Thirteen Reasons Why in Shut Up & Read

Oct 14, 2012 Carrie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, realistic-fiction, teen, recommended, bbtbrpals, tower-team, death

After finishing up this book last night, I couldn't get to sleep. I just laid in bed and thought about it. What we do everyday, what we say heck what we DON'T do or DON'T say everyday plays some roll in someone's life. You could be one of the names on someones list, you could be the one who could have said just the right thing to stop it. Or you could have been that person to set the snowball rolling. And if you are on someones list, here's hoping your role is Clay.

We are not in this world alone ...more

8 likes · Like · see review

Jun 27, 2009 Terri rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult

This book was very sad. Clay finds a box of tapes on his doorstep. When he starts listening to them, he finds they are from Hannah, a girl in his class who committed suicide. They address 13 different people and are to be listened to and then passed to the next person. As he gets more engrossed in the tapes he finds himself more and more upset. Seeing how others unknowingly affected Hannah's decision. Including himself.

I really felt for Clay on what he was hearing, and hannah for not seeing tha ...more

6 likes · Like · see review

Jul 23, 2012 Yzabel Ginsberg rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, young-adult, death

I'm not sure where exactly I stand regarding this book. I found it fascinating in many ways, including bad ones—sometimes like a trainwreack you can't help but watch. This story may not be for everyone, and I feel that it has the potential to equally fascinate some people, and alienate others.

Hannah's character is far from being perfect, far from being a pitiful victim: her stunt with the tapes, all things considered, is actually a pretty cruel one, at least for some of the people involved. Did I'm not sure where exactly I stand regarding this book. I found it fascinating in many ways, including bad ones—sometimes like a trainwreack you can't help but watch. This story may not be for everyone, and I feel that it has the potential to equally fascinate some people, and alienate others.

Hannah's character is far from being perfect, far from being a pitiful victim: her stunt with the tapes, all things considered, is actually a pretty cruel one, at least for some of the people involved. Did Clay deserve to hear all that—and wasn't his being on the tape just as strong accusation as the others (although a more implicit one)? Was the girl with the stop sign more guilty than the guy who wouldn't take no for an answer at first? Didn't Hannah bring a lot of her problems onto herself, just because she didn't react when she should have, didn't confront people directly, and remained on the side doing nothing? What gave her the right to impose the tapes to those involved (and to those who weren't, such as the one in charge of keeping the second set)

And yet, it's also hard to judge her negatively, because nobody reacts to a series of events the same way as the person next door. Had I been in Hannah's case, I would've confronted people much sooner, and not resorted to suicide; but that's me, a woman with a strong personality when confronted to a lot of stressors, while others that can take me down will do nothing to another person. I don't think we can judge suicidal tendencies on the account of "Hannah's problems were too petty to justify it": it's not a matter of what's petty or not, it's a matter of how people live with their problems. What snowballed for Hannah wouldn't have done anything to someone else; what would prompt that same someone else to suicide may not have had such an effect on Hannah.

Hannah isn't a particularly pleasant character, due to her planning the tapes and how it looked like a revenge of sorts. At the same time—something we barely scrape over at the very ending—her actions might also have the potential to bring people to start thinking differently, considering how what seems trivial, little things to them could have tremendous influence on others. In any case, I found this book to be quite a thought-provoking one. ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Oct 03, 2008 Laura rated it it was amazing

I was so nervous to read this book. I don't do well with unhappy endings, so I figured by the description that I'd be a wreck after reading it! Instead, I feel hope, just like Clay. Jay Asher has taken a terrible subject and given it a really bittersweet ride. ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Sep 23, 2018 Ayla rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-fiction

This should be a must read for all middle school!
The snowball effect, one little thoughtless comment can have consequences, and when it starts to keep rolling along more damage is done until it is beyond repair. That is what happened to Hannah , if only one person cared enough to stop her. But in the end she sets up awareness in Clay that will help another.

1 like · Like · see review

Sep 07, 2010 Marla rated it it was ok

Shelves: young-adult, zz-2010, with-reservations, made-me-cry, new-adult, overrated

I was curious, but I ended up irritated. It was a sad but interesting premise, and it inspired a great talk with my teen about suicide, but it was mediocre in writing and disappointing in its reasoning. (view spoiler) ...more

1 like · Like · see review