Whenever a adored book gets turned into a movie or TV show, the faithful immediately dissect the new adaption to what has changed. "13 Reasons Why" is made up of 13 hour-long episodes, which means each side of Hannah Backer's cassette anthology gets its full nuanced due. With that, there are plenty of other differences between the book and show. So here are 13 reasons how the book and show are different, and why 13? Because like Hannah said, "There are always thirteen reasons."
1. In the book, it only takes Clay one night to get through the tapes.
Throughout the show, it takes Clay days to get through the tapes. Tony even told Clay he was the slowest.
2. Social media has no factor in Hannah's bullying.
You have to remember the book came out 10 years ago. Facebook and Twitter were barely a thing. I am pretty sure flip phones were still in.
3. There is no lawsuit.
Like it says Hannah's parents never did a lawsuit, but I see where this could start a season 2.
4. Clay doesn't have hallucinations about Hannah.
Some of the more shocking scenes in the show happen when Clay has visions of Hannah bleeding out in the middle of the gym and at the school dance, and it's mentioned in passing that he used to take duloxetine to treat an anxiety disorder (which is why he can only handle listening to one tape at a time). This never happens in the book.
5. Clay doesn't figure out Tony is following him right away.
Tony doesn't follow Clay around to make sure he was listening to the tapes, he was following him around because he was scared of what Clay would do when he his. He didn't want to find Clay like he found Hannah.
6. Courtney Crimsen is still the worst but in a different way.
Book Courtney still has a reputation as the straight-laced nice girl at school, and she also sleeps over Hannah's house to help her set a risqué trap for the Peeping Tom who's been following her around. Instead of getting drunk and making out during a game of Truth or Dare, however, the two give each other a back massage in front of the guy watching them. Courtney, who isn't gay in the book, then spreads nasty rumors about Hannah being a slut in an attempt to raise her street cred at school.
7. Clay and Hannah aren't really friends.
Some of the most touching, heartbreaking moments throughout the "13 Reasons Why" show happen when Clay is mourning the future he and Hannah could have had, or reliving memories from their close relationship. He pines after her for nearly the entire season and is confused when she pushes him away after their heated makeout session at Jessica's party. The kiss still happens in the original story, but the lead up to it is different. They work at the movie theater together for one summer, but Hannah says on the tapes that she wishes they could've been closer and gotten to know each other better. The two don't actually ever have a legitimate conversation until the night of the party when they hook up.
8. Clay never confronts Bryce or records his confession.
Because the order of the tapes is different in the book and none of the kids are trying to stop Clay from listening to all of them, Clay doesn't try to bring Bryce to justice for his actions. He never records his confession of raping Hannah or gives "side 14" to Mr. Porter.
9. They say "FML" instead of "Olly Olly Oxen Free."
10. Alex doesn't attempt suicide.
Alex Standall openly struggles with fitting in at school and his remorse over what the group has done to Hannah in the show, and a scene of him dropping in Bryce's pool at one point suggests that he doesn't necessarily want to come up for air. It's revealed in the finale that he shoots himself in head, but not if he survives. None of this happens in the book.
11. Clay's parents are barely there.
When Clay first starts listening to the tapes at the beginning of the book, his mom comes in to check on him and they have quick conversations throughout the night. In the show, his parents are in every episode (and what feels like every other scene), mostly because his mom is the lawyer tasked with defending the school district against the Bakers' lawsuit.
12. Clay injures himself in a different way.
He's just as unlucky in Asher's novel, except he gets a nasty slice on his hand from a fence.
13. Hannah's suicide is completely different.
The scene of Hannah killing herself by slicing her wrists open with a razor blade is extremely graphic and difficult to watch. It's a huge departure from Asher's original portrayal of her death, which is referenced only when Clay says she "swallowed a handful of pills."
