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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
Where to begin? This is a terrible story. Listening to this audiobook, I had a lot of mixed feelings. The voice actors were spot on. The story is really unique and suspenseful. So I had to give it 3 stars just for drawing me in and keeping me intrigued enough to keep listening - even when our 2 main characters were getting on my nerves. I took away 1 because the plot of this story is rubbing me the wrong way.
Realistically, it doesn't make sense. Hannah's motivations, her reasons (I'd say only about 3 people on her list actually deserved the vitriol she serves from beyond the grave), the conclusions she comes to. I can't minimize the bullying, borderline sexual assault, isolation, stalking, and other awful things Hannah puts up with in his book. That's tough. That's enough to make you want to give up. But Hannah is not mentally ill. She's having a hard time with high school bullies and boys. That's it. She takes almost no responsibility for her own actions.
How can you blame 13 other people for not saving your life when you never directly asked any of those 13 people for help? How can you be mad when no one comes to your aid after assuming they should know by osmosis that you're in trouble?
I'm not slut shaming her or implying that she should have been more 'pure' or whatever if she wanted to be treated better by the boys in school, I'm simply saying that while her life was spinning out of control she could have done more to help herself. Hannah frames herself as the victim in her own story, which isn't shocking. It is frustrating to see how passive and self-absorbed all the people in Hannah's life were (Clay being #1). But THEY'RE TEENAGERS. Hannah was just as self-absorbed as all the people she blames for not saving her life.
Like I said before this is a terrible story. Especially when you think about who the target audience is: teenagers. This is a YA book in which a girl commits suicide and then proceeds to blame it on 13 different people. Nothing more, nothing less even though the author tries to make it more profound than that. "Because of the brutal life lesson these students learned from their classmate's suicide, now they know to do better next time". I'm being facetious, but not really. Asher and his character Hannah puts the onus on other people to save suicidal teens. Jay Asher has written an EXTREMELY problematic issue book that reduces every character in the story into a selfish villain for being typical teenagers focused more on their own lives than the life of the rumored 'slutty girl'.
This book really does glamorize death too. It was weird to sit and listen to this girl turn the story of her suicide into some kind of sick adventure that her classmates should participate in. It's like awesome, Hannah. Way to go for scaring these people for life for not knowing everything you were going through. How sick is it to sit down and write a whole book about this?? This is a serious issue that gets completely watered down by Hannah Baker's combined quest and sob story. How trivializing to the thousands of young people who take their own lives every year in this country!
I think the other characters didn't pick up on the fact that she was suicidal because the suicidal tendencies seemingly come from out of nowhere. Hannah's irrational behavior is simply a nice embellishment to add to the sad, adventure story of Hannah's life (which again, is not representative of any real mental illness). When it comes to mental health, the girl this book revolves around was not portrayed realistically enough for the 'fun' that the author builds around her. That's my problem with this.
Realistically, it doesn't make sense. Hannah's motivations, her reasons (I'd say only about 3 people on her list actually deserved the vitriol she serves from beyond the grave), the conclusions she comes to. I can't minimize the bullying, borderline sexual assault, isolation, stalking, and other awful things Hannah puts up with in his book. That's tough. That's enough to make you want to give up. But Hannah is not mentally ill. She's having a hard time with high school bullies and boys. That's it. She takes almost no responsibility for her own actions.
How can you blame 13 other people for not saving your life when you never directly asked any of those 13 people for help? How can you be mad when no one comes to your aid after assuming they should know by osmosis that you're in trouble?
I'm not slut shaming her or implying that she should have been more 'pure' or whatever if she wanted to be treated better by the boys in school, I'm simply saying that while her life was spinning out of control she could have done more to help herself. Hannah frames herself as the victim in her own story, which isn't shocking. It is frustrating to see how passive and self-absorbed all the people in Hannah's life were (Clay being #1). But THEY'RE TEENAGERS. Hannah was just as self-absorbed as all the people she blames for not saving her life.
