Thirteen Reasons Why

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      In the beginning, I was a little hesitant to read Thirteen Reasons Why. I purposely did not watch the Netflix series because of the content matter. While I was reading the book I realized that it was not as bad as I thought. I was feeling odd while reading what her tapes entailed but, this book is not what the Netflix series has stirred up in pop culture. Additionally, I love the language that Jay Asher uses in his novel. When Hannah is speaking and describing how she has felt in some of the reasons why she completed suicide, I can relate to those emotions in some ways. The quote that stuck out to me the when has dealings with Zach and Marcus. She begins, "I pretended not to notice him. Not because I had anything against him, but because my heart and my trust were in the process of collapsing. And that collapse created a vacuum in my chest. Like every nerve in my body was withering in...(85)." I can recall two boys whom I can pinpoint have made me feel the way Hannah felt in that moment. 
     I agree with Asher's portrayal of adolescence but, then again I do not. Of course, high school students go through a lot during those four years and some more than others. Sometimes in high school students may think, "I want to collapse. I want to fall on the sidewalk and drag myself into the ivy (3)." Moments like that are not odd to have as an adolescent. Asher does a nice job with those descriptions. When it comes to the number of tragedies that Hannah endures, this portrayal is a little askew. I believe there should be a forewarning before the book stating that this portrayal is an exaggerated version, but not one that is unrealistic. Some middle-schoolers may be afraid to attend their high-school in the future after reading this novel. Although, middle-schoolers go through tough situations as well. Overall, Thirteen Reasons Why handles its tough content well. It is also written in a way that allows the reader to connect to the protagonist in what he/she may be feeling in that moment. 

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