Thirteen Reasons Why by Asher, Jay (August 6, 2009) Paperback Paperback – 1703

I was very keen to read "Thirteen Reasons Why" after absolutely loving the Netflix series. With such an intriguing, unique & dark story line, no wonder it has been such a massive hit. I found that the story of the book moved at a much faster pace than I had been expecting, and didn't delve quite so far into the dark & morbid themes that it's TV counterpart did. I know I shouldn't draw comparisons & should just review the book for the literary piece it is, but as I had watched the show prior to reading the book, it was almost impossible for me to not constantly draw comparisons between the two. At times I did find myself preferring the show as it was able to afford a lot of time & attention to particular parts of the story that I felt the book covered over quickly.I would say this book is aimed more at a a YA audience than adult. I did at times get muddled between Clay's narration & Hannah's, but this wasn't a major issue. Glad I read the book, but I wish I had read it before watching the show. That way I could have fallen in love with the book first, then appreciated the show for it's adaption opposed to the other way around. Nevertheless, still a good read with such an individual story highlighting the importance of discussion around a traditionally taboo topic.

I've deliberately put off watching the very much talked about tv series as I always think you gain a truer picture through reading and imagination.I have not been disappointed by doing this at all. The book is relatable to both teenagers and adults through the harshness of a high school setting. We've all experienced or are experiencing some of the things that happen in this book and it is a stark reminder that we should take more care of how we treat those around us.

Interesting approach and good premise, but the book isn't all that it could have been. Its certainly well worth reading and I don't feel it was a waste of my time, but its inherently inaccrate (in my view) in the way it deals with this kind of issue. Because of this I felt that it made the victim (the girl whose story it is) rather unsympathetic as she came across to me as someone who just wanted "the world to burn" in her wake.However don't let this put you off too much, if you're interested in the book I would give it a go as theres a lot in there that works really well. I have to say that I thought the Audible version of the book worked much better than the print version for me. I also intend to watch the TV series to compare. So I've "read" this book twice already, so perhaps that says more than anything I can say, because I found it interesting enough to sit through twice!

I watched the TV show before reading the book and wanted to see how they compared. I really enjoyed both the TV show and book, if ‘enjoyed’ is the right word... deals with some traumatic issues but I feel it does so in a truthful and reasonable way. I didn’t feel that it glamourised suicide and depression in a bad way and instead made me think more about the consequences of anybody’s actions and how you can never truly know what is going on in somebody else’s mind. A very thought provoking novel.

I highly recommend this great book/audio book. Intense story and a must read for all ages - I would also recommend to watch the TV series too after reading.

I've never read a book that has multiple characters interacting within a story. I found it enlighten and genuine. You get a real feel for Clay as he struggles to come to terms with Hannah's decision. The taboo of suicide isn't taken lightly or shied away from. It's confronted head on. Which is brilliant and really gives you something to think about. Infact, the entire book does that, it makes you look at your own interactions with people asking yourself could I have handled or said that better. It's a very powerful. I have watched the series too and must say that although some changes have been made, an attention to detail has been kept which makes both on equal footing with one another. A thoroughly good read.

I love this book. It did a lot for me when I was younger and it really helps talk about mental illness in a way no one else does. I bought this to re read before the Netflix adaptation. The book is grittier and more graphic so if the show was too much for you I would steer away from this.

Have always been interested in the storyline but never enough to watch the actual series.However the book is really good and I was intrigued and captivated all through.It's the first book I've read about a suicidal lead and I love how original the plot is (at least to me).Especially for someone who has considered suicide on several occasions, if this book taught me something, it's to not be too quick to giving up. Although everything is just awful, the people around are most likely unaware of the damage they do and the way it actually affects us. Not everyone is a monster.Throughout the book, all Hannah's reasons made a lot of sense to me, coming from.someone who knows all about awful school experiences and sadly enough, reflects on how EVERYONE can stop a suicidal person. all it takes is someone bold enough to listen and show they care and that we're not alone. Clay would have done that, I'm sure, had he been a little bolder and more determined(although I completely understand the reasons he didn't step up and it's unfair to say he could've done more), but isn't that why most commit suicide? Because someone, or anyone, could have done more.This book inspires to live less in our heads and be aware that any of our actions can create a snowball effect. and most importantly, we need to TALK about these feelings