Title: Thirteen Reasons Why
Author: Jay Asher
ISBN: 978-0-7393-5650-0
Recommended Grade Level of User: 9th to 12th
Media Type: Audiobook, Compact Disc (CD)
Copyright: 2007
Audiobook Publisher: Random House Audio
Narrators: Joel Johnstone and Debra Wiseman
Duration: 6 Hours, 25 Minutes (5 CDs)
Genre: Fiction
Reader's Annotation: Hannah’s peers played a role in her suicide and they are about to find out why.
Plot Summary: Thirteen Reasons Why is about the story of Hannah Baker. Before Hannah’s suicide, she documented the reasons that led to her untimely death. Via cassette tapes, Hannah delivered messages to her peers to let then know why they each played a role in her suicide. The messages, recorded on a series of seven tapes, were mailed to the first recipient shortly before her suicide. Hannah’s message instructs each person to listen to all of the tapes and pass them along to the next person mentioned in her story. Clay, the male protagonist, is one of Hannah’s peers mentioned on the tapes. The story unfolds from Clay’s point-of-view as he recounts listening to Hannah’s tapes.
Evaluation: (B) The premise of the story is creative and intriguing. However, the plot is somewhat unrealistic. It is evident that the author conducted research on suicide as Asher intertwined facts about suicide throughout the story. It is unrealistic, though, that someone who is truly suicidal would have the energy and gumption to produce a chronicle of his or her life and devise a plan to circulate it. Also, while people have different reasons for committing suicide, Hannah’s reasons are relatively insignificant in the grand scheme of life. Perhaps Asher thought the reader would chalk it up to the nature of teenage cognition, but the plot was unconvincing. Nonetheless, the story is emotional and thought provoking. Listeners of the audiobook (or readers of the novel) may give the golden rule more thought after hearing Hannah’s story.
On a side note, Hannah’s voice, read by Debra Wiseman was not only unrealistic because it was read by an adult woman rather than a teenage girl, but also since it was too theatrical for someone who has decided to commit suicide. It is difficult to separate Wiseman’s rendition of Hannah’s story; therefore, I surmise that the novel, rather than the audiobook, is a better choice for those looking to experience Thirteen Reasons Why.
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