Thirteen Reasons Why

I had a student come into the library the other day looking for depressing books. He said he could get into the characters more easily when the story was depressing. That being the case, he shouldn't have too much trouble finding a book to read, because at least half of all young adult novels are depressing, imho. I just finished a really good and depressing novel--Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. Hannah Baker makes 13 audio tapes for thirteen classmates who contributed to her decision to commit suicide. After her death, her tapes start circulating among the people for whom she blames her misery. We readers get to listen to her narration with Clay, the one student she doesn't blame for anything. It doesn't really matter, because after listening to the tapes, Clay blames himself for his insensitivity, and especially, for his fear of talking to Hannah and of trying to help her. There's nothing Clay can do to change the situation, because Hannah is already dead by the time he listens to her tapes. But he realizes he can change himself.

This is definitely a depressing book, and an insightful look into the heart and mind of a suicidal teen. But I did find myself getting angry at Hannah sometimes as the story progressed, because she made some bad choices which contributed to her misery. She couldn't legitimately blame all her problems on other people. However, it was obvious that Hannah, and perhaps most teens who think about killing themselves, lose the ability to see themselves and their situation for what it really is, and so they can't find the hope to hang on. Thirteen Reasons Why is a sad and gripping tale of high school at its worst, and a girl who grew too tired to wait for better times.

Reviewed by Dail Sams