amy_mxchxll's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
not a very good book, but i really enjoyed it
dfaulk27's review against another edition
3.0
The book was decent but for once I liked the show better.
marcyjmf's review against another edition
4.0
You know from the outset that this is not a story with a happy ending. No one is going to be able to save Hannah from herself. In the end, she's going to die, so the book is very much a "journey" rather than a "destination" storytelling. It's one hell of a journey.
I really like the fact that the writing is so disjointed. The jumps from the spoken narrative of the audiotapes to Clay's thoughts to what is happening around him while he listens is jarring. It makes it slightly unsettling to read, which adds to the overall effect of the book. From the very first page a seed of knotted discomfort begins to sprout in your chest, and every single tape that Clay listens to, it blooms a little higher in your throat and puts roots a little deeper in your stomach. I like the gimmick of the pause and play symbols to indicate the status of tape playing.
I love the fact that, in the end, we know next to nothing about Clay, yet we still feel inexorably tied to him. Details are unimportant in light of the emotional revelations. The main thing we know about him at all is the way that others view him, more appropriately, we know the way Hannah views the way others view him. It's a very John Green type of commentary which pulls me back to LFA and PT, that we can never really know another person, we can never be that person. All we have is perception, and perception is a very flawed and dangerous thing. Parts of this story aspired to John Green like genius. They didn't quite reach it for me (but honestly, I doubt anyone could ever equal John), put there were moments that came very close. This book made you think, and it made you feel. It was an eye opening statement about selfishness and self-absorption, as well as thoughtless actions. Hannah herself admitted that what she was doing was selfish, and that she was just giving up. They say we are all the hero of our own story, but Hannah's story proves that sometimes there is no hero. Sometimes there's just a lot of people stumbling around in the dark. I highly recommend this book.
I really like the fact that the writing is so disjointed. The jumps from the spoken narrative of the audiotapes to Clay's thoughts to what is happening around him while he listens is jarring. It makes it slightly unsettling to read, which adds to the overall effect of the book. From the very first page a seed of knotted discomfort begins to sprout in your chest, and every single tape that Clay listens to, it blooms a little higher in your throat and puts roots a little deeper in your stomach. I like the gimmick of the pause and play symbols to indicate the status of tape playing.
I love the fact that, in the end, we know next to nothing about Clay, yet we still feel inexorably tied to him. Details are unimportant in light of the emotional revelations. The main thing we know about him at all is the way that others view him, more appropriately, we know the way Hannah views the way others view him. It's a very John Green type of commentary which pulls me back to LFA and PT, that we can never really know another person, we can never be that person. All we have is perception, and perception is a very flawed and dangerous thing. Parts of this story aspired to John Green like genius. They didn't quite reach it for me (but honestly, I doubt anyone could ever equal John), put there were moments that came very close. This book made you think, and it made you feel. It was an eye opening statement about selfishness and self-absorption, as well as thoughtless actions. Hannah herself admitted that what she was doing was selfish, and that she was just giving up. They say we are all the hero of our own story, but Hannah's story proves that sometimes there is no hero. Sometimes there's just a lot of people stumbling around in the dark. I highly recommend this book.
ronielle's review against another edition
2.0
I almost gave this book one star - but I feel like I really have to hate a book for that and I wouldn't go that far…..but I didn't like this book. I read this book because so many of my teenage students choose to read it and love it and I thought that I should give it a try since it is so popular. I am now left scratching my head. I have enjoyed many other YA books that other adults turn their noses down at (which will remain nameless here) but this one I just can't wrap my head around.
I get that the point of this book is to try to make people (teenagers) think more carefully about how their actions towards other people can sometimes have a really significant impact on them and that people deserve to be treated with kindness and respect. I also get that the author was trying to say that suicide is wrong…however that message doesn't seem to come across strongly enough to me - especially for a YA book. First of all I did not feel terribly sympathetic towards the girl who killed herself - which I found confusing as a reader and which made me feel bad about myself and made me dislike the book. It wasn't that I didn't think that the things happening to her were crappy and unfair, but that the voice of the character was just so bitter and angry and hateful, that I had a hard time connecting to her. As a result of that, and the narrative structure and overall plot, that feel like there was an aspect of the book that was somehow glorifying the idea of suicide (although clearly unintentionally by the author). I feel like it was kind of saying that if you do this it could be an effective way of 'punishing' people who do you wrong/hurt you and you can make them feel guilty and suffer after you are gone. Again, I don't think this is by any means the intention or purpose of the story - but I do wonder if teenagers might miss the message?
