Here is the book on Amazon.
I had to review this book. For some reason, I couldn't really leave it alone. While reading, I couldn't put this book down, but after I did, I found myself unhappy with the experience. The book was well-written, there is not doubt about that. The way Asher weaves his words is powerful and the character voices are strong. What really got me was the plot. It sounds almost foolish to say that the plot is the thing that did me in, but it's true. I couldn't imagine using this book in the classroom because personally, I found it disturbing and it sat with me for weeks.
Thirteen Reasons Why is centered around a high school boy who has received a mysterious package in the mail. He eventually decides to open it and discovers he has been sent a series of audiotapes recorded by a classmate, Hannah (and coincidentally, his crush), who has recently committed suicide. As the story continues we come to discover that there are thirteen sides of the tapes to listen to and thirteen students involved. Each one is part of a puzzle that makes up the reasons behind Hannah's suicide.
Obviously, these tapes ripple through the adolescent community, but because there is a heavy sense of guilt and blame, only the holders of the tapes know who they are. Hannah's tale is devastating, but what struck me more was the devastation she caused for the thirteen people "responsible" for her actions. This is why I could never teach this book.
Maybe it is only my personal issue. Maybe I am reading this wrong or am unable to separate my own feelings from my ability to teach, but I feel that this book would be very difficult for me to use in the classroom. I think it would take an exemplary group of students to be able to separate Hannah's blame from the reality of the situation. I would never want students to feel like they could be responsible for someones decision to commit suicide, and I fear that this book to spark that thought.
All in all, it was worth reading, but I wouldn't necessarily be comfortable using it in the classroom.
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2 comments:
really interesting comments about how disturbing this book was, and how complicated the issues raised are.
again, fine job writing about this one.
I think the point is that it's supposed to be sad and it's designed to get people to think. I agree that it's not a classroom book, but that doesn't take away from the fact that it's very good.
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