Kathryn Hughes reviews Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
What it manages to do very effectively is ask its teen readers to think carefully about how being part of a herd can mean trampling weaker, peripheral members. The book has been a huge hit in the United States, with young readers hailing it as both a warning and a manual for how to get through the high-school jungle. Young British readers will inevitably have to spend some time mapping the landscape of the book on to their own parish interests. Chances are, though, that the references to diners, driving and cheerleaders will add an exotic tang rather than detract from a story whose message is universal. KATHRYN HUGHES
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