Review: Me Before You by Jojo Moyes | Sister Reads

Book: Me Before You

Author: Jojo Moyes

Pages: 369

I Read: The actual paperback

I Read it in: 5 hours (in two sittings)

Plot Summary: 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.

What I Liked: I LOVED this book. LOVED! Lou and Will are such lovely, well-etched, beautiful characters. Lou is one of those people who live quiet, responsible little lives- who do so much for their families and don't often do what they must for themselves. Lou is the sole breadwinner for her family, which consists of her near-retirement-age dad, her mom, grandfather, her younger sister- Treena- and Treena's son- Thomas. Lou also has a self-obsessed boyfriend- Patrick. Everyone in Lou's life takes her for granted and no one really appreciates her in any obvious or subtle way. So, that is Lou. I was rooting for Lou, for her to somehow stand up for herself and explore her full potential. It was this connection with her that got me hooked to the story and I loved the journey that Lou went on through this story. 

Then, there is Will. Will who, up until his unfortunate accident, lived a big life. He had a great career, was big on adventure sports and he loved and lived life to the hilt. Will, now, spends all his time on a wheelchair feeling miserable and missing the life he had. Will is such a wonderfully real character- his struggles with quadriplegia, the decisions he makes, his interactions with Lou and his family- are all so well established and are so heartwarming and beautiful. 

I loved the story- the journey of the two characters as they spend time together and how each of them grows and changes and benefits from this interaction. 

There are also some wonderful supporting characters in this story- Nathan (who is Will's carer), Camilla (Will's mom) and all of Lou's weird, sad, slightly loopy family. They all add so much to the book and I am glad they were in it. 

What I Didn't Like: Not one thing. Not. One. Thing.  

Will You Like It?: While this is a "love story", it is not your typical love story. So, expect to be happy, to be moved, to cry, to maybe even rejoice the power of love and the strength (in more ways than one) of the human spirit. So, I think you will like it. I highly recommend this book! 

Rating: 5/5