The popular Netflix series 13 Reasons Why has come to an end after four seasons. The first season is based on the book by Jay Asher, though of course makes some considerable changes from the original story. As per the book, the first season centers around a set of tapes left by Hannah Baker, a high school student who recently committed suicide.
After the first season, which basically covers the book from beginning to end, the show deviates from the source material entirely. Hannah's parents sue the school and a grueling trial forces characters to reflect on their actions, which sets off a number of new plot threads that only exist on the series. Meanwhile, aspects of the book remained completely absent from the show and are unknowable to anyone who only watched the series.
Hannah's Final Straw
In the series, viewers see flashbacks from Hannah's life as she explains on the tapes what lead her to commit suicide. The last tape is is about Bryce, but in the books, the way she recounts the event is different.
Though he still assaults her, the extent of the assault is left ambiguous. She also mentions that she doesn't tell him to stop, though she's clearly crying. In the series, she visibly tries to fight him off, but he refuses to stop.
No Trial
In the book, Clay's story ends after he listens to the tapes and passes them on to the next person. A possible relationship with Skye is implied, but there are no sequels to follow this through— and it's not really important to the story.
In the show, Hannah's parents sue the school, and many students and staff must speak in court to testify about what happened. This opens up many important conversations about who should be held accountable.
Clay Passes The Tapes On
At the end of the book, Clay tries to process what he's listened to, but then he does as the tapes have instructed him to do: he sends the tapes on to the next person, which is Bryce.
In the show, Bryce doesn't listen to the tapes until the third season. He's greatly affected by them and tries to become a better person. It would have been interesting to see what happened in the book when Bryce listened to the tapes. On the other hand, Clay's choice in the series leads to an attempt at serving some sort of justice.
Duration
The events of the book take place during the course of a single evening. Clay listens to the tapes as he walks around town, followed at a distance by Tony.
Of course, in the show, Tony plays a much more significant role. He's there to assist Clay and support Hannah's parents. He's the one Hannah entrusted the tapes to. The first season spans several weeks, during which time Tony is there for Clay.
Hannah's Poison
The series was subject to a lot of controversies after the premiere of its first season, largely because of how explicit it is. Viewers must sit through Hannah's graphic suicide scene without any warning.
However, the scene was recently cut from this episode, and subsequent seasons provide a trigger warning at the start of relevant episodes. In the book, Hannah takes pills— a relatively peaceful death that wouldn't have served the story in the series. Katherine Langford gives an excellent, haunting performance, but even so, editing the scene out may have been the best option for impressionable viewers.
Clay's Role
In the book, Clay doesn't have as much agency as Clay in the series. He's just listening to the tapes and reacting to the information; he doesn't attempt to take any action.
He's also on tape number 9, not 11. Thus, in the show, he goes to Bryce in an attempt to get a confession out of him for assaulting Hannah. He then passes the tapes on to Mr. Porter, who is number 13. In the book, Clay simply sends the tapes on as instructed.
How Clay Ends Up On The Tapes
In the show, Clay's friend Jeff dies in a car accident. He even encouraged Clay to talk to Hannah and try to come out of his shell a little more. When Hannah tries to console Clay, he accuses her of making it about her.
Their argument causes Hannah to feel isolated since Clay doesn't realize that she's dealing with struggles of her own. This contributes to her spiral towards suicide as she feels that her experiences aren't valid. In the book, Jeff doesn't mean anything to Clay— he isn't even named. Clay ends up on Hannah's list because he doesn't try hard enough to get close to her.
Clay's Original Character
Jay Asher's version of Clay Jensen is nothing like the character viewers see onscreen. He's reserved, shy, and a typical good guy. His greatest flaw is that he's too reserved, and as a result, doesn't take any actions that might help people like Hannah.
In the show, Clay is almost the opposite. He starts out as a somewhat awkward and nerdy character who mostly sticks to the sidelines. But soon enough, he's pushing his classmates to do something about what happened. He's desperate to release the tapes and get justice for Hannah, trying to ensure that nothing like this will ever happen again.
Inspiration For The Story
Jay Asher has stated that his original inspiration for the story, or at least its format, was the feelings evoked by listening to a disembodied voice. More specifically, a recorded audio tour guide.
However, the themes of suicide and mental health were taken from much closer to home. One of his relatives had attempted suicide, which inspired him to write a story that would open up conversations about the taboo topic.
Side Characters
Because the show has more time to explore the world and its characters, they are more developed. The book's scope is very narrow, focusing almost entirely on Hannah and Clay's would-be relationship. Even Clay's parents are barely mentioned.
The show makes some necessary adjustments given the year of its production, like changing Courtney and Tony's sexualities, and giving Sheri's character a totally different story. In the book, her name is Jenny and she doesn't pursue a relationship with Clay. Alex and Tyler don't have any significant arcs, Jessica never tells her parents that she was assaulted, and Bryce never confesses. Furthermore, Hannah's parents never learn why their daughter committed suicide.