I have finished Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. Hannah Baker, a student who committed suicide, left seven cassette tapes with the reasons why she died. Clay Jenson, Hannah’s crush, just received the tapes and wonders why he is one of the reasons she wanted to die. He embarks on an adventure that will take him through his town for an entire night. To find the answers he’s looking for, he’ll have to face the hard truth about Hannah’s life, and decide to keep listening to the tapes one at a time. If he can finish them, he will know why Hannah killed herself, and what he had to do with it.
Clay is actually the next reason, number nine. It is revealed that Hannah could have definitely loved Clay, if only she had spent more time with him. He did not belong on the same list of people that hurt her. The fact is, he never hurt her, he actually may have been the only person that could have saved her. But she pushed him away. At the same party the book tells about over and over, Clay and Hannah get to know each other. Eventually they end up together, alone, and when they get close, Hannah stops him. She tells him to go away because she’s reminded of Justin.
After Clay leaves, Hannah just sits there awhile in the bedroom. She hears someone come in and move to the closet and hides. What she hears though, she never expected. In that small bedroom, something happens and she could have stopped it, but she didn’t. Neither did Justin, who she also blames for it as well as herself. Afterwards she is given a ride home by an aforementioned cheerleader, Jenny. Jenny is number ten because she, while driving Hannah home, knocks down a stop sign. It causes a lot more trouble than you imagine.
Jenny never calls the police or anything; she doesn’t see it as a big deal. But it becomes a big deal. Something terrible happens as a result of this minor incident. Hannah blames herself for not stopping it. After that she decides to walk home, but that’s not where she goes. She goes to Courtney’s house and hot tubs in her underwear with Courtney and Bryce. After Courtney leaves, Bryce starts to show his interest for Hannah, and she lets her reputation catch up to her. In a last attempt to save her life, she goes to a teacher to talk, but the teacher does no good. Hannah confirms her decision to kill herself, and Clay realizes what Hannah meant to him as he sends the package on.
This was one of the most horrible books I’ve ever read. Horrible in a sense that it was so sad and made me want to cry at times. I was deeply impacted by this book because I’m sure we’ve all had our days where we want to give up. This book is about giving up, and trying to find ways to hope again. I hope this book encourages people to think about the things that are good, and not just focus on the bad. There may be thirteen reasons to give up, but you only need one reason to keep living. It makes me want to find the things that I want to stay alive for, and not the things I want to die for. I hope everyone else gets the same message.
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
RED’S ALL STAR RATING: 4 out of 5 stars. Easily. This book was so good and inspired me so much. It may save lives out there because of its message.
MASS APPEAL: Girls and guys, but mainly girls will want to read this. It’s got a great message and everyone should read it.
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