Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher - Book Review

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Asher, Jay. Th1rteen R3asons Why: A Novel. New York: Razorbill, 2007. Print.

Hello, boys and girls. Hannah Baker here, live and in stereo. Clay Jensen finds a pleasant surprise when he sees a shoebox of old tapes on his doorstep. Soon after, he realizes that Hannah Baker, a girl that committed suicide two weeks earlier, made the tapes, and that he is somehow responsible for her death. Through the night, Clay follows Hannah’s tapes throughout their town, and listens to a series of heart-wrenching events that caused Hannah to kill herself, from her not-so fantastic first kiss to her slap in the face. Literally. Clay’s journey causes him to learn things about people that he would’ve never imagined, about Hannah, about classmates, and about himself.

 Th1rteen R3asons Why is an amazing book! It is detailed, suspenseful, and addictive. I couldn’t put it down! Jay Asher’s idea about Hannah’s tapes is genius, and Clay’s reaction to the tapes is spot-on! It is brilliant and well-thought-out, and the characters are fully developed with personality and pizzazz. This book is an unforgettable read! Two thumbs up!