Me Before You by JoJo Moyes
Release Date: December 31, 2012
Page Count: 369
Genre: Contemporary
Target Audience: Adult
Series: Standalone
Source and Format: Library; Audiobook
Amazon | Goodreads
Summary (From Goodreads)
Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.
What Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or that knowing what's coming is what keeps her sane.
Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he's going to put a stop to that.
What Will doesn't know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all time.
Notes on Me Before You
It has been really difficult for me to put my thoughts on this book into words. Jenny can confirm this review has been sitting as a draft in our queue for forever. It was probably driving her crazy. I know it was driving ME crazy. So in an attempt to preserve our sanity, I'm finally making myself finish my thoughts on Me Before You, and I hope I can do it justice.
I can honestly say I have never read a novel like this, and the subject matter dealt with is something I have not quickly forgotten, nor will I ever forget. This is the kind of book that stays with you for a long time after you turn the final page, no matter how you feel about it at the conclusion. I finished this book last Fall, and somehow I've managed to think about it fairly often since then. For that reason alone most people would be intrigued to pick up this novel, but I did have a few issues with it that kept me from calling it a favorite.
Lou Clark, the main character, is a 26-year-old who is content with her job at a local cafe called The Buttered Bun. At the opening of the novel, she is shocked to find out the cafe is closing (not a spoiler, promise!) and she must find other means of employment, as she is still living at home with her family and they rely heavily on her income to sustain their standard of living. She resorts to using a staffing agency to find a new position, and ultimately accepts a job as a caretaker for quadriplegic Will Traynor.
What I loved about Lou is that she felt so REAL to me. Her insecurities, her mistakes, and her complacency were so true-to-life and refreshing to read about in a heroine. There were times when she drove me nuts and I badly wanted to shake her out of her stupidity, but that only made her feel more authentic to me. It also helps that this is the first novel I've read in a LONG time where the main character was my age. Obviously, MCs in young adult novels are mostly in their teens, while main characters in adult novels average age 40+, leaving the twenty-something crowd without a lot of books about people their age. The publishing industry has tried to address this deficiency with the New Adult genre, but we won't go there, lest you want to hear me rant. To read a book about a character in the same stage of life as me, wrestling with the same questions and struggling with the same fears, was a welcome surprise and very refreshing. So thank you, JoJo Moyes, for that!
The banter between Will and Lou also had its moments of brilliance and I really enjoyed the unconventional nature of their relationship. They certainly had a lot to learn about each other, and in turn, discovered a lot about themselves. One of my all-time favorite fictional moments EVER happens between these two, specifically during Lou's birthday celebration. Such a sweet, sweet moment. :) There's so much anticipation and build-up in this book when it comes to Will and Lou, which leads me to one of my biggest issues with Me Before You.
This is 100 percent my fault, but here it is nonetheless: I hyped up this book in my head WAY too much. Pretty much every review I read about it or mention of it on Twitter had me prepared for a heart-wrenching, life-changing, tearjerker of a novel. And call me heartless, but that was not my reaction at all to this book. In fact, I would say it was quite the opposite for me. I still had an emotional response, but it leaned more towards the angry and frustrated side of the spectrum than anything else. And no, I didn't read this book because I wanted a good cry, but I did feel like maybe I missed something that had everyone else in tears but made me ready for some fighting words. Like I said, this frustration is due to misguided expectations on my own part, and not necessarily a fault with the book itself. But as a warning, if you do decide to pick up this book, be prepared to feel strongly one way or the other, and don't be surprised if you want to chuck the book across the room, like me.
So am I glad I read Me Before You? It certainly opened my eyes to several things I was clueless about, and made me think about what I would do if I were in someone else's shoes in a seemingly helpless situation. Ultimately, it solidified my beliefs on suffering and that purpose can take on many shapes and forms in our lives. I know I'm being really vague about this, but I don't want to take away from the experience of reading the book for yourself if you haven't picked it up yet. So my answer is yes, I'm glad I read Me Before You, though I probably won't read it again. And if you have read it, PLEASE let me know so we can chat. This book has me itching to discuss!
