Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
This review has been a long time coming! I bought the book a little while ago from my local Oxfam book shop and have to admit it sat on my bookshelf for a little while untouched. Looking back, I have no idea why! I wish I'd read this book sooner, as it really touched me with its kind and thought provoking storyline.
The story is set in a small Scottish town, where both the main characters Lou and Will live, however with completely different lives. Before Will's accident, he was a successful business man living in London who, from all accounts, enjoyed his money, authority and women. At 35 however, he was knocked down my a motorbike and left a quadriplegic - unable to use anything from the neck down. He moved back to his parent's home where he lives in an assisted-living type annexe attached to their house; he is unable to care for himself and as a result needs round-the-clock care. The is where Louisa comes in to the story. She is employed by Will's parents as a carer for Will, but she soon realises they haven't been entirely truthful with her and are hoping for more. No, not necessarily love, but they want Will to learn to enjoy life again. I don't want to give too much away as this novel is full of twists and turns, heartbreaks and heartaches, but surprisingly enough, a huge amount of laughs and love. The story itself deals with some moral and ethical issues; the right to die, and all the emotions and internal concerns that go alongside that. You learn to see the situation from both Will's and Louisa's perspective, perhaps thinking about the issue in a way you hadn't before. The story is not just about Will's troubles however, and we get to see into Louisa's reality and how she has come to be so dependent on small-town life. Yes, this sounds horrifically depressing, but I promise you it is one of the best books I've read for a while. It isn't just filled with doom and gloom - Jojo Moyes is similar in style to Marian Keyes and is able to address serious issues with the care they deserve, but as well as with humor and compassion. This is definitely a must-read! I'm looking forward to reading some of Moyes' other novels; The Girl You Left Behind is next on my list!Health warning: I cried like an absolutely baby several times whilst reading this - beware!!Have you read Me Before You? What did you think?
