Book Review: 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher

13 Reasons Why (Tv tie-in)
Author: Jay Asher
Publisher: Penguin Books
Pages: 288 pages
Release date: 27/02/2017
R.R.P: $17.99
You can't stop the future.
You can't rewind the past.
The only way to learn the secret...
...is to press play.

Clay Jensen doesn't want anything to with the tapes Hannah Baker made. Hannah died two weeks ago. Her secrets should be buried with her.

Then Hannah's voice explains that there are thirteen reasons why she died- and Clay is one of the . If he listens he'll learn that he is, in some way, responsible for her death.

All through the night, Clay keeps listening. He follows Hannah's recorded words around his small town... And what he discovers will change his life forever.

My review
Thoughts on the book: I was so excited when I had the opportunity to be able to get a review copy of 13 Reasons Why before the tv series came out. I had heard so much controversy about the book and that the to show was looking to be a huge hit that I wanted to see what all the hype and hate was about. The minute it arrived (which luckily happened right before I was going away on holidays for two weeks) I packed it in my bag and was planning on reading it as soon as I had finished the book that I was currently reading. Little did I know that as soon as I picked it up I wouldn't be moving from that spot because I actually got really sick suddenly (high fever, couldn't breathe properly, horrendous cough, typical bad flu but worse). The only thing that made it at all bareable that day was reading 13 Reasons Why and I absolutely loved it.

13 Reasons Why is a stunning novel which I think many people don't really understand the meaning behind the book (well what I think the meaning behind the book is). To me the book wasn't about publicising sucidie and laying blame, as many people think it is, I think it's more about making you think more about the choices that you make and how the little things that you think are OK to do aren't and could actually have a significant impact on someone else. It's about taking notice of everyone around you and making sure that they are ok. Even if it's just a little smile, a nice complement or a wave. They might seem insignificant to you but to someone else they might mean the world. It's really just all about  taking a step back and thinking before speaking or doing what you are going to.

There were so many emotions that I went through when I was reading 13 Reasons Why. I felt for Hannah and Clay throughout the book and got so angry and frustrated at times with what happened to Hannah. The fact that it seemed like nobody knew what was happening right in front of them was so disturbing and heartbreaking. At times the story got very hard to read but I had to keep going because I had to know why Clay's name was included and when I found out why he was it left me with a sense of relief. But then knowing that there was more to the story and that no one was even listening or helping made me feel helpless. I finished the book with tears in my eyes and couldn't start another book for awhile after it because I felt it deserved time to just sit with me and let me mull over how I was thinking. 

I told my sister that I had read the book (mind you she is not a reader at all but she had watched the to series) and she asked me about the court case. I gave her a weird look and said there was no court case in the book. So I thought I better watch the tv series. There were so many differences between the two and I much preferred the book. Now that it has been confirmed that there is going to be a season 2 of the tv series I don't know if I will watch it or not because I feel that it is moving too far away from the book. I think everyone should defiantly read the book first and then if they feel they need to watch the to series. I much prefer the book and it would have to be in my top 10 reads this year for sure.

Rating: 5/5


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