Thirteen Reasons Why is a YA fiction novel by Jay Asher. It is a New York Times Bestseller and is now a Netflix Original Series. This review is about the BOOK ONLY. I have not watched the show. For parents interested in the show's content, IMDB.com has a detailed Parents Guide. I can say that the show is rated TV-MA for a reason.
When Clay comes home from school one day, just a few weeks after his classmate Hannah Baker committed suicide, he finds a shoe box full of cassette tapes addressed to him. When he begins to listen, he can't believe what he hears. It's the voice of Hannah, explaining why she committed suicide, and how the actions of 13 different people contributed to her decision. Clay is instructed to listen to all of the tapes and then pass them on. But why is Clay included? What did he ever do to Hannah?
Sex: Sex is a big theme in this book. The majority of the sexual discussions revolve around rumors and aren't very detailed or graphic. But there are at least two scenes that are very graphic. Also, a character is raped, and while the scene isn't very detailed, it's still very disturbing.
Language: Mild to moderate. There actually isn't a lot of language in the book, but a few of the words are pretty strong.
Drug/Alcohol Use: Several instances of underage drinking at parties. The rape is related to underage drinking.
Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: The main theme in this book is suicide. There is also sexual harassment and abuse.
Final Note: I'm torn on what to say about this book. Some people have the opinion that it glorifies suicide and I can't say that I agree. (Again, I have no idea about the show - just the book). Because it's told in both Hannah's voice and from Clay's point of view, this novel is a true depiction of not just how someone can reach the point of suicide, but also how much suicide affects the people left behind. Jay Asher does a wonderful job getting the reader to feel empathy for both Hannah and Clay. It's also important to note that this book shows how seriously our actions, words, and choices can affect other people. We should always strive to be kind and give others the benefit of the doubt. On the other hand, the sexual content is mature. So there's pros and cons to both sides.
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