Clay Jensen returns home from school one day to find a package waiting for him on his front porch. Inside the package there's a cassette player and several cassette tapes holding Hannah Baker's reasons for why she killed herself.
But Clay wants to know why they were sent to him...and twelve other people.
I really wanted to like this book. I really did. I had heard that Jay Asher's plot and writing were very John Green-ish and- well, you all know how much I love John Green. Thirteen Reasons Why started off promising. Clay was lovable and the story was easy to follow.
But once I got to that climactic ending...that was it for me. It didn't have that impact, I didn't have an emotional breakdown and "Aha!" moment. It just didn't do it for me.
Sometimes I'll think back to how many people adore this book and how much it emotionally affected so many readers (and non readers), and I'll wonder, "What's wrong with me? Why don't I like this book?" I'm very much in the minority with disliking this book. Well...I didn't dislike it completely. I adored Clay so much. For me, he was the only thing that kept me interested in the book.
I didn't find Jay Asher's writing to be believable, I didn't like Hannah's tactics (which may very well have been intentional for Mr. Asher to write), and- without spoiling anything- I don't like how Hannah tied Clay into her reasons. I didn't find it fair of her to do that to him, when now he has to live with this guilt for the rest of his life. That's the only time I got emotionally overwrought in Thirteen Reasons Why, and it was for Clay- the main character.
Once again, I tried to like it, I really did. I look at the book and think, "Why can't I like it like everyone else?" But there's just something about this book that doesn't sit right with me.
I do love how Jay Asher has brought so much attention to teen suicide, I love how so many young (as well as older) readers are getting passionate about this subject and I love that this book has gotten many young adults to read.
I applaud Jay Asher for raising awareness and for being so successful. I love his other book, The Future of Us, and I WILL read his other writings in the future. I'm happy for him and that he's reached so many with his message, and I hope he continues to be successful.
Book ebook
I couldn't connect with this one much either. The author hinted that Hannah had problems at her old school, but her tone, and her actions, didn't match someone who was immobilized with depression to the point of suicide, in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteAnd the message...well, the thing is, Hannah doesn't know what troubles the people who hurt her were going through either. (Except for Bryce, I won't stand up for him). Maybe we get that with the ending, on Clay's part.
I'm still glad I read it though. I enjoyed it well enough. (I guess I enjoy not enjoying books as much as enjoying them?)