13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Book Name: 13 Reasons Why

Author: Jay Asher

Series: N/A

Total Amount of Pages: 288

Genre: Realistic fiction

Blurb: Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several 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.

Favourite Character: Hannah Baker

Comments: 13 Reasons why was unique. You took tour of this girl's life and tried to understand why she wanted to end her life so badly. It made you think one thing in particular, "The things you do, even the tiniest of things that you don't expect to affect someone, can affect that person in large way." It was sad, happy and frustrating. I definitely liked the ending, because although Clay didn't reach out to Hannah when she needed it, he realized his mistakes and instead of allowing history to repeat itself, he reached out to Skye, who in the end needed his comfort, just like Hannah did.

Overall the book was fine but one thing I didn't like about it was the fact that Clay kept interrupting Hannah to express his emotions; sometimes it was helpful other times it was just annoying. I really got annoyed when Clay said that blaming so and so wasn't fair, because in her mind it was and sometimes I agreed with her. Hannah was trying to get out her feelings and Clay was just disagreeing, which wasn't fair to Hannah because this was her moment to show how she felt about the people who called her a 'friend.'

Some of the reasons were made sense to me, others were just seemed silly to me. It felt as though Jay was running out of reasons that connected with people. Clay also didn't belong on the tapes, Hannah admitted it herself, and so why was he there? Because the author needed a 'good' guy to say he felt for the girl who killed herself and was listening to her tapes. The other reason he was there was because he couldn't figure out why/how he could possibly be a reason Hannah killed herself, thus adding mystery. It was keen but, I felt Clay should have either deserved to be on the tapes or shouldn't have been a part of the story at all.

The book will definitely make you think before you act because the tiniest of things can affect a person in a big way. It was an awesome book!

Rating: * * * *

Sequel (s): N/A

Never Too Late

Three Days Grace