Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher (Book Analysis)

This practical and insightful reading guide offers a complete summary and analysis of Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. It provides a thorough exploration of the novel’s plot, characters and main themes, including bullying, suicide and guilt. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time.

This clear and detailed 50-page reading guide is structured as follows:

• Biography of Jay Asher
• Presentation of Thirteen Reasons Why
• Summary of Thirteen Reasons Why
• Character study
  • Clay Jensen
  • Hannah Baker
  • The subjects of the tapes
  • The guardian angels
• Analysis of Thirteen Reasons Why
  • The search for the truth
  • Genre: tragedy, epistolary novel, young adult fiction and coming-of-age story
  • Reception

About Thirteen Reasons Why

Thirteen Reasons Why tells the story of Hannah Baker, a seemingly ordinary high school student who committed suicide shortly before the start of the story. One evening, her friend Clay Jensen is stunned to discover a case of audio tapes recorded by Hannah on his doorstep; as he listens to them, he becomes aware of the traumatic experiences she endured and the pain that went unnoticed by those around her. In the process, he must wrestle with his own feelings of guilt and face up the responsibility we all share to help those who are struggling.

Thirteen Reasons Why was first published in 2007. It went on to top the prestigious New York Times Best Seller List, and has been adapted into a popular Netflix series.

About Jay Asher

Jay Asher is an American novelist who specializes in young adult fiction. In spite of his young readership, his work often tackles serious themes, including bullying, betrayal, guilt, violence and mental illness. His best-known novel is Thirteen Reasons Why; he is also the author of The Future of Us (co-written with Carolyn Mackler) and What Light.