Memorable Quotes
“You only get one life. It's actually your duty to live it as fully as possible.”
I can honestly say I have never read a novel like this, and the subject matter dealt with is something I have not quickly forgotten, nor will I ever forget. This is the kind of book that stays with you for a long time after you turn the final page, no matter how you feel about it at the conclusion. I finished this book last Fall, and somehow I've managed to think about it fairly often since then. For that reason alone most people would be intrigued to pick up this novel, but I did have a few issues with it that kept me from calling it a favorite.
Lou Clark, the main character, is a 26-year-old who is content with her job at a local cafe called The Buttered Bun. At the opening of the novel, she is shocked to find out the cafe is closing (not a spoiler, promise!) and she must find other means of employment, as she is still living at home with her family and they rely heavily on her income to sustain their standard of living. She resorts to using a staffing agency to find a new position, and ultimately accepts a job as a caretaker for quadriplegic Will Traynor.
What I loved about Lou is that she felt so REAL to me. Her insecurities, her mistakes, and her complacency were so true-to-life and refreshing to read about in a heroine. There were times when she drove me nuts and I badly wanted to shake her out of her stupidity, but that only made her feel more authentic to me. It also helps that this is the first novel I've read in a LONG time where the main character was my age. Obviously, MCs in young adult novels are mostly in their teens, while main characters in adult novels average age 40+, leaving the twenty-something crowd without a lot of books about people their age. The publishing industry has tried to address this deficiency with the New Adult genre, but we won't go there, lest you want to hear me rant. To read a book about a character in the same stage of life as me, wrestling with the same questions and struggling with the same fears, was a welcome surprise and very refreshing. So thank you, JoJo Moyes, for that!
The banter between Will and Lou also had its moments of brilliance and I really enjoyed the unconventional nature of their relationship. They certainly had a lot to learn about each other, and in turn, discovered a lot about themselves. One of my all-time favorite fictional moments EVER happens between these two, specifically during Lou's birthday celebration. Such a sweet, sweet moment. :) There's so much anticipation and build-up in this book when it comes to Will and Lou, which leads me to one of my biggest issues with Me Before You.
This is 100 percent my fault, but here it is nonetheless: I hyped up this book in my head WAY too much. Pretty much every review I read about it or mention of it on Twitter had me prepared for a heart-wrenching, life-changing, tearjerker of a novel. And call me heartless, but that was not my reaction at all to this book. In fact, I would say it was quite the opposite for me. I still had an emotional response, but it leaned more towards the angry and frustrated side of the spectrum than anything else. And no, I didn't read this book because I wanted a good cry, but I did feel like maybe I missed something that had everyone else in tears but made me ready for some fighting words. Like I said, this frustration is due to misguided expectations on my own part, and not necessarily a fault with the book itself. But as a warning, if you do decide to pick up this book, be prepared to feel strongly one way or the other, and don't be surprised if you want to chuck the book across the room, like me.
So am I glad I read Me Before You? It certainly opened my eyes to several things I was clueless about, and made me think about what I would do if I were in someone else's shoes in a seemingly helpless situation. Ultimately, it solidified my beliefs on suffering and that purpose can take on many shapes and forms in our lives. I know I'm being really vague about this, but I don't want to take away from the experience of reading the book for yourself if you haven't picked it up yet. So my answer is yes, I'm glad I read Me Before You, though I probably won't read it again. And if you have read it, PLEASE let me know so we can chat. This book has me itching to discuss!
Memorable Quotes
“You only get one life. It's actually your duty to live it as fully as possible.”
Overall Diagnosis
Get A Second Opinion
- Alexa from Alexa Loves Books: "Me Before You was certainly an enjoyable, gripping novel that had me from nearly the very first page. The book had me feeling all sorts of things, with glee, anger and sorrow being chief among all others."
- Asheley from Into the Hall of Books: "Me Before You is one of the most discussable adult contemporary books I think I've ever read. It seems like everyone will likely have an opinion on some of the events that are included in the story. Whatever your opinions, however you feel, this book is one that is worth taking the time to read if you enjoy books that spark discussion and make you think."
