I have so many books that I have copies of but have yet to read. Yet I bought this book in Waterstones the day I started reading it (about 3 weeks ago). Basically, it was a Sunday morning and I had heaps of work took do (an essay) but I had arrangements to meet 2 of my good friends for coffee at 11, and was planning on eating lunch with my family later in the day too. So I went and met my friends and we had a great time but they had to leave after about an hour and I realised that there was probably no point in walking back to my flat and then back into town to meet my parents, but I had nothing with me to do while I killed a couple of hours in Starbucks. So I did something I very rarely do anymore, which was walk into the book shop with the intention of buying a book but with no idea of what book I wanted!
I had heard of Jojo Moyes before and been recommended her books, so when I saw that 'Me Before You' was a best seller that would soon be released as a film I was intrigued and decided that was the one for me. Brief Summary: Lou lives what you might call a comfortable life. Still living with her parents, her family is not wealthy and rely on Lou's waitressing income to pay the bills. But Lou enjoys the work and her routine with family and personal trainer, running enthusiast boyfriend Patrick, for whom her feelings are increasingly neutral. Meanwhile in London, Will is living his dream as a successful business man, travelling the world with his gorgeous girlfriend. Until everything changes: Will is in a horrific accident which paralyses him severely, while Lou loses her comfortable job and is hired to be Will's carer. Initially the pair struggle to get along, but there are secrets, missing bits of information, that take the bonding to a whole new level.
What I loved about the concept of this book was that it wasn't overly complicated. In fact the ideas were simple but as a result they are very relatable and realistic. The frustration and mental health consequences of someone unable to do for themselves and the anxiety of a young person who has never felt the motivation to step out with her comfort zone make for an extremely emotional and rewarding storyline.
Moyes' narrative and structure is to my taste, although the chapters were pretty long! The book in mostly narrated by Lou, but with the occasional chapter from the perspective of another more minor character.
My only criticism would be that it is perhaps a little long, I think some of the action that occurs later in tube book could have begun a wee bit sooner.
Other than that, a worthwhile read for sure and I really look forward to going to see the film when it is released in the UK at the beginning of June, starring some brilliant actors/actresses such as Sam Clafin, Jenna Coleman and Matthew Lewis.
