Review Detail

Reader reviewed by Sdaugherty

It took me a little while to figure out the flow to this book
because you are bouncing back and forth between text from Hannah's
commentary from her tapes and what Clay is doing or thinking as he is
listening to them. But one you get into it hang on because it's one
hell of a ride. This book is beautifully written and spend a great deal
of time delving into the mind of the teen world. You become a part of
this book from the beginning, feeling for both Hannah and Clay. You can
see how these 13 things would not be enough on their own to impact her
decision to commit suicide but how one stacked on top of the other
could send her over the edge.

I was really disturbed by the suicide being so planned out that she
went to all the trouble to make these tapes. The tapes themselves were
very unnearving but necessary to tell the tale that Hannah's wants to
be told. How may warning signs did she send and no one answered? How
many missed chances do we have? How does every move that we make impact
someone else's life and could we change the outcome if we had just been
a little less self absorbed? Hannah thinks so and after you spend some
time in her mind you will too. As she tells Clay on the tape this
knowledge will change his life forever.

This a very touching and disturbing novel on teenage suicide. I
would be careful what age group I would let read it for there are
sexual inuendos as well as some language. I would say definately the
high school age and none below it. It is also a very quick read. I
finished it in two days so once you are sucked in you are hooked til
the end, just like Clay.