Then Hannah’s voice tells Clay that his name is on her tapes – and that he is, in some way, responsible for her death.
All through the night, Clay keeps listening. He follows Hannah’s recorded words throughout his small town...
...and what he discovers changes his life forever.
Thirteen Reasons Why written by Jay Asher is one of many books that have been deemed a favorite of mine. Asher got the idea for Thirteen Reasons Why at a museum. While taking an audio tour, he was struck by the eeriness of the voice in his ear—a woman who described exactly what he was looking at, but wasn’t there. Almost from the moment of its 2007 publication, Jay Asher's debut novel has received praise for its poignant portrayal of the impact we have in one another's life.
This is a beautiful story, Jay Asher did a wonderful job in showing how the simplest comment or action can eat away at someone, and how it can be a stepping stone for a bigger piece of their soul to be chipped away. Even if we all already knew our actions had consequences this book really pitches it to home.
Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why or rather thirteen people that brought her to her decision, but also that they weren’t the only people who should have been on the list, the she sent the tapes to those she could connect as well as those she knew would follow the rules and pass the tapes along. Clay shouldn’t have be on her list in the first place… and he isn’t for the same reasons as the other twelve. Hannah put Clay on her tapes because she knew he could have saved her if she let him. She tells Clay that he was to late, she just didn’t want to be saved anymore. She was already dead (in her opinion) when he finally had his chance to be to with her, to help her. By the end of Hannah’s story Clay has begun answering her while he listens; answering her questions and making comments, showing how what he’s hearing has begun to impact him. Clay even begins to beg her not to go through with her plan, as if there is still time.
As the reader I began to beg right along with Clay, hoping that somehow the end of the story really wasn’t what I’d been told from the beginning. That there was some miracle, a magical high jinx that fixed everything. I love when a story can capture you in such a way that you want to be able to fix everything… making it better. The way your mum used to kiss away the pain of a cut. That’s honestly why this book made it’s way to my favorite list. I like knowing the story has it’s reason for ending the way it did and being comfortable with it while still wishing for magic beans. I don’t like happy endings that are all neat and tidy, because real life isn’t. I want to be able to fit the story into my life even if on occasion it had a supernatural character list.
Here's a little expert from the book:
Go read the book and then comment your opinion, or if you've already read it tell me if you loved, liked or hated it below.
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