Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Thirteen Reasons Why (2007) is regarded as a YA fiction jewel and is Jay Asher's first novel. 

Clay Jensen is a high schooler whose classmate, Hannah Baker, has recently killed herself. Clay mysteriously receives a package of cassette tapes in the mail that have been narrated by Hannah. He soon learns that Hannah intended for the cassettes to be listened to by the thirteen people whose actions are the "reasons" she killed herself. Hannah has insured that each person who receives the tapes will send them to the next person "implicated" in her suicide. 

Hannah's story, as told on the cassettes, appears in the book in italics, juxtaposed with Clay's reactions. Despite the font changes, it is hard to differentiate the narratives because the voices are similar. Strike one against the book.

Hannah Baker is interesting. She blames the schoolmates mentioned on her cassettes for her problems. Realistically, her problems  happen to a lot of people in high school, barely any of whom kill themselves. If there were more detail about Hannah's past, and not just the events right before her suicide, it would have been easier to understand why she did it. Without knowing the background and deeper issues, it's unrealistic for her to have killed herself over a few incidents with jerks and moving to a new school. Strike two. 

In the end, Clay's reactions to Hannah's suicide tale are not fully revealed to us; his only response is to approach and talk to a wallflower. The weak ending means we don't learn how all of the characters tie up their feelings for Hannah. The botched ending is strike three.

I understand Asher's message: that our actions affect everyone, so be careful about what you do and say. Great message, poorly executed.

I don't understand why this book has received such lofty praise. The writing is mediocre and there are plenty of better and more realistic books on teen suicide (Looking For Alaska, It's Kind of a Funny Story, The Bell Jar). One out of five stars.