Me Before You - Jojo Moyes

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books/Viking
Publication Date: December 31, 2013
Source/Format: Netgalley (Thanks Penguin!) || e-galley

[I received this book from the publisher. This in no way affects the thoughts expressed in my review.]

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.

I honestly didn't know what to expect from Me Before You before I dove into my copy on a random Saturday afternoon. I went in pretty blind, only having read reviews from Rachel, Hannah and Cass and knowing that all three of them had enjoyed this one a lot. Me Before You proved to be an addicting read, one that I only set down to eat, sleep and go to work. I really ended up enjoying the book, although it left me surprisingly thoughtful when I finished.

This is a novel by a British author, and so much of the language, setting and nuances are British. As a bit of an Anglophile, I properly enjoyed this and lapped it all up as I read. While the novel translates well no matter where in the world you're from, I do like noting the British details included in the novel. They transported me to an entirely different place as I read, and I always appreciate a novel being able to do that and do it well.

Alongside the British influence, the characters practically popped off the page as I read. I remember thinking that I could have been friends with Lou or that I'd known people with an attitude like Will's as I read, and I loved that the book brought these two to life so very perfectly. It easily swayed me into being concerned with how their stories - together and apart - would turn out.

Lou is certainly quite a character. Even though she begins the novel as a bit timid, regimented and entirely too used to and content with her comfort zone, I liked her right away. I sensed that beneath all that was an indomitable spirit, one filled with vivacity and color and energy and positivity. She's definitely a character I could see myself being friends with in real life, mostly because we share a positive outlook. It was fun to see how she was coaxed out of where she was comfortable, and forced to embrace all these new things - that's always a good experience (if slightly hard and painful) for anyone to go through.

Will, on the other hand, was a character that I didn't immediately like. He's a bit obnoxious and surly, but that's probably reasonable considering that his accident left him paralyzed for life. That's definitely a big change for someone who once used to be active and adventurous, and it takes a toll on his emotional well-being. Underneath his contempt for his body and his anger at the unfairness of his situation, Will has a good heart though, and it shines again and again in this novel... especially when it comes to Lou.

Will and Lou make such an interesting, and unlikely pair, one that circumstance brought together. Reading their banter and watching their relationship grow and change was so enjoyable. It flowed so well, and was so believable to me. I loved that there were moments both good and bad showcased in the story, because that helped me see all the dimensions of their relationship.

The thing about this book is that you need to go into it not knowing most of the details, and I don't want to spoil that for you in my review. All I will say is that I finished the book not only emotional, but also full of new thoughts. I had an immediate reaction to the dilemma that surfaces in the novel, but I was challenged in my thinking at many turns and finished feeling slightly perturbed. There are many things to consider in the light of the situation, and yet... my gut still tells me that my reaction is still my opinion.

Me Before You was certainly an enjoyable, gripping novel that had me from nearly the very first page. The book had me feeling all sorts of things, with glee, anger and sorrow being chief among all others. It was interesting to me that the book managed to challenge my own perspective on that mysterious something I refer to, and I appreciated that the author managed to make me think. Once I had turned the last page however, I closed the book with a smile on my face, knowing that I had enjoyed my journey along with Lou & Will.