This novel by Jay Asher entitled Thirteen Reasons Why was my stretch book. Although I enjoy, for lack of a better word, reading issue books, I don’t particularly like reading books where I know the main character of the novel has committed suicide. I knew this book would be not only difficult to read but hard for me to consider using in the classroom not only because of the topic of suicide but other issues tackled in the book.
Hannah Baker, our “main character” has committed suicide. She has overdosed on pills. Several weeks later, one of her classmates and co-workers at the movie theater, Clay Jensen, finds a package from her, on his doorstep. This package contains audiotapes, all numbered, on each side, from one to thirteen. These tapes were created by Hannah before she killed herself, and were meant to be given to each person mentioned on the tapes. As Clay is the first he must give the tapes to each person thereafter, to listen to, and understand the reasons, as the tapes explain, why she took her life. The most chilling detail is that each person mentioned on the tapes, in Hannah’s words, contributed in some way to the reasons as to why she is dead. Each person, who may or may not even know how much they affected Hannah's life, is chilled to the core with her reliving moments of her life. This book follows the tragedies of high school students, the teenage lifestyle and the choices that come along with it. Hannah has left behind a message not only for these thirteen people but for those surrounding her life. These tapes, and the words/ life of Clay are what drive the story. We see that the actions of not just Hannah but everyone in her life, have consequences. As the story from Clay and the story of Hannah’s life unfolds we find many violent, shocking, and disturbing events. We find sexual events such as rape, drinking, identity, and emotions such as guilt, fear, and sadness contained in this book. All of these things give the novel itself a voice, a voice that can be heard through the tapes of Hannah, crying out to all those whom she needed and were not there. This novel brings a new and interesting light to topics that many have yet to face.
But it isn’t all of these teenage issues, which make the book what it is, or even the characters themselves. I feel it is the writing. As many others have agreed, this book is written in a way to bring not only a disturbing reality and subject which no one really wants to touch but a power to those who have had so similar a situation and had no way out. This book is chronicling not only Hannah’s life but the lives of other teenage girls or boys out there that need a story with shocking reality to read. I would not use this in my classroom not would I feel comfortable with recommending a book such as this to a student. But I do believe that a true reader, should read all genres and styles of books, this being one of them. Beyond an issue book, we have the crossing of reality and fiction. I think as my stretch book, it is not a book I would read again. It was definitely sad to read and even more disturbing at some points, but a book nonetheless I will ever forget.
In addition to this book, after I began reading some book reviews, which varied incredibly. But I also found book trailers that blew my mind. I wanted to share some websites and book trailers that would be good to view, not only in relation to the novel but for the topics.
Website 1- This website gave loads of information on the book, the author, the issues, the author's blog, a blog about Hannah and suicide prevention, and even the "tapes" from the novel that you can listen to.
Website 2- This website- in addition to the reading of the tapes- being so disturbing, it was even more disturbing to hear the tapes played out with a voice that someone has made.
Website 3- This website is a book trailer that I found most interesting. Although there has been no movie made from this book and there is not plans, as of yet, to make one, this trailer is from a fan for the book.
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