Th1rteen R3asons Why by Jay Asher
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Sep.09, 2014, under Grief, Real life, Sam's Reviews, Teen Top 10
Who would like this book? People, 13 and up, looking for a first person narration dealing with a teen’s suicide and the reasons for it would appreciate this book.
The goods on this book: Clay Jensen is a quiet, shy high school student and has been disturbed by the suicide of his friend, Hannah. He becomes distraught and obsessed when he unwraps a package of cassette tapes of Hannah recording the story that led to her decision to take her own life. As Clay listens to the tapes, he navigates through their town so that he can listen to each part of Hannah’s story in close physical proximity to where it took place. The book alternates between the text of Hannah’s voice from the tapes and Clay’s reaction as he listens to these tapes. Clay had a crush on Hannah and shared an evening with her shortly before she died, so the experience of the tapes is very hard for this sensitive guy. My heart really went out to him even more than Hannah. The strong message of this book, to see other people for who they truly are and to care for one another, comes through to the reader as it comes through to Clay. Though this book might not be the best for understanding suicide, it is important in showing how a steady stream of difficulties and hurts can push a person such as Hannah over the edge. It is tragic that she has nobody to turn to.
The details: 288 pages; 2007 Review by Samrarian
