22 October 2017

Review - Thirteen Reasons Why

Thirteen Reasons Why
by Jay Asher





What they say: You can't stop the future. You can't rewind the past. The only way to learn the secret... is to press play.

Clay Jensen doesn't want anything to do with the tapes Hannah Baker made. Hannah is dead. Her secrets should be buried with her.

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.





I received a copy from the publisher (via NetGalley) in an exchange for an honest review!


What I say: I have to admit that I first started reading Thirteen Reasons Why a long time ago but only just returned to read it properly after watching the now infamous TV show.

With such a difficult issue as teen suicide a book like Thirteen Reasons Why is always going to divide opinion between those who think talking about such topics glorifies suicide and those who think doing so serves as a good prevention aid. Personally I believe Hannah's story falls somewhere in the middle.

Without turning this review into a big old comparison between the book and TV programme I will say the pacing is increased for the show. We do see the same heartbreak and devastation caused by Hannah's death and we're still guided through what leads her to suicide.

I often found myself wondering how nobody saw the signs and how things escalated to the point where Hannah sees no way of living. I guess this is the devastating truth about depression and mental illness - it's often easy to ignore whats right in front of you. Especially when you're busy and young yourself. 

Whilst I felt bad for Hannah and truly believe mental illness should always be taken seriously, it was Clay I genuinely empathised with. It's particularly difficult when faced with Clay's devastation over Hannah's death and her tapes.

I would have liked to have seen greater consequences for the characters who commit some pretty horrific actions. 

I'm glad I found the time to go back and read the story because it definitely gives more insight into the events and helps bring traumatic issues into the spotlight.

3 Stars in my Sky!


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