A review by jarnbooks
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

The story was okay. Not my favorite book but it’s not the worst book I’ve read dealing with Mental Health. The characters are pretty surface level and we learn little about them as people (other than the things they did to Hannah). 

Clay seems like too perfect of a character and is even admitted to “never hearing anything bad” about him. And Hannah is Clay’s Manic Pixie Dream Girl. We only know other characters based on what Hannah says about them and Clay’s non-insightful opinions of them. 

The book overall just made me uncomfortable. Not because of the content. Because it just seemed like a twisted revenge-fantasy of a teenager wanting to get back at those who wronged her. For a book this critically-acclaimed, I hated that. Suicide isn’t revenge. What’s left behind isn’t revenge either. Other than that, Hannah is a realistic portrayal of someone that is thinking about Suicide. There were moments where I used to relate to what she was doing or saying. 

The prose is good. It’s pretty fast paced and it keeps you entertained wondering what the next tape/reason will say. 
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