Me Before You By Jojo Moyes - Book Review

Hi I am an emotional wreck. This book has turned me into an emotional wreck. I mean theres no two ways about it, I finished this book last week and I cried harder than I have ever cried at a book. I mean I cried at The Fault In Our Stars, I mean my eyes were watery but I cried with this book. I ugly cried, tears were streaming down my face, I was choked up and snot was streaming down my face as well. Nice. What is this book that made me dissolve into a quivering mess you ask? Well its Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. This is my review of said book, well my attempt at stringing together a review of this emotional rollercoaster of a book.
So where do I begin? I throughout the book kept a page of notes on my phone whilst reading for this review, so I now have to sift through it and get it to make sense!

Warning time : This is literally dripping in spoilers, its basically a plot disection so if you have yet to read this emotion wrecking book, or don't want any spoilers then don't move any further. Come back when you've read the book!


Louisa. Lou, I loved her from the minute I started the first page. She was so normal, I felt she was your average girl next door. I felt so much like her, like she would be my best friend. Her humour and attitude was just so cool and normal. She has to be one of my favourite characters that I have ever read because unlike most book characters I've read that are either in extra ordinary circumstances or are extra ordinary people. Because unlike the extra ordinary characters, Lou has this likeable quality, she's just someone who has lived her life in the same town in the same house her whole life. She has the ability to remind you of someone you know or maybe yourself. Sometimes the best characters are the ones you'd least expect.

Then we have Will. Will who has led an amazing life. Has climbed mountains, very active, was not one for being still. It was kind of a paradox that before his accident, he was this strong, handsome, intellectual, at times womaniser, of a person. His character I could sympathise with to an extent.  To be this huge life-force, if that is even a saying, to have things going perfectly your way to suddenly be stuck in a unchanging state. Like, although I guess you could say not to the extent of Will, I before I broke my elbow had friends, I was thinking about my future and I was finally becoming my own person. Then when I broke my elbow, well things changed. So I can see how he had become almost bitter in a sense. I guess I became bitter. its one of those unless you have been in a position of knowledge you can't really judge how that person has come to that.

What I loved about this book is that to take on the subject of assisted suicide and the taboo that it is and to handle it beautifully and for you to really care about the characters and I guess in the end to understand the decisions of the characters. Okay I'll be honest, I was one of those people who didn't really agree with assisted suicide but through reading this book I feel its again a situation of you can never judge unless you are in that situation. Who are we to judge if a person wants to have some control in what may be a situation where they have very little control over what is going on. To have some dignity, which may have long disappeared.

I liked the slow build of Will and Lou's relationship, I mean I did fist bump and giggle a bit when Lou in a moment of brutal honesty said to will she didn't like him. Their relationship was great because she didn't tell him things he was so used to hearing, she didn't treat him any different.

The moments where we see Will's past are really lovely as well because you get an insight into everything he has lost, the person he used to be. It was emphasised more when Alicia and Rupert came to visit, he pushed them away. Their reaction is quite fascinating as well. This book was very funny in the sense that all the disabled moments, like how people treated Will and acted around Will are true. People are awkward around you, they don't know what to do or say. It just made me laugh because I've had moments like that with people. The list of things Lou learned regarding mobility is hilariously true! When Lou and Will go to their wedding I thought it said everything when Alicia thanks them for the mirror even though they didn't buy her a mirror.
The wedding though did give me one of my favourite lines out of this book 'The weddings I went to usually had to separate the bride and grooms families for fear of someone breaching the terms of their parole.' It just made me laugh and the fact that Lou didn't realise Pimms was alcoholic was just a light dose of humour in an otherwise quite dark book. The wedding also bought the beautiful moment where they just think sod this if people are going to stare, lets give them something to stare at. But again we have this heart renching line from Will 'Sometimes, Clarke, you are pretty much the only thing that makes me want to get up in the morning'.

The tattoos though! What else would louisa get other than a bumble bee! I found the revealing of Will's tattoo a moment of heartbreak and quite dark humour. But speaking of bumble bees can we just talk about the tights!!! And then he also gives her £500!


