Thirteen Reasons Why

Watching Thirteen Reasons Why on Netflix isn’t fun. A teenage girl, Hannah Baker has killed herself (spoiler alert), and she’s left behind a series of thirteen audio recordings, each telling the tale of another person who contributed to her decision to commit suicide.

Overall, I think that the series was a success, for what it was. It was an interesting look at a downward spiral. At times, it was a brutal, sad, or painful series to watch. At one point, it also made me gag a little, which is weird because I’m not usually one to react to Hollywood gore. However, by that point, I was invested in this character, and no amount of knowing that she was going to kill herself could make that scene any less difficult to watch.

Rather than go through the entire series and write a normal review, I’m going to give my thoughts as they relate to certain criticisms that I’ve seen of the series. I’m not associated with the series in any way, and these are just my “top of the brain” responses. Make of them what you will:

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Book Review: Domino

Having read Kia Heavey’s other books, I was already a fan of her work by the time her Kindle Scout campaign was launched. Voting for Domino was a safe bet to make, and I’m glad that I did.

Domino tells the tale of a cat’s struggle to hold onto its territory and it’s purpose in the world, as those around him insist that he must change his nature and embrace the more enlightened way of doing things. This new philosophy is brought to Domino’s neighborhood by a city cat named Socrates, who allies himself with not only a dog, but an ever-growing swarm of rats who begin to infest the territories of neighborhood cats, eating their food and endangering their lives, all in the name of progress.

Others have compared this story to Animal Farm, so I won’t do that. This fable is capable of standing on its own as a reflection of the world we live in today, with the “adapt or die” mentality that so many people have preached in recent years. The story illustrates the difference between blindly giving of yourself until there is nothing left to give, and working with those who you don’t necessarily like or agree with in order to achieve a greater good.

Domino is a book that will appeal to readers of most ages. While some of the descriptions may be a little gory for very young readers (we are talking about cats and rats after all), there is nothing done in poor taste or in an attempt to sensationalize violence. The story explores themes of family and social bonds, and the priorities that must be established within those relationships. It does this without getting preachy or saccharine. Truth be told, I’m more of a dog person, but Domino had me cheering for a cat. That has to mean something. I highly recommend this book for both parents and their children. It would be a great way to start a discussion about the world we live in.

 

Domino is now available on Amazon, both in paperback and digital formats. You can find it by clicking here.

Remember to leave a review if you do read it! Reviews help authors learn from your reading experience, and they let other readers know which authors can be depended on for a good read.