Read + Review — Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

The story takes place in a small town named Crestmont. A boy named Clay receives a package, filled with a map and various cassette tapes with numbers on them. The package has no return address on it, so he doesn’t know who the package is from. Clay starts to listen to the tapes and finds out that the tapes were from a girl named Hannah, who went to his school and also committed suicide a few days ago. On the tapes Hannah explains that if you received the package, then you had an impact on her suicide and why. Clay doesn’t understand why he received the tapes. He didn’t do anything to Hannah, he even had a crush on her. Throughout the story, you will follow around Clay as he listens to the tapes, and figures out what he did to deserve the tapes.

I think the book was very well written. I love the writing style that Asher chose to use. I didn’t want to put the book down, because I was so curious to figure out Clay’s story and the other people. There is nothing about the book that I disliked.

The book taught me to always be nice to people, you never know what people go through. Also I liked how the book ended. This book is a great book to teach people the effects of bullying on people, and why it’s important to be kind to others and to look out for signs of depression. This story inspired me to be a better person and think of ways to stop bullying at my school.

Reviewed by Olivia, Grade 12, Gayton Branch Library