Review of Me Before You

Review of Me Before You

By Jojo Moyes

Me Before You is a bittersweet drama by Jojo Moyes about two opposites are brought together by horrible circumstances. 

Louisa “Lou” Clark is a positive person with a colorful style.  After getting laid off at her job as a waitress at a café she gets a job working for a rich family as a caretaker for Will Traynor, a twenty something quadriplegic.  Will is bitter because can feeling nothing below the waist and he can longer take care of himself or live his adventurous life.   Louisa tries everything to heal his emotional moods and prevent him from wanting to go to a hospital in Switzerland where he will kill himself.  During her time with Will, despite his cynicism and cantankerous behavior Louisa loses her heart to him.

The pacing of Me Before You was very good and makes the book quick to get through.  Reading it you keep hoping it will end happily and Louisa’s plan will work.  

Will’s situation and his feelings about it are understandable, especially knowing the way he lived his life before, and anyone in his state would become bitter and depressed.  His personality can potentially rub the reader the wrong way as he can be very cold.  Louisa’s positive nature is a good foil for Will and she could potentially help him heal.  Their relationship is both a good and bad one.  His criticisms help her become a stronger more confident person, but at the same time he could be an unnecessary jerk.  The other characters you see in all walks of life. Such as a mother desperate to protect her son and does everything she can to convince him to never give up, because she doesn’t want to lose him.  There is also the mother who is in the homemaker role, but starts to wish for more and gets frustrated with her husband.

Louisa’s personality is lovable and relatable.  Her insecurities and contentment with her life is something that I think a lot of people can relate to.  She also has a good sense of humor and her positive energy and determination drive the plot.   Her sense of style is a character in itself being very eclectic and bright. She has these bumble bee stockings that she had had as a child, and as a gift, Will buys a pair for her.  Even her staying with her athletic boyfriend because it is easier is something a lot of girls have done.

The problematic aspect of this book is that, although Will tells Louisa, who is content with her life, to live boldly, he kills himself in the end, because he can longer live his adventurous life style.  This is very hypocritical of his character in my opinion.  Throughout the story you can see how his life can be good and even he admits that, but because he cannot live how he did before it’s not good enough.  Of course, Louisa is the protagonist, so it does show her doing exactly what Will wanted from her.  Is it fair of him to expect her to live her life boldly when he is giving up?   The message is controversial. Though they might have felt the same at one point, some that are like Will have continued living their lives.  It sets a bad example, but I doubt the writer intended this and I think she was trying to make the point that people should not be ableist, but Will’s choice at the end cheapens the message.  

Other than that, the writing is good and the characters are well done, despite the choice Will makes in the end. I give this book 3 stars for the good writing and interesting characters, but I cannot give it five stars.  I did enjoy book, but probably won’t read it again. This is of course just my opinion and I do not mean to offend if you disagree with this review.