there with Lauren Oliver. I'm in love with the way he wrote this book. It was sharp, interesting and pulled me in enough to keep reading and reading.

FLASH BACK TIME!

When I bought this book it had just come out like a week before. It was at barnes an...more

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Sep 06, 2011

Leanne rated it

Shelves: ya-realistic-fiction, own-or-gaveaway, why-yes-this-is-ya, lived-up-to-the-hype, i-recommend

A stunning, proacative book that took my breathe away. Jay Asher's message will stick with teenagers and adults alike: that every small action, however insignificant it may seem, can create an enormous effect.

The book itself isn't very emotional- it moves along quickly, filled with suspense and action to keep you turning the pages. And I suppose that was the author's intention so the reader wouldn't become so emotionally effected by the situations in the book. Clay Jensen is a sym...more

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Jun 04, 2010

Aaron Vincent rated it

This is a tough one. As I write this review I am still undecided what rating I will give. I'm hoping that towards the end of this review I can already decide.

I'd give it a perfect rating if I'll just base it on the ingenious storytelling. As I was reading it, there are three stories being told. One is the story of Clay Jensen while listening to the tapes. Second, Hannah Baker's story as she narrates the consecutive events that leads her to suicide. And the last would be your own stor...moreThis is a tough one. As I write this review I am still undecided what rating I will give. I'm hoping that towards the end of this review I can already decide.

I'd give it a perfect rating if I'll just base it on the ingenious storytelling. As I was reading it, there are three stories being told. One is the story of Clay Jensen while listening to the tapes. Second, Hannah Baker's story as she narrates the consecutive events that leads her to suicide. And the last would be your own story.

It made me feel so bad, so guilty. I'm not on the list of people that cause her death but its as if I'm part of it. Certainly not her list but of people I got acquainted with. It made me wonder what have I done or haven't done to people I have interacted with, intentionally or unintentionally. Yeah, you would say that I felt guilty because I knew that I definitely did something wrong. Go ahead, mock me, I know I deserve it but when you're finished, let me know so it'll be my turn to mock you for the jackass actions you have done. The thing is, no one is innocent. Everyone has done something bad, no matter how big or small it is. If there's anyone who will say that they haven't done such a thing, let me tell you this: Go.To.Hell! Oh, you think you deserve heaven cause you are good person doing only good things to people. Well, no, you deserve hell cause if there is a person that is the most deserving to go to hell it would be the liars and in denials.

I hated Hannah Baker. Yes, Hannah Baker, if you are reading this, wherever you are, I hate you and fuck you. At first I felt sympathy for you, being a girl that ended her life because of the people around you. But as I hear(or read) your tapes stating your reasons, I am learning to hate you. I understand that these people have done something wrong to you but they are the reason and not the one to blame why you committed suicide. No one is to blame Hannah but yourself. You over analyze things, you're too sensitive and if your Science teacher haven't told you yet, let me tell you that the world revolves around the sun, not around you.

You feel bad cause there are rumors going around that is against you. You should not feel bad cause at least there are people spending their time thinking about you. To them, you are somebody and not a nobody. Bad reputation is still a reputation and be glad of that cause at least you are not invisible.

And Gahd, Hannah. You are not contented on ending your life. You created tapes that will be passed around the people who are the "reasons" of your suicide. Tapes that will certainly make them feel miserable and can ruin their whole lives. Yes, you deserve to get back on with them for their "cruelty" to you but you don't have to do that. You're not defenseless on the times they've been hard on you, you can stand up for yourself but what you have to them done is worse. You've attacked them knowing that they would be defenseless, cause who in this world can stand up against a dead girl?! You didn't left them any choice but to suck all the blame. You are worse than the guy who ruined a girl's(not yours) life cause you didn't ruin just one, you ruined 13 lives(no. I didn't get it wrong. It is still 13 cause you also ruined the life of the person who has the second set of tapes.). And you know what's the most unbelievable thing you did, you treated everything, the passing around of tapes and journey according to your map, like it was a game. How cruel can that be!

There, I already released my thoughts. I feel much lighter now. If there is something good this book has brought me, it is how it reminds me and made me think of how huge impact on a persons life I can make. That the tiniest action I will do can affect others big time. It magnified the changes , bad or good, to a person's life that I can contribute.(So friends, my parents and my siblings, if you notice a drastic change on my behavior towards how I treat you, be thankful to Jay Asher. He's the man!)(less)

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Nov 30, 2008

Melissa rated it

This book was very engrossing and suspenseful, but in the end it just pissed me off. I don't know how to put this in more delicate terms, so if I make my case rather bluntly or insensitively, I do so only because I don't want to tiptoe around what I really feel.

