book review for me before you

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Me before you, common sense media reviewers.

Moving story of a quadriplegic and his quirky caregiver.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Extensive information on the life of quadriplegics

Push yourself to realize your full potential, even

Louisa has a lot on her shoulders, but she's optim

Man gets hit by a motorcycle, which leaves him a q

Characters kiss a few times. A scene takes place a

Swearing is infrequent. Some British swear words:

All brands and media mentioned are for scene setti

All the adult characters drink socially at various

Parents need to know that Me Before You is about an unlikely relationship between Louisa, a working-class British woman, and Will, a quadriplegic living at his wealthy parents' estate. Will is facing a serious decision about his condition, and Lou, his hired caregiver, tries her best to get him to make the…

Educational Value

Extensive information on the life of quadriplegics, including treatments, medications, pain, deterioration of their condition, difficulties in getting out and about, the way relationships can change, and emotional states. Some discussion of the book The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature by Matt Ridley and theories around sexual selection and the survival of the human species. The issue of death with dignity is an important part of the story, with the pros and cons represented.

Positive Messages

Push yourself to realize your full potential, even if you're afraid to take risks. You can love and support someone, even if you don't agree with his or her choices. Don't let one bad incident define you. Always be open to try new things. Keep an open mind when dealing with difficult people: You never know what emotional battles they're fighting. Never settle for complacency. Note: Will represents a view that life isn't worth living if you're disabled, which many find problematic and/or offensive. But Lou fights hard to promote the opposite message.

Positive Role Models

Louisa has a lot on her shoulders, but she's optimistic and tries to see the best in people. Will is a tough character to like at times, yet he opens himself up to Lou as he hasn't with anyone else. But some readers may find it offensive that he believes that life isn't worth living if you're disabled. Nathan is a good caregiver to Will and a kind coworker to Lou, and he always has an easygoing, understanding attitude. Both sets of parents have their problems, but their hearts are in the right place and they all want what's best for kids and their love for their kids is clear. Treena often annoys Lou, but she comes through when the chips are down.

Violence & Scariness

Man gets hit by a motorcycle, which leaves him a quadriplegic, though the accident isn't shown. Domestic dispute with a woman screaming at her husband and throwing his belongings out a window. During a shouting match between siblings, the dad throws a newspaper at his daughter's head. Character recalls a gang rape, but it is described in general terms and not graphically.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Characters kiss a few times. A scene takes place after two characters clearly have had sex. Sex is discussed a few times but not in detail, including how frequently a couple has sex, whether a quadriplegic can have sex, reference to a lap dance, and brief non-graphic description of one sexual encounter.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Swearing is infrequent. Some British swear words: "arse," "bloody," "bugger," and "wanky." Other profanities include "f--k" and its variations, "s--t" and its variations, "bitch," "Jesus," "God," "damn," "piss," "d--k," "d--khead," "t--s," and "crappy."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

All brands and media mentioned are for scene setting: Blackberry phone, Lego, Marks and Spencer store, Next catalog, Old Spice, Disneyland, and Disney World. Also mentioned are the movies The Little Mermaid , Local Hero , My Fair Lady , The Diving Bell and the Butterfly , and The English Patient ; TV shows The Simpsons and Mastermind; and the play Pygmalion .

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

All the adult characters drink socially at various points: in pubs, in their homes, and at a wine tasting. Characters encounter extremely drunk men at the horse races. Lou has a flashback to getting drunk and smoking pot as a teenager. Lou's dad gets drunk at a birthday dinner. Lou gets drunk inadvertently at a wedding because she didn't know the drinks were alcoholic. Characters drink to excess at a resort.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Me Before You is about an unlikely relationship between Louisa, a working-class British woman, and Will, a quadriplegic living at his wealthy parents' estate. Will is facing a serious decision about his condition, and Lou, his hired caregiver, tries her best to get him to make the choice everyone else wants. The two main characters learn a lot from each other, especially about opening yourself up to different ways of thinking, but many -- especially in the disabled community -- have found the portrayal of Will and his point of view problematic, since he's presented as feeling that life isn't worth living if you're disabled. Although it's not marketed as a young adult book, it has teen appeal, and it's been adapted into a film that many teens will see. All the characters drink socially, including to excess on a few occasions. There's no smoking; marijuana use is mentioned in a flashback; and there's little sexual content beyond flirting and kissing. One character recalls being raped, but it's not described in detail. Characters swear, using British terms such as "arse" and "bloody, as well as "f--k," "s--t," "bitch," "piss," and "d--k."

