I Love Dark YA: Week Four
“Why you want me to read that crazy suicide book? I don’t got those problems.”
Seven teenagers committed suicide in my small town.
ALL IN ONE YEAR
One hung from the rafters above the goats. One decomposed in a car beside the lake, suicide note and empty pill bottle in hand. Another put a bullet through his brain. The others were less dramatic, but just as horrible, equally memorable.
With one high school in town there wasn’t a single person not connected to the tragic teens. Students, athletes, artists, friends, sons and daughters, they went to school, church, practice, parties—they were everywhere, around everyone, and no one saw the signs. One disastrous choice opened the floodgates and a stream of youth followed. Our little town was blind until we were blindsided.
A year later driving to the airport, preparing for a SCBWI conference, I listened to Jay Asher’s (beautifully read audio version) of Thirteen Reasons Why. Jay was speaking at the conference. I wanted to familiarize myself with his work.
I listened on the plane, during my layover, in the taxi, that night before falling asleep. For hours I was captivated by the story of a girl who committed suicide. Next morning, I searched out Jay Asher, congratulated him. In addition to being a writer, I’m a psychiatric nurse, my specialty, At Risk Youth. Thirteen Reasons Why became an integral part of my therapeutic life, a lifeline for my patients and me.
True Story
One evening, in group session, I switched off the television, flipped open a book and began reading aloud.
“Hey!” A heavy-set kid in cowboy hat and boots turned from the window, jabbed a fist toward me. “Why you want to read us that crazy suicide book? We don’t got those kinds a problems.”
A chorus of teen echoes reverberated through the common room. Boys grunting, girls slouching. No one making eye contact.
I smiled, shrugged, read on until silence swallowed the room. Eventually, I paused, took a sip of water and a boy about fifteen leaned toward me, half lounging on the couch.
“What’s wrong with that ho, why she so stupid?”
I tipped my head, counted to three.
“Shut up Mo-Fo.” The oldest member of the group snapped, “That girl’s just whack.”
A tiny grin sparked my lips.
A petite cheerleader with heavy eyeliner smacked her gum. “You’re stupid. Can’t you see how messed up she was? How everybody screwing around with her hurts, bad?”
“Why don’t she tell somebody?” A Skinny boy with a guaze bandage around his wrist, squeaked.
I eyed the kids, waited.
A quiet girl raised pencil-thin eyebrows, whispered at the skinny kid, “Why didn’t you?”
Thirty seconds of DEAD SILENCE, then conversation erupted, words on top of words, spilling out like lava. Every kid had a take on the story, each related to something. Each knew about the seven suicides over the past year. Each had thought about suicide and never told before.
After that, Thirteen Reasons Why became a staple in my office, it supplanted the usual hospital-approved propaganda and morphed into a routine member of group therapy. I frequently sent it home with kids who always said the same thing, “Why do you want me to read this crazy suicide book?” But, every time I handed one out it facilitated conversation, opened up avenues of communication, allowed kids to express themselves, talk about taboo topics.
So, when I think of dark YA that’s had an impact on me, Thirteen Reasons Why immediately springs to mind. Yes, it’s about death, of course there’s violence, mean people, cruelty, sex. But Jay Asher’s book leads to light, like the light at the end of a tunnel. I’m grateful to him for writing an amazing book and for giving me a tool that opens life-saving channels of communication!
Thirteen Reasons Why
By Jay Asher
(From Good Reads)
“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.”
Pamela K Witte
WRITER OF 27 POSTS | WEBSITE
Amazing post, Pam. I picked up Thirteen Reasons Why by Asher at the airport after the Big Sur conference-retreat, and I was riveted– and I DON’T love Dark YA. Only like it, sometimes, when it’s as awesome as this– your post, and Asher’s work.
You don’t know until you have been through it.
I worry about books like this sometimes though, since there’s evidence that suicide is “contagious”, as it clearly was in your small town. Do books like this spread this virus or cure it?
Everyone,
Thanks so much for commenting on my blog!
Overall, I don’t know the answer to Petal’s question, but I do know that in my particular case, Jay Asher’s book helped a lot of kids think differently!
As a psych nurse, I also know, it helps kids to know there are other kids out there, thinking much the same things that they are.
Let’s just keep them reading!