Basically, I understand why some people turn to suicide as the only option out. I understand the feeling of helplessness and misery that could make a person decide that taking herself out is the only way to stop the pain. But af...moreThis book was very engrossing and suspenseful, but in the end it just pissed me off. I don't know how to put this in more delicate terms, so if I make my case rather bluntly or insensitively, I do so only because I don't want to tiptoe around what I really feel.

Basically, I understand why some people turn to suicide as the only option out. I understand the feeling of helplessness and misery that could make a person decide that taking herself out is the only way to stop the pain. But after experiencing the aftermath of suicides in my extended family and, more pointedly, in my graduating class in high school, I have erased it as any option I would ever consider for myself. And even though I understand why people would kill themselves, that does not mean I agree that they are making the right choice.

When the suicides happened my senior year, the school was loathe to talk about it except on a student-by-student basis. They believed that making too much out of the suicide glorified it and encouraged other kids to commit suicide in order to get the same attention. I don't know that I disagree, but I do know that not providing teenagers with information means they create their own answers, which can be worse. But I also remember that everyone wondered about their personal relationships with the people who died, if seemingly inconsequential statements contributed to the final act of despair. This book is basically saying, "Yes, in fact, your actions are one of the 13 reasons why I killed myself."

I find this horribly unfair. Don't get me wrong, the people who Hannah blames for her downward spiral were all jerks to her. But she wasn't the only person in the school tormented by these people. The tapes portray Hannah as the number one target at school, but didn't we all feel that way (except for those handful of people who claim to have loved high school and who I will never understand)? What makes it worse for Hannah than for anyone else? Why do some of us survive it and she couldn't? Or better yet, what actions of Hannah's, inspired by her own unhappiness, contributed to the despair of another person who may later consider suicide?

I think that the author was trying to say that there is never one single reason for a person to commit suicide, and that we should be aware of how we treat other people because we don't know the power of our own seemingly inconsequential actions. He was telling us to reach out to people who seem alone and vulnerable even if they try to push us away. I agree with all of this.

However, the author failed to make the point that different people deal with life in different ways and have different capacities for dealing with it. He needed to make the point that Hannah wasn't strong to begin with, that she was already emotionally vulnerable or unstable. Because otherwise, everyone who survives high school gossip and cruelty would be a triumph, when really I've found that it's quite commonplace. Most people did not kill themselves in high school despite 13 or more reasons to do so.

I've never been the kind of person who is comforted by thoughts like, "Think how much worse someone else has it." That's not what I'm saying here. Your own problems will always seem bigger that anyone else's because they are your own. But the author never explained why these experiences crushed Hannah while others somehow got by. I'm not saying it couldn't happen that way. But why couldn't she - specifically Hannah - handle it?

In the end, this book just made me mad because we are led through this narrative in which we succumb to Hannah's interpretation of events and her justification for her death. If the author's point was to show that the average cruelties of high school, when taken together, can lead someone to suicide, then he also needs to show why it doesn't. I don't believe in sugar-coating life for teenagers, and I don't believe in censoring books because they may "encourage undesirable behavior." But this book seems like the perfect way to push a suicidal teenager closer to the edge. And it pisses me off that a book would give me a reaction opposite of what I claim to believe.(less)

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Katherine Thank you for this thoughtful review. I felt the same way for a lot of the book. As a high school student, I can relate to the way Hannah felt-- I k...more
Apr 25, 2011 04:58pm

Robert Hernandez Not only I believe, but I am pretty sure your comment is full of reason and common sense. I don't know how to put it any other way. Today we hear abou...more
Jul 30, 2011 10:15pm

Jan 07, 2008

Jess rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: teens who like emotionally intense stories

Shelves: audiobook, mock-printz-2008, young-adult

While the audio version was excellently done, and perfectly suited to a story half-told in audio tapes, this was one of those stories where I talked back to the characters. A lot. And not in a good way. However, this was a huge hit with the teen in my discussion group at the Mock Printz, and a hit with several other people, too. Clay was an interesting character, waiting on pins and needles as he listens to the tapes classmate Hannah made before her suicide, pointing fingers at various stude...more

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Serena Ktri:
HI!!!
Yes, you are correct, I do love this book.
When I read this book in the beginning of the year, I really felt something for Han...more
Feb 20, 2011 10:25am

Jess Serena, I think this is a book that just works for some people and doesn't for others. For the record, I DID read the whole book (the audiobook is un...more
Feb 23, 2011 07:16pm

Mar 14, 2009

Claudia rated it

Recommends it for: all YA fans

Recommended to Claudia by: Elaine and Lori

Shelves: ya-books, sequoyah-2010

Wow -- a first book with all the intensity and honesty we can stand. Clay is such a good kid, and yet he receives a box of tapes that proclaim his 'contribution' to Hannah's decision to commit suicide. He, and the other 13 people, must listen to all the tapes, recorded just days before Hannah decided to kill herself. They hear HER responses to their actions.