Where to Read

Community reviews.

• Parents say (5)
• Kids say (13)

Based on 5 parent reviews

Another movie that gives the message that it is better to be dead than disabled

What's the story.

Louisa Clark has no aspirations to seek a life outside her small British town. She lives with her parents, works at the Buttered Bun, and sees her boyfriend of six years a few times a week. When the cafe closes, she finds herself out of a job. Because of the recession and her limited job experience, she's forced to take jobs that don't appeal to her. One of these is as a companion to a quadriplegic man who lives on his parents' estate near the town's castle. It's only across town, but socially it's a world away. Will, the man she's hired to look after, lived an exciting, successful life in London before an accident left him in a wheelchair. The two get off to a rough start, as Will resents anyone who tries to make decisions for him or doesn't understand the depth of his anguish over his condition. Chatty, quirky, funny Lou eventually breaks through the wall Will has built around himself, and a lovely relationship develops. The biggest issue is a decision Will is making about his life and future.

Is It Any Good?

It's impossible not to fall in love with the characters and story in this deeply emotional and insightful novel . Me Before You tells the story of a man and a woman in a small British town: One is confined there, and one has confined herself there. Readers might think they're getting into a romance, but instead they find themselves enmeshed in a beautiful, emotional, and suspenseful novel. No character in this book is a cliche, not even minor characters, such as an ex-girlfriend of Will's who easily could have been a stereotype. The story's told mostly from Lou's viewpoint, with a few chapters from the viewpoints of other characters, with the notable exception of Will. Lou has a great voice as a character. She has a lot on her shoulders, but she's charming and funny, especially when she babbles nervously. Will is more of a cipher as he confronts major problems: confined to a wheelchair, living with pain, missing his old life, and not knowing when or how badly his condition will deteriorate. Author Jojo Moyes provides an eye-opening look at what quadriplegics have to deal with on a daily basis, physically, emotionally, and socially. Also addressed is the issue of death with dignity. That said, the book has stirred controversy for offering what some consider a stereotypical portrayal of a disabled person who feels that life's not worth living because he's disabled.

Me Before You will move many readers to tears, but not in an overly manipulative way. In addition to the humor and emotion in the book, the suspense is gripping. Moyes doesn't telegraph the ending at all, which will have most readers on the edge of their seat.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about how Will is portrayed. Do you find his view of being disabled problematic? Can you see why disabled people might? What do you think about how disabled people are portrayed in the media generally? Do disabled characters tend to come off as stereotypes rather than complex individuals?

Stories about characters with serious illnesses are popular. What makes them so appealing? Which others have you read or seen in the movies?

Right-to-die and death-with-dignity laws have been covered in the news. How do you feel about this issue? Do you think people should be able to make those decisions for themselves? What are some instances where you think it's a good idea and some where it might be a bad one?

Book Details

• Author : Jojo Moyes
• Genre : Contemporary Fiction
• Topics : Friendship , Great Girl Role Models
• Book type : Fiction
• Publisher : Penguin Group
• Publication date : July 30, 2013
• Number of pages : 369
• Available on : Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
• Last updated : December 22, 2015

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Book Review: Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

By: Author Laura

Posted on Published: 18th August 2019  - Last updated: 12th January 2024

Categories Book Reviews , Books

Me Before You Summary

Me Before You is about Will Traynor, a rich, active businessman, whose life is turned upside down when he is involved in a motorcycle accident and paralysed from the chest downwards.  His mother is desperate to find a full-time day carer for him and finds Louisa Clark, a recently unemployed young woman who doesn’t have any qualifications.

At first, Will and Lou don’t get along at all, but they learn a lot from each other as time goes on. This is a heartbreaking story about two people whose lives are irrevocably changed from the moment they meet.

Me Before You Review

Me Before You is written from the first person perspective of Lou, the female protagonist. Lou is a really likeable character and I thoroughly enjoyed reading her narrative because she’s really funny and fearless but also sensitive and unique.

