Flight into Fantasy

Title: Thirteen Reasons why
Author: Jay Asher
Genre: Young Adult
Reason for Reading: Several bloggers I read loved this book, so I put it on my list.

Synopsis:

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker–his classmate and crush–who committed suicide two weeks earlier. On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out how he made the list.
Through Hannah and Clay’s dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

Other Takes:

• Tiny Little Reading Room: mixed

• Becky’s Book Reviews: very positive
• Teen Book Review: 5 stars
• Beth Fish Reads: mixed, but she also listened to and commented on the audio.
• Trish: mostly positive
• My Friend Amy: positive, but very thoughtful.
• A Reader’s Respite: very positive
• Last but not least, Kailana’s review: positive.

My Thoughts: This is why I read YA. This book epitomizes the very best that the genre has to offer, and is easily one of the best books I’ve read this year. It’s raw, it’s real, it resonates on an emotional level. It is also not to be missed on audio, as the style lends itself to audio narration. The two narrators of the audible version do a great job portraying Hannah and Clay, and they lend an immediacy to the story that I’m not sure would have been there in print. What’s more, this book gets a place of honor as one of my rare keepers because it evoked a visceral reaction. I happened to read it alone in the house, and I literally had to seek out company once I was done reading, because the emotions it evoked were so huge and primal that I just wanted someone to give me a hug.

After I finished the book, Kailana told me she’d read and hadn’t reviewed it, so we decided to do a joint review. I asked her some questions about the book, and she asked me some as well. Here are my answers to her questions. You can click on her review above to read what she had to say.

< 1. Did you find the book believable once you read the entire thing? Did it seem like something that could really happen, or did you think it was blown out of proportion?

I did find it believable. I mean, all those things that happened to Hannah were cumulatively pretty small, but still, I was convinced they could add up. I tend to be a pretty tough reader, and I never once had one of those “Wait a minute! This would never happen in real life!” moments. In fact, the things I realized that people had a problem with just never crossed my mind until I started collecting other reviews for this post.

2. Who do you think the marketing age for this book is? Is it just for high schoolers, or do you think it is a more far-reaching topic? Do you think it should be a book taught in schools?

That’s a good question. I think it’s definitely a far-reaching topic, and I could absolutely see teaching it in schools. I know we had teen suicide when I was in high school–I remember one guy fairly clearly because a mutual friend had confided that she should have seen it coming and didn’t think she could do anything about it. So I think it’s a relevant topic, and I think the book works as well because it doesn’t talk down to kids, either.

3. How did you feel when you finished this book? What are the first thoughts that came to mind, or, what are thoughts that are coming to mind now?

I was glad it was over, but I wasn’t sorry I read it at all. This was one of the few books I’ve ever read that has managed to make me cry. As I said, I was at home by myself while I was reading, and I remember burying my face in my hands and sobbing. I couldn’t summon up actual tears, but there were so many emotions that the book envoked in me that I needed some kind of catharsis. Not a whole lot gets me to that point.

That said, I liked the hopeful way the book ended. We know, because the tapes did make it to Clay, that Hannah’s dead, but at least Clay is left hoping that maybe he can be there for someone else.

I do have to say that I kept wondering why it had to be Clay who got to narrate this book. One of my questions to Kailana was whether the book would have been as effective if we’d had one of the earlier narrators instead of Clay. I guess that’s the fandom participant in me speaking. At any rate, I did like Clay as a narrator, so the point is moot.

Final Thoughts: Go out. Read this book. Preferably on audio.

My Grade: A