Good afternoon. Here it is: my VERY 1st book review. SO EXCITING!!!!
Thanks to my wonderful friend for telling me about this great read, Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, who I didn't learn is a Man until the end of the book. I was surprised by how well he wrote a girl, in high school girl nonetheless!
Thirteen Reasons Why by: Jay Asher
This book was an Amazing read! I’m going to try very hard not to give too much away, so bare with me!
This is a very coming-of-age story, without the protagonist ever really coming of age. Hannah Baker is now one of my favorite activists for “do the right thing,” not that most people need it. She saw the world for what it was and how it could have been, or even should have been. And, even though her story was told through the ever loving Clay’s eyes, she was able to make her point.
People are not necessarily what they seem. Trusting people can be so hard, even more so when they will turn on you at the drop of a hat, for something they heard or over a rumor. This book has such strong emotions in it, and so much angst, love, and sadness – overwhelming sadness.
I’ve been told that I get too attached to fictional characters. And you know what? I do. In the same instance, if Hannah Baker had done the same thing to me – made me a part of her bigger picture, and not in a nice light – I think I would have run away and joined the Peace Corps. I’d spend weekends in a soup kitchen, trying to grab as many karma points as I could, so that in the end, and on Judgment Day, while standing in front of God (or whomever you might pray to), he might look past the fact that I was so rotten to someone who just wanted a second chance, a new start, and a clean slate. If I had turned on her; I had let her do this too herself.
This entire book is an emotional roller coaster. It will have you flipping pages WELL into the wee hours of the morning, just to see how, and who the story comes to next. It teaches why, sometimes, all you can do is give someone their second chance.
*SPOILER ALERT*
At one point in this story, I became very upset, pissed off even. Because I thought Hannah was selfish, and I found myself asking why in the world she couldn’t just get over it. Let it go, and move on. Then, the more I read, the more I noticed that she did try. Every chance she got, she tried to move on and get over it, to let it go. But it just wouldn’t stop. Her world just wouldn’t stop.
As any one person might tell you, life, love, friends – none of this is easy. Suicide is a REAL THING. It happens every day, to people all around the world. And it is 100% avoidable. You just have to look for the signs. And I feel, this was a GREAT way for them to be brought to light; not only for those who have these feelings, but for those who might be in a position to actually see the signs. It might give them the chance to help. It’s something that is so often not spoken of in schools, because it’s too “taboo” and people don’t like to dive into such hard subjects, but it’s something that needs to be dealt with. I’m glad that Jay Asher took the road less traveled, and brought this forward, so that maybe, just maybe, no one will be left feeling in the dark again.
I give this a STRONG READ rating, and would tell anyone to give it a go! :)
Very Best, J.