She is the sort of girl who wears yellow and black striped tights even though she’s twenty-seven and you can’t help but love her. I really connected with her character and felt both her happiness and her pain as I read this book.

There are a couple of chapters which give us an insight into the minds of some other characters including Will, Nathan (Will’s medical carer), Camilla (Will’s mother) and Katrina (Lou’s sister). The book starts off with a small chapter from Will’s perspective on the day of his accident so you really understand what Will was like before his accident and see the tremendous difference afterwards.

The story line of this novel is the most moving I have ever read. It makes you think about what it would really be like to be completely paralysed, which I doubt many people have seriously considered. This book gives you an insight into what life might be like for those with physical disabilities but also those around them.

Obviously I’m still nowhere near truly understanding the life of a quadriplegic, you never can unless if you experience it yourself. However, Me Before You  really inspired me to find about more about how I can help those less fortunate than myself.

This isn’t the sort of book I usually read, in fact, I usually avoid ‘illness’-related books but I seriously regret keeping this book on my shelf, unread, for the past year.

This is a completely different sort of romance to any that I’ve read before because it doesn’t really involve any physical touching. It’s all about Lou and will connecting on an emotional level. You can see a connection developing between the main characters slowly, a real connection mind you, and not the whimsical ones you often find in romance books.

This is, without a doubt, the most beautiful and heartbreaking love story I have ever read in my entire life. This is the sort of love that creeps up on you when you least expect it. There was one moment whilst reading this that I actually started sobbing (full on sobbing) and I had to put the book down for five minutes whilst I got all my emotions out.

This was not the only time I cried whilst reading this novel, oh no, I was pretty much crying not stop for the entirety of the second half and this book touched my heart in a way that no other book has. In some ways, you could call this an adult version of The Fault in Our Stars , as there are similar issues explored, but I was much more moved by Me Before You – if that’s even possible!

Lou and Will learn a lot from each other as the book progresses, so in turn, I learnt a lot too. Me Before You  completely changed perspective on quadriplegics, on life and on love. I cannot recommend this book enough, it is absolutely phenomenal and a must-read for everyone. I didn’t think that this sort of book was for me and now it’s my favourite book, so please give it a chance!

For teenage readers, if you liked TFIOS , then Me Before You is probably also up your street. For adult readers, anyone with a heart will love this book.

Buy Me Before You

Pin now, read again later!

If you liked this post, check out these: Me Before You Film Review A Guide to Paris in Me Before You by Jojo Moyes Paris For One by Jojo Moyes The Break by Marian Keyes The List by Joanna Boluri If I Could Turn Back Time by Nicola Doherty Shopaholic to the Rescue by Sophie Kinsella I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella Ghosts by Dolly Alderton

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[First published in 2013, updated in 2019]

Editor of What’s Hot?

Juliette Theureau

Thursday 16th of June 2016

So now that I have read your book review, I can tell that you convinced me to give it a try ;) (btw you're following me on Instagram on my book account @cellequilitdanslanuit so I thought that you might like to know that Instagram made the link to your blog (which I think is quite rear, at least with my blog ^^))

Friday 20th of May 2016

Lovely review!This books sounds like light romantic sunday read!

Loving yourself is the key! This books look like will bring a lot of enlightenment. :)

It sounds great! I'm looking for new books, so I think this is a great option :) Thanks for sharing!

So far so Sabine

I don't know the book, so I haven't read it yet. But i'm not a book person =)

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ME BEFORE YOU

by Jojo Moyes ‧ RELEASE DATE: Dec. 31, 2012

Despite some obviousness in the storyline, this is uplift fiction at its best, with fully drawn characters making difficult...

A young woman finds herself while caring for an embittered quadriplegic in this second novel from British author Moyes ( The Last Letter from Your Lover , 2011).

