Book Review 5-21

TH1RTEEN R3ASONS WHY by Jay Asher

The bone chilling novel written by Jay Asher is one which once you pick it up you can't set it down. The book tells a story that in some ways everyone will be able to relate to, making it that much easier to read.

The book begins at the end of the story, playing back to you what has already happened. It begins with one of the main characters and co narrator, Clay Jensen. This story all begins when Clay's biggest crush commits suicide and a box full of audiotapes were sent out to 13 people. Clay's crushes name is Hannah Baker. Before she killer herself she made the audiotapes, put them in a box, and mailed them to the first person on her list. After the person that was currently holding the tapes listened to all 13 of the tapes they would box them up, just as they were when they received them, and send them to the next person on Hannah Baker's list. This would just repeat until all the people intended to receive the tapes had and listened to them all.

The tapes consisted of the names of the 13 people on Hannah's list. They told each of them reasons why she killer herself. Clay, being a receiver of the tapes, stays up all night, follows the map that was mysteriously put into his locker a week earlier that corresponds with the places Hannah talks about on her audiotapes, all the way up until he has listened to all the tapes. Then the next morning he does what hes supposed to do and sends it to the next person on the list. The thirteenth tape is about a person that no one would ever expect.

The story was very good and it would keep you wanting to read more until your done learning why Hannah killed herself, but there were some bad points about the story. The author gives Hannah a voice that gets on your nerves really easily. Sometimes you can relate to her and empathetic for her, other times you are so close to closing the book because you can't believe that the author would actually make her say such things. She talks about suicide like there is nothing wrong with it, like it is a joke to her. She also has 13 people on her list, but some of the actions they did to be placed on her list were minor everyday teenage things, and that gets old really fast. Also in the end you realize how cheesy the book really is. Reading the book about a girl telling her whole life story all the way up until she murders herself may be a waste of time for some people.

The way that this author can joke around about suicide is not as funny they may have thought it was.Yes, Jay Asher probably has dealt with suicide with somebody close to them committing suicide, but how could you write an entire book with a dead girl joking about killing herself. When Hannah Baker tells the listener exactly how she will kill herself the story may have been taken a little bit too far. Also, when reading the book I thought to myself how would I react if someone I knew made audiotapes before they killed themselves, just to send them to peole to hear the reasons why they made it to their list.

The organization of the book was fresh and fun. The author dividing the book up by cassettes and sides was original and made reading the story easier. The authors voice was somewhat annoying at times, but in general it was a good read.