Summer Reading #7

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

I read this for the first time in the spring of 2009. I was in my methods class, observing, and a student had this on her desk. I was intrigued by the cover, as usual, so I put it on hold at the public library. I finished it the same day I picked it up. My children ended up getting me a copy for Mother's Day the same year.

Fast forward seven years. I have read this at least a handful of times, and now have a second copy, signed by the author. This was my first foray in to modern, young adult literature, and it has stuck with me since the very first time I read it. It's also a book I encourage my students to read, not because I want them to follow in Hannah's footsteps, but because I want them to see how their actions affect everyone around them. That is a powerful message.

One of the best things about this book is that it is told from two perspectives: Hannah, the girl who kills herself, and Clay, the boy who wanted to know her better. That is a trend these days-telling stories from more than one perspective. Unlike most, where the speakers take turns by chapters, Hannah and Clay take turns sometimes line by line. It was brilliantly done, and I have not seen a multiple perspective book done so well.

The story itself is simple: Hannah Baker kills herself, and leaves audiotapes detailing her reasons for doing so, hence thirteen reasons why. The story starts out with Clay mailing a box of audiotapes, then goes into flashback to when he received the tapes himself.

Clay came home the day before to a package addressed to him. There was no return address, so Clay had no idea who sent the package. He is intrigued, so he opens it to find seven audiotapes, numbered per side, 1-13. He locates a tape deck, and puts in the first tape. He is horrified when he hears Hannah's voice, the girl he had a crush on, a crush he didn't act on because she had a reputation and he didn't know how her reputation would affect him. She explains the tapes, and that if a person receives the tapes, then they are one of her reasons. Again, Clay is horrified, as, to his knowledge, he never did anything to Hannah.

Prior to receiving the tapes, Clay received a map of the town in his locker. There were locations marked with red stars that correspond to locations mentioned on the tapes. Clay decides he doesn't want to chance his mother hearing what is on the tapes, so he makes an excuse to go to a friend's house to borrow his walkman. For the rest of the night, Clay listens to these tapes and goes to the locations to try to get into Hannah's mindset.

While he understands Hannah is ultimately responsible for the action she took, he now understands what led her there. This makes it hard for him to face his classmates, especially the ones who have already received the tapes and those who will receive the tapes.

Like I said, this is a book I read again and again because it just stays with you. It really makes you realize how your actions affect others and are tangled up in their actions and lives too. Brilliant book, and one I highly recommend to everyone.