Like I said before this is a terrible story. Especially when you think about who the target audience is: teenagers. This is a YA book in which a girl commits suicide and then proceeds to blame it on 13 different people. Nothing more, nothing less even though the author tries to make it more profound than that. "Because of the brutal life lesson these students learned from their classmate's suicide, now they know to do better next time". I'm being facetious, but not really. Asher and his character Hannah puts the onus on other people to save suicidal teens. Jay Asher has written an EXTREMELY problematic issue book that reduces every character in the story into a selfish villain for being typical teenagers focused more on their own lives than the life of the rumored 'slutty girl'.
This book really does glamorize death too. It was weird to sit and listen to this girl turn the story of her suicide into some kind of sick adventure that her classmates should participate in. It's like awesome, Hannah. Way to go for scaring these people for life for not knowing everything you were going through. How sick is it to sit down and write a whole book about this?? This is a serious issue that gets completely watered down by Hannah Baker's combined quest and sob story. How trivializing to the thousands of young people who take their own lives every year in this country!
I think the other characters didn't pick up on the fact that she was suicidal because the suicidal tendencies seemingly come from out of nowhere. Hannah's irrational behavior is simply a nice embellishment to add to the sad, adventure story of Hannah's life (which again, is not representative of any real mental illness). When it comes to mental health, the girl this book revolves around was not portrayed realistically enough for the 'fun' that the author builds around her. That's my problem with this.
It had a promising premise, but the author totally missed the mark. Maybe he should've done some research or interviewed people who have actually considered suicide instead of going by the stereotypical "Oh, I'm a weak teenage girl, some people pick on me so I guess I'll kill myself". Hannah may have been the most unsympathetic character I've ever read. The tapes made HER sound like the petty vindicative one.
That being said, I liked the narrative style and the narrating character quite a bit, and I couldn't put it down....although that was less because I was so into the story, more because I was looking for more depth to the story.
That being said, I liked the narrative style and the narrating character quite a bit, and I couldn't put it down....although that was less because I was so into the story, more because I was looking for more depth to the story.
I read this book in less than a flight cross country. High school is a crappy time. Suicide is horrible. The premise was interesting but made me uncomfortable too. Bottom line: in life don't be an asshole.
All I can really say was I didn't really like this book. I felt it was too contrive and just frustrating and depressing. I understand what the author was trying to do, but honestly the book didn't really move me. I just made me sad.
Halfway through the book, I genuinely thought this was about to be one of the best books I've ever read. But then the story stopped making sense and I only got confused.
A very amazing book. So much that I finished it quickly. Well, the impressive writing style let you get into it and feel the intense moments that happen in Hannah's last days.
First, I began to think that Hannah was a little bit too sensitive and that she exaggerated on making from such an insignificant events her reasons to kill herself. Really, I was telling myself "Foolish, that's not realistic at all"; and it seemed so predictable, I even guessed what was Clay's role in the whole thing. Then, when we progress in the reading, and approach Clay's tape, we start to figure out that such events, one after the other, when all this happens in a small lapse of time, it becomes too much to handle.
What we can learn from this book is how things you do to people can affect their entire life. I think it's an important thing to deal with, someone else's feelings.
First, I began to think that Hannah was a little bit too sensitive and that she exaggerated on making from such an insignificant events her reasons to kill herself. Really, I was telling myself "Foolish, that's not realistic at all"; and it seemed so predictable, I even guessed what was Clay's role in the whole thing. Then, when we progress in the reading, and approach Clay's tape, we start to figure out that such events, one after the other, when all this happens in a small lapse of time, it becomes too much to handle.
What we can learn from this book is how things you do to people can affect their entire life. I think it's an important thing to deal with, someone else's feelings.
Easy read dealing with heavy stuff, so it’s a fantastic book for voracious readers like myself. We’re forced to take a moment to step back and breathe and really *consider* the words on the page. Consider their implications and why they’re so important and how they apply to us in the here and now.
I saw the Netflix series before reading this book, so the visuals were already in my head, and the plot was already neatly outlined. But I was still taken aback by the real ness of it. The characters who reflect the high school experience so well. Well done, Mr. Jay Asher. Well done.
My only criticism? I wish it could’ve been a tad more descriptive at times. Like I said, I already had the Netflix-provided imagery, but I wish I could’ve seen things from Asher’s direct POV in the book.