Don't get me wrong - I am not one of these people who think kids should never read books about suicide because it will put the thought in their heads. This is a serious issue that teenagers should be able to read about as many kids deal with depression and these thoughts or have friends/family members who do. However, I would much rather they read a book that is about a kid who reaches a breaking point and reaches out for help (i.e. Forgive Me Leonard Peacock, It's Kind of a Funny Story), then about a girl who decides to make everyone feel bad after nothing can be done.
I get that the point of this book is to try to make people (teenagers) think more carefully about how their actions towards other people can sometimes have a really significant impact on them and that people deserve to be treated with kindness and respect. I also get that the author was trying to say that suicide is wrong…however that message doesn't seem to come across strongly enough to me - especially for a YA book. First of all I did not feel terribly sympathetic towards the girl who killed herself - which I found confusing as a reader and which made me feel bad about myself and made me dislike the book. It wasn't that I didn't think that the things happening to her were crappy and unfair, but that the voice of the character was just so bitter and angry and hateful, that I had a hard time connecting to her. As a result of that, and the narrative structure and overall plot, that feel like there was an aspect of the book that was somehow glorifying the idea of suicide (although clearly unintentionally by the author). I feel like it was kind of saying that if you do this it could be an effective way of 'punishing' people who do you wrong/hurt you and you can make them feel guilty and suffer after you are gone. Again, I don't think this is by any means the intention or purpose of the story - but I do wonder if teenagers might miss the message?
Don't get me wrong - I am not one of these people who think kids should never read books about suicide because it will put the thought in their heads. This is a serious issue that teenagers should be able to read about as many kids deal with depression and these thoughts or have friends/family members who do. However, I would much rather they read a book that is about a kid who reaches a breaking point and reaches out for help (i.e. Forgive Me Leonard Peacock, It's Kind of a Funny Story), then about a girl who decides to make everyone feel bad after nothing can be done.
cheryl1213's review against another edition
3.0
If been curious and found it in a used books stall that tends to mesh w my tastes. Plus, it might fit "a book that scares you" (I'm so close to finishing my 2021 challenge...overstressed by it at points but it did stretch my reading selection .... though finishing 35 in less than 6m is mixed...did some rereading and most purchases were used but still spent more than normal).
It was ok. Interesting take on how much events interrelate and how she couldn't identify one reason without all those that came before or sprung off it.
Not a huge fan of the narrator ... liked the idea of a guide of sort listening to the tapes (that is, the reasons why a teen girl took her own life). Worthwhile message about how someone could have stepped in to prevent tragedies (plural) and I know it's young adult, but still hit a bit too hard with it.
3 stars. It has it's place. It could spark important conversations, although theyd certainly need to be handled with care.
It was ok. Interesting take on how much events interrelate and how she couldn't identify one reason without all those that came before or sprung off it.
Not a huge fan of the narrator ... liked the idea of a guide of sort listening to the tapes (that is, the reasons why a teen girl took her own life). Worthwhile message about how someone could have stepped in to prevent tragedies (plural) and I know it's young adult, but still hit a bit too hard with it.
3 stars. It has it's place. It could spark important conversations, although theyd certainly need to be handled with care.
maggieflans's review against another edition
2.0
Loved this book when it first came out 5 years ago but I slowly realized how truly messed up it was. Hannah is a b*tch. Super intriguing book which is why 2 stars, but other than that it’s so messed up.
laurencardona's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
becca_books's review against another edition
2.0
(If anyone wants this book I'm happy to pass it along. Free for someone local, cost of media mail if you want me to ship it to you.)
I feel very meh about this book. I was hoping for a lot more.
One star for the double narrator at the same time- I thought that was a neat trick. And one star for cassette tapes, because I'm a child of the 80s.
I feel very meh about this book. I was hoping for a lot more.
One star for the double narrator at the same time- I thought that was a neat trick. And one star for cassette tapes, because I'm a child of the 80s.