Review of 'Thirteen Reasons Why'

Today, I am reviewing a book I read again recently and has left quite a staggering impression on me since the first time I read it. It is called ‘13 Reasons Why’ by Jay Asher, and is published by Penguin Group. It is an international bestseller and it is not hard to see why it’s got such high acclaim. It touches me to this day, I remember reading it in my university room in my second year and just being breath-taken. It delivers such a clear, strong message in the space of one page. A single paragraph. A single line. ‘You don’t know what went on in the rest of my life.’ Tears sprung to my eyes at these words because I’m sure, like me, at some point you have made a snap judgement of someone and never thought about how your judgement has affected their life. The book envelopes the feeling of hopelessness which we can all relate to. Maybe not in this extreme way, but in a way. Who hasn’t been in a hopeless situation and felt like giving up? This story is a story of a girl who has given up and her reasons for doing so. It is a fascinating read. The blurb on the back runs as follows:

‘You can’t ¢ the future.

You can’t …… the past.

The only way to learn the secret

. . . is to press †

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 two weeks earlier.

Hannah’s voice explains there are thirteen reasons why she killed herself. 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.’

 It is an intriguing blurb that had me excited and invigorated to read it. The website for the book is: www.thirteenreasonswhy.com and it is by far worth a read. Although aimed at younger people, I believe we can all learn something from Jay Asher’s novel. Everybody you meet plays a part in your life, whether conscious of this fact or unconscious. Even though it is a teen novel, it is my favourite even as an adult, because it really makes you stop and think.

I hope you pick up a copy of this book and let me know what you think.

Steph

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