EDIT: those marking it down on reviews because it glorifies suicide- I’ve gotta disagree. I was absolutely of that opinion after watching the series but now...now I get it a little more. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and I respect the opinion that does say the book glorifies suicide, but hear me out. Hannah’s story isn’t meant to glorify suicide. It’s meant to make us contemplate all the various factors that can contribute to someone’s self-image and quality of life. It’s meant to make us realize that we never know what’s going on in someone’s head.
Hannah needed help. And she tried to get it, but she had various blocks in one way or another and ultimately that led to her end. The process in the book might seem romanticized at times, but really it’s just a story about a girl. It’s an account to help people see themselves and others in a different light. It’s supposed to highlight means of self-awareness and improvement as well as emphasize empathy. At least, that’s my take.
I saw the Netflix series before reading this book, so the visuals were already in my head, and the plot was already neatly outlined. But I was still taken aback by the real ness of it. The characters who reflect the high school experience so well. Well done, Mr. Jay Asher. Well done.
My only criticism? I wish it could’ve been a tad more descriptive at times. Like I said, I already had the Netflix-provided imagery, but I wish I could’ve seen things from Asher’s direct POV in the book.
EDIT: those marking it down on reviews because it glorifies suicide- I’ve gotta disagree. I was absolutely of that opinion after watching the series but now...now I get it a little more. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and I respect the opinion that does say the book glorifies suicide, but hear me out. Hannah’s story isn’t meant to glorify suicide. It’s meant to make us contemplate all the various factors that can contribute to someone’s self-image and quality of life. It’s meant to make us realize that we never know what’s going on in someone’s head.
Hannah needed help. And she tried to get it, but she had various blocks in one way or another and ultimately that led to her end. The process in the book might seem romanticized at times, but really it’s just a story about a girl. It’s an account to help people see themselves and others in a different light. It’s supposed to highlight means of self-awareness and improvement as well as emphasize empathy. At least, that’s my take.
I rarely write book reviews, I usually just give out grades. But for some reason I felt compelled to write a review for this one.
It’s not the greatest or the worst book I’ve ever read. I neither hate it nor love it. When it comes to literary devices, it has both strengths and weaknesses, none of which I wish to discuss right now.
The main reasons for wanting to write a review were the comments from the readers who absolutely hated the book. In other words, their reason why they hated the book is the reason why I’m writing this. So this is the one reason why people who didn’t like the book didn’t like it: the reasons leading to Hannah Baker killing herself are not strong enough reasons to make a person want to end their own life.
Well, my question is: who are you to decide that? Maybe, they’re not good enough reasons for you. They sure as hell are not good enough reasons for me. But they were clearly good enough for her.
Not all people are the same. Not all people are strong enough. We are not all equally equipped to deal with the level of shit that life throws at us on a daily basis.
Can you imagine a situation where you are one of the characters in the book and for some reason Hannah decided to tell you what she was going through. She told you her thirteen reasons and you were all like: ‘Bitch, those ain’t good enough reasons!’ Well, people who are having thoughts about suicide are probably afraid of that kind of reaction, which is exactly why they don’t ask for help. And rightfully so, if we take into the account all those negative comments about Hannah’s reasons.
Hannah’s reasons were immature. Trivial. Not big enough. Not traumatic enough. To you. To me. But not to her, because they were hers. I bet you think you could go through what Hannah did, plus a billion worse things, without contemplating suicide. So could I. But Hannah couldn’t.
She did annoy me A LOT, especially through the first half of the book, because I couldn’t relate to her and her problems. But later I found myself really feeling sorry for her because her problems were smothering her, not allowing her to live and I just wanted to help her. I wanted to talk to her and let her know that I understood how she felt. That I often felt exactly the same, but for completely different reasons. My own number of reasons that someone would laugh at and discard as not important enough. Not that big of a deal.
We always think our own problems are the worst in the world. And we should because they’re ours and only we deal with them. Some people are really good at it. Others struggle a lot, but at the end of the day they somehow manage. Some people just can’t. It is not fair to judge someone’s actions based on what we think we would do if we were in their shoes. We can never know what goes on in their heads. We can never know what it’s like to be them.