Louisa has no apparent ambitions. At 26, she lives with her working-class family (portrayed with rollicking energy) in a small English town, carries on a ho-hum relationship with her dull boyfriend and works at a local cafe. Then, the cafe closes, and she must find a job fast to ease her family’s financial stress. Enter Will Traynor, a former world traveler, ladies’ man and business tycoon who’s been a quadriplegic since a traffic accident two years ago. Will’s magistrate mother hires Louisa at a relatively hefty salary to be Will’s caregiver and keep him company for the next six months—easygoing Nathan gives him his medical care and physiotherapy—but really Will’s mother wants Louisa to watch him so he doesn’t try to hurt himself. Will, once handsome and powerful, is not only embittered, but in constant pain. He has some use of one hand but is dependent on others for his basic needs, and recovery is not possible. Louisa, who can’t help speaking her mind and dresses thrift-store eccentric, thinks he hates her, but no surprise, Louisa’s sprightly, no-nonsense charms win him over. He even cheers her up on occasion. When Louisa overhears Will’s mother talking to his sister, she realizes that the Traynors have reluctantly agreed to let Will commit suicide at a facility in six months. Louisa decides to convince him to stay alive with a series of adventures. Meanwhile, Will, who senses something in her past has made Louisa fearful of adventure, is trying to broaden her experience through classical music and books. Their feelings for each other deepen. But Louisa is not Jane Eyre, and Will is not Mr. Rochester in a wheelchair, so don’t expect an easy romantic ending.

Pub Date: Dec. 31, 2012

ISBN: 978-0-670-02660-9

Page Count: 384

Publisher: Pamela Dorman/Viking

Review Posted Online: Oct. 14, 2012

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2012

ROMANCE | CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE | GENERAL ROMANCE

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IT ENDS WITH US

by Colleen Hoover ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 2, 2016

Packed with riveting drama and painful truths, this book powerfully illustrates the devastation of abuse—and the strength of...

Hoover’s ( November 9 , 2015, etc.) latest tackles the difficult subject of domestic violence with romantic tenderness and emotional heft.

At first glance, the couple is edgy but cute: Lily Bloom runs a flower shop for people who hate flowers; Ryle Kincaid is a surgeon who says he never wants to get married or have kids. They meet on a rooftop in Boston on the night Ryle loses a patient and Lily attends her abusive father’s funeral. The provocative opening takes a dark turn when Lily receives a warning about Ryle’s intentions from his sister, who becomes Lily’s employee and close friend. Lily swears she’ll never end up in another abusive home, but when Ryle starts to show all the same warning signs that her mother ignored, Lily learns just how hard it is to say goodbye. When Ryle is not in the throes of a jealous rage, his redeeming qualities return, and Lily can justify his behavior: “I think we needed what happened on the stairwell to happen so that I would know his past and we’d be able to work on it together,” she tells herself. Lily marries Ryle hoping the good will outweigh the bad, and the mother-daughter dynamics evolve beautifully as Lily reflects on her childhood with fresh eyes. Diary entries fancifully addressed to TV host Ellen DeGeneres serve as flashbacks to Lily’s teenage years, when she met her first love, Atlas Corrigan, a homeless boy she found squatting in a neighbor’s house. When Atlas turns up in Boston, now a successful chef, he begs Lily to leave Ryle. Despite the better option right in front of her, an unexpected complication forces Lily to cut ties with Atlas, confront Ryle, and try to end the cycle of abuse before it’s too late. The relationships are portrayed with compassion and honesty, and the author’s note at the end that explains Hoover’s personal connection to the subject matter is a must-read.

Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-5011-1036-8

Page Count: 320

Publisher: Atria

Review Posted Online: May 30, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016

GENERAL ROMANCE | ROMANCE | CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

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by Colleen Hoover

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SEEN & HEARD

THE FRIEND ZONE

by Abby Jimenez ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 9, 2019

An excellent debut that combines wit, humor, and emotional intensity.

A woman refuses to be with her soul mate, but life intervenes, making her choice harder and more heartbreaking.

