A review by ahopper7
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

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

3.5

This book has actually been on my TBR shelf in my bookcase since it originally came out and as part of my goal to read through my TBR I actually decided to listen to the audiobook instead so I’m way late to the game. I do think the storytelling is an interesting angle, and since I listened to this, the story via audio tapes really came through. I also appreciate the theme of ‘the things you do and say to people matter, so how about everyone learn to be a little kinder, pay a little more attention’ lesson. I see a lot of complaints about this book for the “blaming” that Hannah is doing with her 13 reasons list, but from my perspective, I think those people are missing the mark in their judgment. As someone who attempted suicide when I was a teenage girl, I don’t see the audiotapes as blaming. I think it’s clear Hannah started out angry at everyone and everything that was snowballing, but towards the end I think you can hear/see the sadness and realization of self-blame. And she just couldn’t take it anymore, which is a sad reality of so many people. I also think people trying to say that most of her reasons were too trivial must forget what’s it was like to be a teen (hello, it’s all ‘the world is out to get me’ anyway) and also remember the audiotapes drop hints that this isn’t the whole story, which I also think is a point of the book - we all have our own shit going on at all the different parts of our lives (work, school, family, friends) and we only see a limited view of those parts for the people we have relationships with. 
 
However, I do believe the author was a little clumsy in his set up and follow through of the suicide theme, and I think the vehicle in which the reader hears Hannah story through Clay was annoying.
Clay was an empty character really, and I get that he was there so we could hear the tapes after Hannah’s death, but the whole making him a tape but he really didn’t do anything felt off for me. I think it could have been more meaningful coming from another character, either someone who genuinely did something shitty, or if a forgivable/didn’t do anything wrong character was really necessary, Tony would have been the better option IMO.


Overall, I did at least connect with the story of how our actions affect others, and I think listening to the book is probably better than physically reading. Also - that teacher should have been fired. 
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