Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Clay Jensen receives an unexpected package in the mail and finds that it contains several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, a classmate who committed suicide two weeks earlier. As Clay listens to the first tape, Hannah explains that there were thirteen reasons she decided to end her life, and if he was listening to the tapes, he was one of the reasons. Hannah ensured that each of the thirteen people involved will get to listen to the tapes by a carefully controlled threat. If the people involved don’t listen to the tapes and then pass them on to the next person, an outside person will go public with the tapes. Hannah has also provided each listener with a map of important places. Clay spends that night following Hannah’s voice and map as he learns the truth of her pain, and just how he was involved.

The book contains two main voices, Clay’s narration of the story, and Hannah’s recorded tapes. In order to differentiate, the text used italics to denote the recorded vocals. At times this was confusing to read, especially when Hannah’s voice was paired line for line with a thought from Clay. While this is probably a realistic depiction of Clay’s thought process as he listens to the tapes, it was difficult. I think the publisher would have been better off using a different font for Hannah rather than just italics. The other criticism I have for the text is that the main way the reader gets to know Clay is through Hannah’s story, which makes him feel a bit less than a main character. I also had trouble with the dialogue between Clay and Tony, the guy Hannah chose to hold her secret, even though he wasn’t one of the thirteen reasons. I felt that the conversations weren’t authentic; instead they seemed rather contrived. I wonder if the audiobook format might be more successful at telling the story. Have you listened to it? Would you recommend it? Let me know!

I really liked this book, in spite of the fact that the entire time you read, you know that there can’t be a happy ending. Hannah is dead, and that won’t change, regardless of what else happens in the story.