~Pam
I think this is where the difference between real-life and books comes in. Suicides in a town highlight a problem. Suicides in a book are a source of catharsis/comfort in not being different, depending on how you look at it. IRL, suicides are scary, traumatic, and devastating. In a book, they’re mostly safe. Yes, there’s always a few Romeo and Juliet knockoff suicides every year, or kids who fancy themselves Hemingways, but I think those kids had to be seriously depressed before they found a “role model” to copy. Having had two of my high school friends attempt suicide I can tell you that a self-destructive person will go off whether or not they have an inspiration. I don’t think a book ever hurt anyone.
An amazing post about an amazing book.
Okay…this is too freaky. I finished listening to The Scorpio Races audio version during my commute today (2+ hrs daily). Thirteen Reasons Why is the next one in the queue for me. I’m so excited to start it. I don’t know if I’ll be able to wait until Monday when I go back to work.
That book is gorgeous for so many reasons. I was just at a book signing where I met him and he’s hilarious. It was funny, one of the women there told him that she led a book club for juvie girls and all her girls thought Hannah was a big whiner. He loved it! He said he was glad he had some many different responses from people because it meant people felt something when they read it.
WOW! I love his way of thinking. I’ll use that for sure.
Wow. I haven’t read this book, principally because the only thing I knew about Jay Asher was that he was associated with an author that I hate with the fiery passion of 10,000 suns. But it sounds like this could be a really important piece of literature, especially since I hope to teach that age group some day.
BTW, this may sound strange, but I love the way you write the True Story.
Lucy,
Thanks for the BTW.
It was fun writing the true story like fiction. I always kept detailed notes about my therapy sessions, so it was easy to look back and see what kids were saying.
This was a great post. I’d really like to read that book now.
I’m so interested in what books you are going to end up writing with your career background. Probably very deep and honest. 
Rachel,
Oddly, I love writing action/adventure, but always deep & honest!
What happened in your town is creepy.
I wanted to make a post on this, but I couldn’t. My 14 year old brother recently read 13 Reasons Why (I read it a long time back) and he opened up in ways I couldn’t really imagine. He told us how being bullied at school made that thought cross his mind…and it left me so stunned. I mean, I know somewhere along the line we’ve all probably been at some point which threatened to throw us over the edge, I never imagined my baby brother going through that. Probably it was wishful thinking. But the thing is, my brother said that reading this book made him realise how important it is to open up, to realise that sometimes there are people who are willing to listen. And I’m grateful for that. Because for the life of me, I can’t imagine what might have happened alternately.
Thank you everyone, for commenting on my Thirteen Reasons Why blog post! It means so much to me that the blog has facilitated conversation and a lot of deep-down thinking.
It is very gratifying to hear other stories about kids who’ve had grown in positive ways, having read Jay’s book.
For me, it opened avenues of conversation and there is nothing more valuable than that when you are raising/working with kids.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and thank you again!
~Pamela K. Witte
How many times was Jay’s book turned down by publishers? I wonder what factors they considered when turning it down and then finally accepting it. Any idea how many copies have sold?
Helen,
Wish I knew. Enough to get him on the NYT Best Seller’s list.
I think darker books are necessary for teens out there going through similar issues. I heard Ellen Hopkins speak at a writing conference once – apparently, libraries ban her books but teens still want to read them. Teens have told her that she is the only one who understands what they’re going through.
Maybe I’ll feel differently about it when I have teens of my own?
Great post, I’m gonna pick this book up as soon as I can.
I remember when this happened. Recently, an ex-boyfriend of a friend of mine’s committed suicide out of no where. It’s so frustrating when we want answers to why these things happen, but we never get them. I’ll have to pick this book up, thanks for the post Pam!
Keep up the good work Pam! You beauty, kinndess and creativity is a gift to those around you!
I read THIRTEEN REASONS WHY soon after it came out and wow, what a powerful book! Could not put it down. Compelling and so emotional – as well as horrifying. Teen suicide is one of the most devastating epidemics of our time.
My brother and family were in anguish when the teen son of their very good neighbor friends (right across the street) hung himself about two years ago. It affects everyone.
I also have another friend whose son poured gasoline over his body and lit himself on fire.
I truly CANNOT imagine going through that as a parent. And frankly, it nearly put her under.
What a powerful story of your own, Pam. Thank you for being out there and helping other teens! Bless you!
You’ve got first-hand, in-the-trenches, experiences and I look forward to reading your book one day.
fabulous post. this could have been about our mountain town two years ago. the book might have helped many of those kids.