Library401: Realistic Fiction

Thirteen Reasons Why

By Jay Asher

Asher, Jay. Thirteen Reasons Why. New York: Penguin Group, 2007.

ISBN: 9781595141712 304 Pages, Reading Level: 3.9 Lexile: 550L Interest Level: 9-12

There are places in the heart that do not yet exist; suffering has to enter in for them to come to be.”

(Leon Bloy)

Image hearing from someone from beyond the grave! That is exactly what happens to Clay Jensen when he receives a box of audio-cassette tapes delivered to him by mail with no return address. It seems that he is not the first to receive the package nor will he be the last. Contained within the package are 7 audio cassette tapes, 6 of which are double sided with the 7^th having only one side. The surprise comes when Clay discovers the tapes are from Hannah Baker, a girl who committed suicide two weeks previously. Not only was Hannah a classmate, but it turns out that Clay secretly had a crush on her.

As Clay makes the decision to comply with Hannah’s instructions on the tapes, we find Clay moving through an emotional state of being as he listens to the tapes in order and follows Hannah’s instructions to visit different places of importance to her slowly revealing story. As the story unfolds, we read the back and forth dialogue of Hannah’s recorded story/comments and Clay’s overlapping ones. Hannah is providing Clay with a telling of the 13 reasons why she ultimately decided to take her own life.

From the moment I started reading this book, I found myself riveted to the story. How did Clay fit into the picture? Why was Hannah giving him so much detail about other people? What is she trying to relay to Clay? The back and forth voices of the characters of Hannah and Clay provide the reader with a sense of both individuals – their reactions to different situations, different people, their individual personalities, and what high school life for them resembles. Throughout the story, we are reminded how carelessly people can treat other people either deliberately or through short sightedness or simply by not paying attention. I was amazed by the control the author had over his story and the way he presented it. It flowed beautifully from beginning to end. I thought the tapes were a terrific device to allow Hannah to have a voice after her death. Having only Clay’s reactions to the tapes made for a “tight” story line that still managed to fill in all the details.

I must admit that I probably would not have read this book had it not been required for our class. I did not find the cover particularly appealing nor was I attracted by the particular premise of the story until I started reading. What a terrific book – not light and cheerful - but so worth reading.

There are untold numbers of young adult realistic fiction books, but I must admit that I am having a great deal of trouble cross referencing this particular book to another title. Perhaps with some distance from the actual reading, I will be able to recommend other titles that strike a similar cord. As of now, I find this particular book to new and unique to take that step.
Having written the above and now had the distant from the story, I have looked at any number of fiction titles concerning suicide and have found a number of books that are wrapped around the subject. In some books the act of suicide is final, in one, Trigger, it fails and the story tells the aftermath. In yet another, blame is assigned for causing a person to commit suicide and the issue of revenge upon that person is the story line (What Happened to Cass McBride). All of the books in this list have well reviewed entries and are current time wise - published since 2005. I have read two out of the list and don't know why I didn't originally make connections. The others are on my ever expanding need to read list. I would recommend these titles for high school students, grades 9 through 12.