"I guess that's the point of it all. No one knows for certain how much impact they have on the lives of other people. Oftentimes, we have no clue." 
 When I read teen novels these days I find it easy to identify with the characters which makes me realize they aren't written as teenagers. This book about teen suicide encapsulates the hypersensitivity and angst of teenage years effectively and I, as an adult, found it hard to relate to. Yet, it reminded me of my teenage years, of those days I have long since bottled away--of the loneliness and confusion about my place in life then. 
 The whole premise of the book relies on feeling a level of sympathy with Hannah, the girl who kills herself as she describes the 13 reasons (people) why she chose to kill herself. As I was reading it, there were moments when I couldn't help but to agree with one of the characters Hannah holds responsible for her death when he says "She was just looking for a reason to kill herself." While the things that happened to Hannah at the hands of these people are troubling and terrible, not being an upper middle class child of suburbia I had a hard time feeling how her problems were big enough to end her life over. Still I can respect that motivations to end one's life can vary depending on one's life experience. 
 Hannah's problems start when a guy starts a rumor about her. There is something bothersome about the fact that slut shaming Hannah would have been okay if the rumors about her were true. All of the guys in the book are hooking up left and right and they are "cool" guys, while Hannah's reputation and sense of self worth falls apart because people judge her for having sex. It is also troubling that none of the other girls in the book are supportive or even caring of each other. They are all judgmental and competitive with each other over boys. 
 Despite this, it's a quick read. The bigger message I found in the book is this idea that everything we do, every little action we take--that little insult or snide remark, that roll of the eyes or ignorant comment, that warm smile or friendly greeting, can make a huge difference in someone's life. We just can't know who, how, or when. I think that is certainly a good message to remember and something all people, not just teenagers, should always keep in mind.