This is a young adult (YA) novel by Jay Asher.
Here is the book description from Amazon.com:
"Clay Jenkins returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers 13 cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier. One tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list. Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers."
WOW!!! Keep coming back to hear my comments as I read the book. I hope you will consider reading it as well.
1 comment:
First Two Chapters...
Unlike other novels, this book has chapters named after the cassette tape the main character, Clay, is listening to. So far, I have read the first two chapters where he listened to Cassette Tape One, Side A and Cassette Tape One, Side B.
The two individuals that Hannah focuses on in both of these chapters hurt her in the same way... by spreading rumors and lies about her. Sometimes, we do not think that our words - when we say them to be funny - are hurtful to other. But many times they are. Hannah points out that everyone needs to realize that their actions do cause pain to others.
The first rumor led people to believe that Hannah had gone "too far" with her boyfriend (which she had not). But, because Hannah was the new girl to the school, noone knew her well enough to know it wasn't true and to be honest, noone took the time to ask her questions to see if the rumors were true. They just believed them. Isn't it easier to just believe the rumors than it is to take the time to find out the truth?!
The second chapter deals with the fact that a boy developed a list of girls in the school who were hot and who were not and Hannah made the list. This she feels, allowed some people to treat her as if she were a piece of property.
Again, both instances showed how others do not see their "fun" as hurtful - but it is. What if the events had been turned on them? Would they have felt the same as Hannah? How would you have felt? Maybe this type of situation has also happened to you. I know it has happened to me.
Clay is still trying to figure out the role that he plays in all of this as he walks around town listening to the tapes on the Walkman he stole out of his friends car...
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