Welcome to this month’s Collaboreads post! You can read more about this link up here, but the basic synopsis is that you read a book based on that month’s criteria, and then write a review about it! There’s even a mnemonic that’s been created to review the book (see below!). It’s a fun and amazing link up, and I hope you join in with us! Also — I’m changing up the way I title these posts a tiny bit. Instead of sharing the criteria in the title, I’m going to start sharing the book title, instead! Not that anyone cares but me, but I thought I’d tell you, anyway 🙂

This month’s criteria: A Book That Became A Movie

Book I Chose: 13 Reasons Why

Synopsis: Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier. On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out how he made the list. Through Hannah and Clay’s dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

This month’s prompt was perfect, because I wanted to write about 13 Reasons Why – both the book and Netflix series – within the next couple of weeks. So, I’ll be using this link up as the platform to share my thoughts and feelings. I’ll be sharing a few thoughts on the book immediately below, using the normal Collaboreads mnemonic, then I’ll be sharing more about both mediums after that. So this post will be a bit longer and different than my usual Collaboreads posts, but I hope you enjoy it.

A quick note before getting started: I really, really, really wish I would have read the book first. I’ve had this book on my radar at least a few years, and I wish I would have picked it up before the series came out.

RIVETING.

What part of the book could you NOT get enough of? Well, the whole story of course is unique and keeps you guessing. Or at least, I suppose it would have had I not watched the series a week before reading the book. Because of this, I actually got bored a few times, but at the same time, it kept my attention because I was so curious to find all the ways the book and series differed.

ELEMENTS.

How did you relate/care for the characters? What’s your thought on the plot line and twists and turns? Guys, I love Clay. He’s the main character (aside from Hannah, of course) and just so great. He’s the perfect awkward, angsty, sweet teenage boy, and I love him for it. As far as the twists and turns go… Well, we’ll have to talk about those below when comparing the book with the series.

ASSOCIATE.

What other books are like this one? If none, did it remind you of a particular TV show or movie with it’s themes and characters? Well, obviously it reminded me of the Netflix series. It also reminded me a small bit of Pretty Little Liars, as far as bullying goes.

DESIGN.

You know you judged this book by the cover. What did you think of it? How did it relate to the contents of the novel? And the font and layout of the pages? I liked the cover on the copy I have (shown above) except I think that woman looks too old to be a high schooler, so that bothers me a lot.

STARS.

How many out of five do you give this book? Would you recommend this book to a friend? I gave it a 3. I think if I had read it before I watched the series I probably would have given it a 4. Would I recommend it? Yes, I think so, to specific people.

Alright, let’s jump in to my thoughts on the series as well as differences between the book and series, and how I felt about them.

First, my thoughts. I actually wrote the majority of the following before I read the book, and immediately following finishing the series, so it’s pretty raw and unfiltered:

Before we begin, I want to just tell you a couple things about Kyle and I. First, my degree is in Human Development, and my Adolescent Development class was one of my favorite classes I took in college. I had an outstanding professor, and learning about the teenage mind was fascinating. Second, Kyle has an undergrad in Psychology, and a Master of Counseling degree. He works every day with teenagers like Hannah (and Justin and Tyler and….); teens who come from broken homes, who have been on probation, who are threatening suicide, who have threatened to bring knives or guns to school, teens who, like Hannah, need help. So, while please don’t take what we thought as gospel truth, I do think we have a small understanding of the teenage mind.

But back to the story. As you now know, 13 Reasons Why centers around Hannah Baker, a high schooler who has recently committed suicide, and who has left behind tapes detailing 13 reasons why she did so. The story focuses on hard (but important) themes such as suicide, bullying, and rape.

Overall, I enjoyed the series (as much as you can “enjoy” something that tells such a tough story).

But Kyle and I couldn’t get past the fact that the whole point of the show seemed to be that Hannah was leaving the tapes as a way to “get back” at all of those who had hurt, to haunt them from the grave, to make herself heard. And it worked.

Which means that any person (but particularly teenagers) out there who are going through similar things to Hannah aren’t going to come away with the message “get help” or “suicide isn’t the answer”. Instead they’ll think, “That’s a good idea”.

I have no qualms that the producers meant well. They tackled hard topics well. It is important to talk about bullying and suicide and rape. And it is important to remember that everyone has a story and that kindness can go a long way.

Personally, I think the whole show could have stayed the same with one small change — something like Hannah left a journal behind, and it was found, and that’s how you get a glimpse into her life and mind, and find out her reasons why.

And that brings us again to the present, and my thoughts about the book. There were two specific reason I liked the book more than the series, and they’re as follows.

One, Hannah owns up to what she’s doing. At the beginning of Cassette 6: Side B, Hannah states: “No matter what I’ve said so far, no matter who I’ve spoken of, it all comes back to – it all ends with – me.” Two, she forgives. Just a few pages later she says, “In fact, I forgive almost all of you.”

There. That is what I wanted out of the Netflix series. I wanted more depth from Hannah, more self-awareness, perhaps. What I felt the series lacking, was given to me in the novel. And that is why I wish I would have read the book first, to have this most positive few of the story, instead of the series swirling through my mind the whole time I was reading.

One other difference I found so interesting, was that in the scene were Hannah is raped by Bryce —– it’s not quite a rape. In the book Hannah talks about how she knew the decisions she was making, she knew something bad would most likely happen, and then she didn’t fight back. I am not excusing Bryce AT ALL. And I’m not blaming Hannah either. I just thought it was an interesting difference, as well as so sad.To see that she had literally given up, she didn’t care any more. She had made a decision, and in Clay’s words: [She] wanted [her] world to collapse around [her]. [She] wanted everything to get as dark as possible. And Bryce, [she] knew, could help [her] do that.

Overall, I thought the novel was good, and that the series was well-done. I appreciate the raw look at these uncomfortable, but important issues. I’m not sure I loved that they switched her mode of suicide, but I also understand why they would do that. I don’t necessarily love that they added all of the “adult” drama, if you will, such as the lawsuit, but again, I can understand it.

I guess you could say I am conflicted and confused, because I truly did think it was well done and has brought important topics into the limelight, but I also think it can be a huge trigger for those already struggling.

I’m just going to leave you with two articles about the series that I enjoyed: For Families of Teens at Suicide Risk, 13 Reasons Raises Concerns and 13 Reasons Why is a Great Show – And One That Romanticizes Suicide.

Have you watched the series or read the book? What did you think? Let me know below — nice comments only, please. 

 For Next Month:

June’s criteria is going to be a book that you can finish in one day. So grab one up, and come link up with us on Tuesday, June 27th. We’d love to have you!