Book number 18: Thirteen Reasons Why by J. Asher. I saw this book on a best seller list but totally forgot about it until My Man comes home one weekend and hands me a copy (thank you, babe :)).
What it is: The book is a suicide note in an audiotape series passed from one person to the next, currently in the hands of Clay Jensen, and narrated by Hannah Baker, a girl who committed suicide, but not before recording a series of tapes which detailed her life and discussed the 13 reasons why she decided to swallow a bunch of pills to end it. Thirteen Reasons Why explores the challenges of being young, the importance of being sensitive to the needs of others, reaching out, and seizing the moment because you never know when it’s the last.
What I liked about it: There is much hype about Thirteen Reasons Why and an entire page in the front even lists all the awards received by the book. On the surface, it can easily be petty and irritating; the plot about a girl succumbing to high school, committing suicide, and eventually blaming others for it, but it goes beyond that to highlight the importance of how “everything affects everything” and call awareness on the significance of “how we treat others“. I particularly like the ending, I think that is spot on. 🙂
However, more than anything, I loved the technical aspect of Thirteen Reasons Why. The subject of the book is heavy – suicide and everything else that can drive a teenager insane – but the book is written in such breezy, straightforward, fast paced, and fluid manner that it doesn’t create the sensation that the sky is falling overhead, even if it does for the characters.
What I did not like about it: Either I don’t know the definition of suspense or this book simply does not fall into that category. Thirteen Reasons Why is not as heartbreaking and poignant as expected, and the emotions from the characters can use a little bit more digging to fully reach their height (like The Perks of Being a Wallflower). Everyone is stereotyped too so if you dig unique, quirky characters, don’t go near this one.
Recommended for: Teens, young adults, and emos. Of course, if you are having a hard time and considering suicide, go for The Happiness Project instead or maybe the memoir of Steve-O. Don’t go buying Thirteen Reasons Why thinking it’d lift your depression because it won’t, okay?
Prinsesa's Anatomy 
I love this book. I was glued to it. Once you get started you do not want to stop. You will read it so fast it is unbelievable. I don’t like to read at all but I loved it,
glad to hear that.
I definitely did not think I would like this book. After I started reading it I wanted to keep reading. I got so into the book I felt like I was like Clay. This is one of few books i have really gotten into to. If anybody asked if it was a good book I would definitely recommend it to any gender.
i guess there are really those kinds of books that surprises us and it’s all good.
I loved this book so much. It was a great read. Especially for high school. I heard all of my friends talking about it, and decided to pick it up to try it. Once i started reading i couldn’t put it down. If you have not read it yet read it now.
i agree, the high school crowd will totally relate to this.
A book about suicide? well, this is interesting.
Sorry for the late comment, I was on vacation for four days. hahaha! Well, i will definitely check this out.
wow nagbakasyon ka na! inggit much naman ako. good for you lj! 🙂
di talaga ako maka-relate sa pagbabasa
but i did buy a new book
milagro, diba
hanggang ngayon naka-plastic pa at di nabubuksan
hehe
http://malibay.blogspot.com
hanapan mo na lang ng bagong purpose, halimbawa door stop ganun. 😀
I hope I have enough time to read. My two books a month was okay, until this month which simply whizzed by and there was a whirlwind of activities for me.
during april i only read one because of a month-long blogging event. i think times like these really come up and the good news is they are only temporary!
I’ve been dying to read this book. They say it’s nice. At saka gusto ko yang mga ganyang tema.
the way it is written is nice. it is not the heaviest read despite the topic.
This book sounds interesting, Di naman depressing to read? Kasi like you said, Suicide is such a heavy topic, even if written in a breezy and fast paced manner. =)
it’s not depressing, well at least to me it’s not. however, i think this will be most appreciated by high school students.