Review: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Title: Thirteen Reasons Why

Series: Stand-Alone

Author: Jay Asher

Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction

Publication Date: October 18th 2007 by Razorbill

Format: Paper Back

Source: Library

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Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen 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.

                     I will be brutally honest too everybody I was not ever going to pick this book up since I first heard about it, when it first came out in the year 2007. When I read the synopsis I said I will absolutely not read this book not because I think it was a bad book, but because in the early 2000's I was diagnosis with Mental illness and depression. At that time I was really straggling with my mental illness and depression and I've been in and out of the hospital because of it. I was just not ready too read a very hard, difficult and tough subject in this book. Until years later with the support of family and friends, the right medication and my faith I got much better. And my motto was always that I Will Not Let This Illness Control My Life. And I will also say I was not really into books like Thirteen Reasons Whys back in the days as well. And now years lately I read a lot of hard, tough and very dark subject in books lately that when I first saw the trailer of Thirteen Reasons Why that is going to be on Netflix. That I finally remember about it I totally forgot about it before I saw the trailer, but remember about Thirteen Reasons Why after I saw the trailer. That I actually really wanted too read it before it came on Netflix because the trailer look really, really good. So I decided I will give it a shot and check it out from the library and see if I like it or not. And Oh My did I ever love this book. I know this book is not for everybody and I totally understand there reasoning. But I absolutely love everything about it. I Especially love Jay Asher writing style and how he voice the teenagers I thought he did a magnificent job writing about them. And I also love how he wrote about the mental illness and deep depression that Hannah Baker had. I know it is really difficult too read about the reason why Hannah killed herself and blamed 13 people for her death, everything she went through was how I went through with my mental illness and depression. Mental Illness and depression is not pretty and it is really dark and very ugly feeling it feels that you are in a never ending deep hole that you think you never will get back to normal again. And that's how I think Hannah Baker felt and I felt so bad for her because I know exactly what she was going through. But fortunately for me I had support from family and friends. Hannah had nobody not even the help from her parents and I just felt absolutely horrible for her even when she was going through a snowball effect. Just tragedy after tragedy she went through in Thirteen Reasons Why. That I just wanted to give her a big hug and console her. And I am going to leave it off here because I don't want to get too spoiler but I will say that the ending was a bitter sweet ending and I will dare say it was an hopeful ending as well. All and all I really love and enjoy Thirteen Reasons Why now I can not wait too watch the Netflix series that will start this Friday! Plus I will read more books by Jay Asher because I really love his writing style Thirteen Reasons Why is most definitely won't be my last book that I will read by Jay Asher! 

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Jay Asher was born in Arcadia, California on September 30, 1975. He grew up in a family that encouraged all of his interests, from playing the guitar to his writing. He attended Cuesta College right after graduating from high school. It was here where he wrote his first two children’s books for a class called Children’s Literature Appreciation. At this point in his life, he had decided he wanted to become an elementary school teacher. He then transferred to California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo where he left his senior year in order to pursue his career as a serious writer. Throughout his life he worked in various establishments, including as a salesman in a shoe store and in libraries and bookstores. Many of his work experiences had an impact on some aspect of his writing.

He has published only one book to date, Thirteen Reasons Why, which was published in October 2007. He is currently working on his second Young Adult novel, and has written several picture books and screenplays. Thirteen Reasons Why has won several awards and has received five stars from Teen Book Review. It also has received high reviews from fellow authors such as Ellen Hopkins, Chris Crutcher, and Gordon Kormon.