Now Camilla Traynor, she was an enigma of a character. Her character I found I understood her. She had grown a cold exterior in the last 3 years with Will. Can you imagine if your child said to you, I want you to help me die? To have people judging you for saying yes. All she wants is Will to be happy, I mean ultimately she wants him to live but she knows that is unlikely. Will is her world, her life. The scene where she breaks down after Will, Lou and Nathan come back from their holiday and Lou tells her, all their efforts have been for nothing. It was a powerful scene, for Camilla to realise 1. Will is going to end his life 2. That she has no choice but to standby. I feel the reason she said yes was because she wants everything for her children, she will do anything for her children, and that is another thing she comes to realise, that sometimes the best thing she can do for him is to let him go. Because she had spent 3 years fighting a battle to suddenly have it end, to not be living in each others pocket per say is a pretty scary feeling. She can't imagine a world where Will isn't in it. Like in the chapter where she explains the moment Will asked her,  she looked at her son and saw all that he had been, all that he was and all that he could be. How could she help him, to forever eradicate who he could've of been? Her chapter I felt was beautifully written.

Then we move onto the fact that Will's dad is having an affair. I think this was a very subtle undertone.  It is hard when your child is ill or injured, the stress it can have on a relationship. Its one of those make or break situations. And although they both want to put on a united front around Will, I find it no surprise after Will dies they get a divorce. They were just staying together for the sake of Will.

Throughout the story, you see Louisa trying to show Will he is not the only one with problems. Everyone does, just not the same problems. Like Louisa, she had been sexually assaulted when she was younger. Which has shaped the person she is now. But also her family have money problems, like most families nowadays, jobs are hard to come by. Thats why I love the fact it normalises the idea of the job centre and the idea of only just having enough to live on. Like when Treena goes to college with Thomas and comes back and the housing arrangements had to change, I relate to that!
Also I love Lou's growth through the book, when she first hears about Will's plans, her reaction whilst understandable was heartbreaking. How she can't face Will and know in a matter of months he won't exist to a women who although she loves him and doesn't want him to do it she has grown to be able to be with Will in his final hours, even if it will break her heart. She knows sometimes it takes a stronger person to let go.


I found it quite poignant that both Will and Lou were damaged by their experiences in life, but they both chose different paths. For example Will is just bidding his time until he can end it all, Lou on the other hand is living life and but at the same time not. Thats where they help each other, Will showing Lou the whole world is hers for the taking; Lou showing Will, just because its not the life you planned it can still be a good life.

One of the things I love in this book is, Will's determination to push Louisa to want more from her life, as he knows exactly what she's missing. That she can't be content just living in a small town for the rest of her life where everyone always thinks her sister is the star child, making something of her self. Lou doesn't really notice this until the moment she's on the bus talking to someone from the town and all they do is talk about Treena's achievements. Thats when it really sinks in. Thats why I find it beautiful that Will includes Lou in his will to help her live a life she can only dream of.  He knows her potential, even if he can't be their to help her achieve it. Will gave her freedom, the freedom to choose, the freedom to live a life she wants.

My favourite part has to be when Will, Lou and Nathan are on holiday. Especially the moment where Lou tells Will she loves him and Will telling her thats not enough. He doesn't want her to ever regret it, not ever experiencing life. Even though he loves her. I thought it was heart breaking moment where Lou is breaking down pleading with Will for her love to be enough to keep living. I loved Will's counter argument per say. It was just altogether a heartbreakingly beautiful moment.
Wait no any moment with Will and Lou is my favourite. ".... That one day you can go off and spread your wings without worrying about how your parents are going to be able to support themselves.' What a punch in the gut that line was!

With books like this I think there is a fine line between a really beautiful and poignant book, and making it quite cliche and well not really understandable. Because it is a touchy subject, its one that to this day has people divided in to people who agree with places like dignitas and those who don't. Almost a pro life choice and pro choice choice. Its not an easy subject to cover, like most subjects involving death. Death is a subject that whilst everyone knows its there and everyone will die someday we choose to ignore it. So whenever something like assisted suicide or terminal illness comes up in books or films it can go either way. Its a fine line between enough and too much. Take the fault in our stars, some people loved it and some hated it labelling it cliche and, well not true to life. I think this book handles the subject well, the characters are true to life. The humour alleviates a quite dark subject matter but doesn't make it corny or insensitive.
I think the fact that in the end Lou didn't change Will's mind was a good ending because if she had changed his mind and he lived a happily ever after with Lou, as much it would have been the ending everyone would have wanted, it would have felt false and make the book a bit fickle.

