"In the end...everything matters."
(Minimal Spoilers ahead!)
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TITLE: Th1rteen R3asons Why
AUTHOR/s: Jay Asher PUBLICATION DATE: 18th of October, 2007 AVAILABLE AT: Amazon | The Book Depository |
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| I like this one :) |
Clay Jensen arrives from school and discovers a package addressed to him. Inside, he discovers several tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, Clay's classmate and crush who committed suicide a few weeks earlier. On the said tapes, Hannah narrates the thirteen reasons that led her to the decision to end her life and she has sent out the records to the people who are involved, willing them to listen through all thirteen records and pass them on to the next person.
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1. The Format - Definitely not your usual storytelling method. The alternating narratives between Hannah and Clay makes the readers understand two different points of view regarding the same issue.
2. The Topic - Like the first one, the topic is something that is not openly discussed nowadays. It's actually my first time to read something about Suicide. It's a bit creepy and tons intriguing.
3. Goosebumps effect - Reading this at 3am, no wonder I've gotten the creeps. But even if I read it at 12nn, I believe I'd still feel the same.
4. Purpose - I believe that the main purpose of the book is raising awareness; making people understand that teenagers go through a lot and guidance is very much needed.
5. Tone/Theme - Do you expect a unicorn-filled, rainbow-colored theme in a novel dealing with suicide? Of course not and that's one of the things that made me love 13RW. It was dark. It was melancholic. Not my cup of tea but it was perfect.
6. Realism - Let's face it. SUICIDE. IS. HAPPENING. Jay Asher took the great leap of turning a sensitive topic into something that can be seen in a positive light and in this case, a novel. A novel that explains how suicide is not simply a call for attention. It's a call for help.
7. Simply all the characters - I can say that they are well written. The characters show a wide diversity of students in schools or university. Plus, it shows how teachers are people too and they do wrong or make bad decisions like everyone else *coughMr.Portercough*
8. Hannah Baker - I've NEVER felt suicidal. NEVER. But then, with Hannah's character, I realized how there are people out there who are SERIOUSLY thinking about taking their own lives and how they really are in need of help. (related to #4) Plus points because she dealt with poetry! chaching :D
9. Clay Jensen - You JUST got to feel for Clay. As you read, it seems like you feel all the regrets and what-ifs that left Clay hanging. I surely did. (Placed him on the 9th reason. Gettit? :D )
10. Hannah and Clay - I know I've placed them both on separate points but now, I'm putting them in one point. I know it's a "serious" novel but I'm glad that somehow, the author had put on a little sweetness that evened out the bitterness of the whole story. Is it wrong that I honestly Ship them? oh well.
11. Life Lessons - It's full of things that makes you rethink things. It discusses issues that are often overlooked not because it lacks support/evidence (since they are happening a lot) but because it's too hard to face and it seems like there's no solution but it has! 13RW dealt not only with suicide but also with bullying, parental guidance, alcoholism, drug use, and even the effects of gossiping. It even made me even more conscious to the people around me. Who knows? One of them might be a Hannah Baker. Worse, I myself might be acting like a Courtney Crimson or a Jessica Davis or even a Jenny Kurtz without me knowing. 13RW also tells the readers how we should learn how to not be afraid to do things which we know is right or else, we might end up with missed chances, passed-by opportunities, regrets and what-ifs *coughClaycough*.
12. It's a page-turner - As I've said, I read it through the night (til morning?) I tried (HONESTLY!) to put it down but I can't. I stopped for awhile willing myself to sleep but eventually, I start to pick up here I last left off. I kept telling myself "Just 1 more chapter" until ta-daa! I've already finished the whole thing. And there are only a few novels which I consider "un-droppable". When you start, you just can't stop.
13. It's just PERFECT - I know we get to say nothing's perfect. Maybe 13RW isn't but I just can't see any flaw with it. It's so sad and heartbreaking but in a good way and I love it (does that even make sense?!)
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"...But I was too afraid to find out for sure. Too afraid she might laugh if I asked her out. Just too afraid." -Clay Jensen
"I'm listening to someone give up. Someone I knew. Someone I liked. I'm listening. But still, I'm too late." -Clay Jensen
"I could have helped you. But when I tried, you pushed me away. I can almost hear Hannah's voice speaking my next thought for me. 'Then why didn't you try harder?'" -Clay Jensen
"You can't go back to how things were. How you thought they were. All you really have...is now." -Hannah Baker
"No one knows for certain how much impact they have on the lives of other people" -Hannah Baker
"A lot of you cared. Just not enough." -Hannah Baker
I could go on and on and on but I'm cutting it short haha :)
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So, not surprisingly, I'm giving Jay Asher's Th1rteen R3asons Why a perfect Five out of Five Rating! And I do highly recommend so do read! :D And if the movie *crosses fingers* does proceed with it's filming, I'm sure it's going to be good! In fact, I can't help but visualize Logan Lerman *squee!* as Clay while I was reading. I'm still not sure who could possibly do justice with Hannah's role. I first thought of Emma Watson *squee again!* but I feel like she'd be more suited to play Skye :)
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| 5/5 rating :) |
Hi Ailla! :) One of my favorites as well. It's really lovely. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Goldie! Nice to hear from you :) I've read your 13RW review as well (it was the one which actually brought me to your blog!) and I couldn't agree more! Thanks for dropping by :)
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