So let me tell you my ONE reason why I decided to give 4 stars to “Thirteen Reasons Why”, rather than 3 as I originally intended. Even though I said it’s not the greatest book in the world and not even close to becoming one of my personal favorites, it clearly did leave a strong impression on me. So strong that I decided to write my own opinion about it, which I almost never do.
And I can’t wait to discuss this with my book club in February! I have a feeling it’s going to be an epic debate :)
It’s not the greatest or the worst book I’ve ever read. I neither hate it nor love it. When it comes to literary devices, it has both strengths and weaknesses, none of which I wish to discuss right now.
The main reasons for wanting to write a review were the comments from the readers who absolutely hated the book. In other words, their reason why they hated the book is the reason why I’m writing this. So this is the one reason why people who didn’t like the book didn’t like it: the reasons leading to Hannah Baker killing herself are not strong enough reasons to make a person want to end their own life.
Well, my question is: who are you to decide that? Maybe, they’re not good enough reasons for you. They sure as hell are not good enough reasons for me. But they were clearly good enough for her.
Not all people are the same. Not all people are strong enough. We are not all equally equipped to deal with the level of shit that life throws at us on a daily basis.
Can you imagine a situation where you are one of the characters in the book and for some reason Hannah decided to tell you what she was going through. She told you her thirteen reasons and you were all like: ‘Bitch, those ain’t good enough reasons!’ Well, people who are having thoughts about suicide are probably afraid of that kind of reaction, which is exactly why they don’t ask for help. And rightfully so, if we take into the account all those negative comments about Hannah’s reasons.
Hannah’s reasons were immature. Trivial. Not big enough. Not traumatic enough. To you. To me. But not to her, because they were hers. I bet you think you could go through what Hannah did, plus a billion worse things, without contemplating suicide. So could I. But Hannah couldn’t.
She did annoy me A LOT, especially through the first half of the book, because I couldn’t relate to her and her problems. But later I found myself really feeling sorry for her because her problems were smothering her, not allowing her to live and I just wanted to help her. I wanted to talk to her and let her know that I understood how she felt. That I often felt exactly the same, but for completely different reasons. My own number of reasons that someone would laugh at and discard as not important enough. Not that big of a deal.
We always think our own problems are the worst in the world. And we should because they’re ours and only we deal with them. Some people are really good at it. Others struggle a lot, but at the end of the day they somehow manage. Some people just can’t. It is not fair to judge someone’s actions based on what we think we would do if we were in their shoes. We can never know what goes on in their heads. We can never know what it’s like to be them.
So let me tell you my ONE reason why I decided to give 4 stars to “Thirteen Reasons Why”, rather than 3 as I originally intended. Even though I said it’s not the greatest book in the world and not even close to becoming one of my personal favorites, it clearly did leave a strong impression on me. So strong that I decided to write my own opinion about it, which I almost never do.
And I can’t wait to discuss this with my book club in February! I have a feeling it’s going to be an epic debate :)
I didn't realize when I picked this up, that it was a young adult book, so it's writing is geared to that age group. This book is about a teen-age girl's suicide and the reasons that led up to her taking that step. What I didn't like about the book was the last reason--I felt that it was crammed in there to make sure someone with authority felt some complicity to her suicide. What I did like about it was that it shows how a series of events--especially in the life of a teen--can lead someone to feel like an outside, or foolish, or disgusted with themselves. I also though the storytelling mechanism was clever.
Suicide is a hard topic to broach with that age group, and yet, it's probably the age group that needs to be looked after most when it comes to suicide because I'm sure that the though enters every teens mind at least at some point during puberty. I think this is a good book to give to any teens in your life so they realize they're not alone in what they're feeling and that talking to *anyone* is more helpful than going it alone.
Suicide is a hard topic to broach with that age group, and yet, it's probably the age group that needs to be looked after most when it comes to suicide because I'm sure that the though enters every teens mind at least at some point during puberty. I think this is a good book to give to any teens in your life so they realize they're not alone in what they're feeling and that talking to *anyone* is more helpful than going it alone.