Okay so enough of my rambling about how great this book is.

Standout Moments - Bear with me theres a few!

The scene where Will is ill and he's talking to Lou. Its the firsr time we get to see what is to come later on in the book.

The Bumble Tights!!

Louisa and Treena - Finally we get a relationship between siblings that doesn't make them sound like they love each other all the time! Lou and Treena are constantly at each others throats but in the end they do love each other.

Lou's birthday - I mean I love the fact Will went to her birthday dinner and that after the initial awkwardness her parents treated him like any other person.

Lou/Patrick/Will - I love that dynamic even though Patrick is a prat (thats putting it nicely!), the fact Will calls him running man. That in the end she chooses Will! Jealousy is never a nice emotion.

Again the Bumble Bee Tights!

Lou's realisation that nobody thinks much of her, she's in Treena's shadow. That she wants more for herself! That she inrolls at college!

Pages 324 to 327 - We finally get to the heart of Will and Lou

The holiday!

Lou moves into the annexe!

Chapter 22 is amazing!

Now this one isn't a favourite but more a moment I didn't see coming :
When Lou's mum said if she goes to Switzerland, she couldn't come back. I find it fascinating because well like I said assisted suicide is a taboo subject so of course it would be silly to assume not one person in this book wouldn't have an issue with it or believe it to be inhumane. But when Lou's mum pretty much banishes her for going to the man she loves, it brought back the idea that this is a taboo subject and not everyone feels the same. Also it was heartbreaking because for all Lou has done for her family to keep them afloat, to just be turned out by one of her parents was sad. But go her dad and Treena for helping her. Because ultimately it was her choice to go to Will knowing what he was about to do, not her mother's.

Also the news story about another man who had commited assisted suicide was good way of bringing in reality and showing a public viewpoint almost.

Also the support chat room group chats!


I just loved this book!! Some books have the power to affect the way you see things, like the hunger games for me had that effect. So does Me Before You because it is taking on such a tough topic that you can't help but feel changed in a way because it gets you to think if I was in that position what would I do?

So that was my review for Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. I'm not sure whether I am going to read the second book because I have heard not so good things about it. Also I kind of feel I'm happy to leave the story where it ended, because some times its harder to know when to stop. I'd like to let my imagination ponder and create what happened next.
Now I'm also excited for the movie of the book, usually I'm quite reserved in getting excited for a book to movie adaptation. Especially if I love the book. But having read the book and seen the trailer,  just a couple of times! I feel the movie is going to be very faithful, they have a lot of the quotes from the book in the trailer alone so you know that can only mean good things. A lot of the scenes from the trailer I recognised from the book, and although I know movies have to cut things out for timings sake I don't think its going to affect the movie. My mums quite scared to go see this one as I told her all about my ugly crying! Definitely taking a box of tissues so I can cry to my hearts content! Also did I mention its starring Emilia Clarke from Game of Thrones and Sam Claflin who seems to be in all the movies I love. I mean *ahem* Love Rosie. I mean Sam Claflin is amazing! Sam and Emilia look so good as Will and Lou in the trailer as well! *massive book fan girl moment* I'm just really excited to see it. Well as excited as one can be to go through emotional turmoil all over again.
Hahaha! Kind of kidding, kind of not.

If you made it through what was one of the most emotive books I've ever read, you deserve a medal.
And if you made it through this review you deserve another medal, I didn't plan to make it this long, i was just working through the notes I made on my phone. So if its a bit mish mash thats why!
Also sorry for the slight pause, I had myself organised! But I will be going back to a post a week probably after this week, its just a busy week this week as my home educated group I go to is putting on a show and its on saturday so rehearsals have been manic. This week has been manic. I'm crazy nervous as I am singing solo, twice! But at the same time looking forward to it.
I have also started to film for my youtube channel, which I should have ready in the next few weeks.
I have another blog post all about when I went to Parliament coming hopefully next week, it is just I have also written a blog for Blind Children UK and I want to wait for that to go live. So they coincide with each other and I can also put a link of the blog in my blog.  That was an over use of the word blog in one sentence slightly, Haha!
Thank you again for reading,
Until next time,
Sophie