THIRTEEN REASONS WHY BY JAY ASHER

This book has been on my mind for a while and every time I enter a book shop is shouts at me to pick it up. AND OH MY DAYS I AM SO GLAD I DID. THIS BOOK IS BEAUTIFUL.

When Clay arrives home from school one day he finds 13 cassette tapes sitting on his doorstep, addressed to him from Hannah Baker. However Hannah, former classmate and crush of Clay’s committed suicide just two weeks for. Instructed to listen to the tapes, Hannah informs the listener of the thirteen reasons why she decided to commit suicide. And Clay is one of them.

I was expecting this to be intense and emotionally beautiful, but there was no way I could have ever expected it to be that intense and emotionally beautiful. I devoured the book so quickly, I was absolutely gutted when I finished it. The suspense, the characterisation and handling of theme made me want to read it a thousand times over. I did not want the last page to come!

I really liked Clay. He wasn’t a self-pitying character, but at the same time wasn’t hard and abrupt. Relateable in way that the you were glad to be going on the journey with him throughout the book. He was gentle, and did not rush things when they didn’t need to be. And, that comes from the magnificent writing of Jay Asher. I can not commend him enough. This book has definitely gave him a place in the YA Gods.

The suspense that hung over pretty much the entire story was definitely what made me read it so fast (and the incredible fluidity of Asher’s writing). The despereate need to know where Clay fitted into Hannah’s life, and death, apart from just being an admirer. And the more the dark secrets came out, the more and more I hoped Clay was still the good guy he was portrayed to be.

I was impressed with the Asher’s ability to keep it contained in such a short amount of time, whilst providing the reader with a fountain of information. Ah, I just adore his writing style.

Even the resolution, which in some writing may have felt like a back-track, seemed to fit perfectly. I was actually pleased to read it, rather than get annoyed. So glad that Clay was morphed into someone he wasn’t.

I recently read an interview about Asher’s journey on writing the novel, and found it a touching plus to it.

A book like Thirteen Reasons Why does not come around very often, with a delicate yet powerful topic and writing style. I adored it, so glad I picked it up. It was so haunting beautiful. And a fitting inspiration for my dissertation.

Jay Asher, you are a writing God.