Author: Jay Asher
Publisher: Penguin Books
Print Length: 228 Pages
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Trigger Warning: Suicide, Bullying, Rape
Have you watched the series adaptation?
“When you mess with one part of a person’s life you’re messing with their entire life. Everything….affects everything.”
Thirteen Reason Why, by Jay Asher, traces the story of, Hannah Baker a seventeen-year-old, Liberty High student who committed suicide. Two weeks later, a shoebox is sitting at Clay Jensen's Porch, waiting for him. Clay is a friend of Hannah, or is he something more? Inside the box, there are thirteen tapes with no return address. The tapes belong to Hannah, and there are thirteen reasons more like thirteen people who are responsible for her death. The tapes have reached you then you are one of them. The tapes are pass on in the sequence, and the person has no choice but listens to them. When Clay listens to the tapes he is broken by the thought that Hannah was suffering and he was not able to help her. Clay loved her but failed to express his feelings. Hannah's classmates were the reason for the end of her life. Is Clay ready to hear the truth? Will he be able to withstand the secrets buried in Hannah's voice?
The book has an eerie mystery touch. Jay has brought up many serious issues faced by high school students through the book. The story of Hannah being bullied in her school and betrayed by her friends shed light on things a student can face during their high school life. Jay has emphasized how we treat people and a small gesture affects their life. The stories were based on two different timelines, one told by Hannah through the tapes and one through Clay. The story was intriguing and its simplicity connected me to the characters. The author tried to tell that, suicide is never the option also how one person can have a severe effect on another person's life.
The book might be a difficult read for some, but it is an important read. Talking about mental health is necessary along with asking for help. The topics discussed through each chapter in the book have an important moral. Those who feel they are comfortable reading heavy stuff must pick this out. Although I disliked the part where Hannah refused the help she could have got and instead took a harsh decision. Jay really did an incredible job by bringing this book and the story to the world.
Some might disagree with the review, but I really enjoyed the book just like I enjoyed the series. It was a heavy read but reading the story and the issues highlighted in the book was necessary. The mystery hooked me to the story. It is a short read and can be completed in one sitting.
Many people go through depression, and they never share that with anyone. They suffer inside. It is necessary to talk to such people before they take the wrong step. Assurance is the key. But also know that one rumor can destroy somebody's life.
My Rating: 4/5
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