It's all there -- boys who objectify girls, who brag about sexual exploits that are lies; girls who manipulate, who put others d...more

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Apr 25, 2010

Morgan F rated it

Shelves: young-adult, favorites, re-read, death-and-dying, ive-got-issues, own, 2000s, read-2010, multiple, medium-sized, realistic

This book was spectacular. I couldn't put it down. I loved Hannah's voice, and thought it was really creative how Asher did a simultaneous narrative. This book was engrossing and will stay with me a long time.

For those saying that Hannah's reasons for killing herself were stupid, keep in mind that they aren't your reasons, they are hers. Those reasons were enough for her to end her life. It was to show the reader that despite what you may think in the moment, suicide is never the a...more

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Nov 27, 2011

Kate Weber rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

Check out my full review of this novel here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fsFNsJoN...

This book was brilliant. IS brilliant. I've been meaning to read it for some time because I have heard wonderful things about how powerful and moving and eye-opening this novel is. But it wasn't until I met Jay Asher and heard him talk about his novel that I actually picked it up.

And it was nearly impossible for me to put it down. This novel is heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time ...more

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Jul 04, 2011

Stephen rated it

· review of another edition

This has got to be one of the best YA novels I've ever read. It has the power to move you and affect you beyond its pages and into your own life.

I have always been respectful to others and I pride myself with being the person I am. But this book makes you think about how you treat others upon first meeting them and upon every moment after. It forces you to think about how you interact with others because you never know how your actions, or inactions, will affect that other person.
...more

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Jan 28, 2012

Charriza rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-challenge

Suicide is delicate subject. No matter how well written or how absurd the novel can be, you can’t please everyone. With that being said, I believe Jay Asher was able to capture and give the reader an insight of what a teenage girl may experience in a worst possible high school scenario. It would be unfair for me to generalize and comment that these awful acts directed towards Hannah Baker “happened to everyone in high school” or considered common. The actions of her peers were cruel, heartbreaki...moreSuicide is delicate subject. No matter how well written or how absurd the novel can be, you can’t please everyone. With that being said, I believe Jay Asher was able to capture and give the reader an insight of what a teenage girl may experience in a worst possible high school scenario. It would be unfair for me to generalize and comment that these awful acts directed towards Hannah Baker “happened to everyone in high school” or considered common. The actions of her peers were cruel, heartbreaking and completely unacceptable.

I was forewarned that this book would lead down this road, and I was very vocal that I’m against the decision of suicide, no matter what justification the book was going to deliver. The purpose of this novel was not to glorify or favor the idea of suicide; it was merely allowing the reader to go along on an emotional journey with Clay, the unlucky recipient of these 7 tapes; tapes of Hannah Baker recounting moments that lead up to her decision to commit suicide. Her tapes may have been viewed as spiteful or vindictive but I believe they were empowering declarations of truth. These 7 tapes were created and meant to shake the foundation of every single person they come into contact with, holding them accountable for their actions. The fact that 13 different people, we’re confronted in same manner, and forced to listen to not only their own, but 12 other degrading, embarrassing, disgusting, cruel and deceitful acts –I considered it poetic justice.

Now a day, there are far too many reports of students ending their lives due to bullying. It’s a sad epidemic. This novel is one plausible scenario of what might go through someone’s mind, when faced with a strong wave of hatred and lack of compassion.

Technical glitches IMO: The dual narration was pretty creative. It was a little confusing at first, but as I read on, I was able to read fluidly without having to determine who was speaking.

Even though, there was a common phrase that would flash in my mind while reading this novel: "This couldn't happen. This isn't realistic." ... I silenced that commentary and came this conclusion: I live in a world where wizards and vampires run muck in secret societies, so who am I to judge this novel any differently.

The one question I have to ask people who’ve read this novel: “If you were in Hannah Baker’s position, would you go quietly?”
Thirteen Reasons Why (less)

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May 12, 2008

Jennifer Wardrip rated it

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews, jens-personal-read, trt-gold-star-award-winner

Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com

I don't often write introductions to my reviews. In fact, the last time I can remember doing so was with the wonderful PUCKER by Melanie Gideon, which I read in 2006. However, THIRTEEN REASONS WHY, the debut novel from author Jay Asher, is the type of book that begs an introduction. So if you'd like to skip down to the third paragraph for the "meat" of the story, I won't hold it against you -- but you'll be missing something important.
...moreReviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com

I don't often write introductions to my reviews. In fact, the last time I can remember doing so was with the wonderful PUCKER by Melanie Gideon, which I read in 2006. However, THIRTEEN REASONS WHY, the debut novel from author Jay Asher, is the type of book that begs an introduction. So if you'd like to skip down to the third paragraph for the "meat" of the story, I won't hold it against you -- but you'll be missing something important.

If you have the chance to only read one novel this year, THIRTEEN REASONS WHY should be that book. It's sad, amazing, heartbreaking, and hopeful, all at the same time. I dare you to read it and not become so immersed in the story that you lose track of time and your surroundings. You'll cry, several times, while reading this story. You'll have no choice but to think about your actions, and wonder what type of effect they have on other people. And, in the end, you might also find the need to say "thank you."

Now, on to the story...

When Clay Jensen finds a package on his front porch, he's excited. A package, for him? With no return address? What could it possibly be? What Clay finds is a shoebox full of cassette tapes, each marked as "Cassette 1: Side A," "Cassette 1: Side B," etc. Of course he rushes to the old radio/cassette player in his dad's garage to check out these mysterious tapes.

And soon wishes, wholeheartedly, that he'd never picked up that stupid package from his front porch.

What he hears when he inserts that first tape is the voice of Hannah Baker. Hannah, the girl he'd crushed on for longer than he could remember. The girl he went to school with. The girl he worked at the movie theater with. The girl who had changed, drastically, in the last several months. Hannah Baker, the girl who committed suicide.

Clay soon realizes that these tapes aren't just a suicide note, aren't, really, even a clear-cut rendition of why she did what she did. Instead, these are thirteen reasons -- thirteen people, to be exact -- who created a snowball-effect of events that led Hannah to believe that suicide was her only option. But why is Clay on that list? How could he possibly be one of the reasons that she killed herself?

As the day goes on, Clay becomes obsessed with listening to the tapes. And what he hears frightens him, disturbs him, and, in the end, leads him to realizations that he never would have expected. As Clay listens to the role that thirteen people, including himself, led in the ultimate death of Hannah Baker, his view of the world, and himself, changes drastically.

You will love this book, because you won't be able to help yourself. You will feel what Clay feels. You will, in a very strong way, experience the highs and lows of Hannah's life right along with her. And there is nothing, in my opinion, that could speak better for the authenticity of a book. Read THIRTEEN REASONS WHY. And then, if you're like me, you'll read it again. And, hopefully, none of us will ever forget it. (less)

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Dec 06, 2011

Mia Queen rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: bikin-sesak-nafas

Sepertinya baru kali ini saya membaca genre YA yang 'nyata'.
Tidak ada drakula, werewolf apalagi peri-perian.

Di dunia nyata Hannah berhadapan dengan yang namanya teman, sekolah, gosip. Ternyata terkadang hal yang saya sebut di atas bisa lebih seram ketimbang mahluk fiksi yang biasa muncul di cerita yang saya biasa baca.

Saya suka Hannah, walaupun hanya mendengar suara dari kaset saya bisa membuat saya merinding. "Maaannn, this girl is sick!", begitu pikir sa...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Did Hannah even try hard enough to live?	30	89	18 hours, 2 min ago
The first nine reasons	21	152	Feb 06, 2012 12:15pm
Stigma	4	24	Feb 06, 2012 11:58am
Who do you think pushed Hannah to the edge?	59	174	Feb 05, 2012 04:57pm
Clamhouse Book Club: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher	2	3	Feb 03, 2012 02:58pm
Edgy YA: * Thirteen Reasons Why	2	12	Jan 31, 2012 01:18pm
Hannah's point of view.	21	60	Jan 27, 2012 09:32am

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About Jay Asher

Jay Asher was born in Arcadia, California on September 30, 1975. He grew up in a family that encouraged all of his interests, from playing the guitar to his writing. He attended Cuesta College right after graduating from high school. It was here where he wrote his first two children’s books for a class called Children’s Literature Appreciation. At this point in his life, he had decided he wanted t...more

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Quotes from Thirteen Reasons Why

“You don’t know what goes on in anyone’s life but your own. And when you mess with one part of a person’s life, you’re not messing with just that part. Unfortunately, you can’t be that precise and selective. When you mess with one part of a person’s life, you’re messing with their entire life. Everything. . . affects everything.” — 1,130 people liked it

“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.” — 782 people liked it

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