Josh meets Kristen with a bang, literally, when she slams on her brakes and he runs into her. There's minimal damage, so she disappears. Minutes later they discover that their best friends are engaged to each other and they were slated to meet that day at the fire station where Brandon and Josh work. Josh is immediately smitten, but Kristen has a boyfriend, Tyler, who’s deployed overseas. Counting down the days until he gets home for good, Kristen adamantly puts Josh in the friend zone, refusing to acknowledge their growing closeness and her spiking attraction. Then Tyler reenlists, effectively breaking up with her. Kristen and Josh sleep together, but she slams the door on his hope for a real relationship, telling him it will never be more than a friends-with-benefits situation. Josh thinks Kristen is mourning the end of her relationship with Tyler, but really, Kristen realizes Josh is her perfect match. Unfortunately she also knows Josh wants children, which would be nearly impossible for them due to her malfunctioning reproductive system. The two reach a painful impasse, but when tragedy strikes, they find themselves reevaluating their relationship. Josh knows he’ll never be happy without Kristen, but he’ll have to think outside the box to convince her to take a chance on them. Jimenez tackles a myriad of issues in her debut and hits each one with depth and sensitivity. Kristen’s take-no-prisoners attitude is smart and sassy and perfectly balanced by Josh’s easygoing resourcefulness, though at times her lack of transparency while jerking him around makes her seem more immature than self-sacrificing .

Pub Date: July 9, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-5387-1560-4

Page Count: 352

Publisher: Forever

Review Posted Online: April 27, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2019

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by Abby Jimenez

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Me Before You by Jojo Moyes: A Comprehensive Book Review

“Me Before You” is a poignant tale penned by Jojo Moyes that delves deep into the intricacies of love, life, and the choices we make. The novel, which has garnered attention from readers worldwide, is not just a love story but an exploration of life’s meaning and the lengths to which one might go to define their own existence.

Check out this article for an overview of all of Jojo Moyes’ books.

Plot Overview

The story revolves around Louisa Clark, an ordinary girl living an exceedingly ordinary life in a small town, and Will Traynor, a once-vibrant man now paralyzed from the chest down due to a tragic accident. Their worlds collide when Louisa, in her badly needed job working as a caregiver, meets Will and what ensues is a transformative journey for both.

Character Development

Louisa, an ordinary girl often described as quirky with her unique fashion choices, evolves from a girl with limited aspirations to someone who learns to dream big, largely influenced by her interactions with Will. On the other hand, Will, initially resentful and bitter about his condition, gradually opens up, revealing layers of depth, vulnerability, and wisdom.

Themes and Insights

The novel touches upon several profound themes:

• Life and Its Meaning: Through Will’s perspective, readers are made to ponder the essence of life. What does it mean to truly live? Is mere existence enough, or should one seek a life of purpose and passion?
• Love and Sacrifice: The growing bond between Louisa and Will is not just romantic but deeply emotional. Their relationship underscores the sacrifices one is willing to make for love.
• Choices: Central to the narrative is the controversial topic of assisted suicide. The book doesn’t take a stance but rather presents the complexities surrounding personal choices and their implications.

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes Review

From the very first page of “Me Before You” by Jojo Moyes, I felt an immediate connection. The world of Louisa Clark, with its vibrant colors, quirky outfits, and the bustling life of a small town, drew me in. I could almost hear the chatter of the café where Lou worked, feel the cobblestones beneath my feet, and sense the anticipation of something transformative on the horizon.

As I journeyed deeper into the narrative, I was introduced to Will Traynor, a once active young man now facing a huge life change. His character, once full of life and adventure, now confined to a wheelchair, was a stark contrast to Louisa’s spirited demeanor. Their initial interactions were, to say the least, challenging. The palpable tension, the sharp retorts, and the evident discomfort made their early days together all the more real to me. It was like watching two worlds collide, each with its own set of challenges and dreams.

But as days turned into weeks and weeks into months, the transformation in their relationship was nothing short of magical. The walls that Will had built around himself began to crumble, brick by brick, with Louisa’s unwavering persistence and infectious optimism. Their conversations, filled with banter, deep reflections, and shared dreams, became the highlight of my reading journey. I found myself eagerly awaiting their next adventure, be it a simple day out in the town or a grand trip to a far-off place.

Moyes’ portrayal of the challenges faced by quadriplegics was eye-opening. Through Will’s experiences, I felt the weight of the physical limitations, the longing for lost freedoms, and the internal battle between acceptance and hope. Yet, amidst all the pain and despair, there were moments of pure joy, laughter, and genuine connection, reminding me of the resilience of the human spirit.

The transformation of Louisa, the main character who once led an ordinary life, throughout the story was awe-inspiring. From an ordinary girl content with her entire life being in one place to someone who dared to step out of her comfort zone, her journey was a testament to the transformative power of love and friendship. I cheered for her successes, felt her heartbreaks, and celebrated her rediscovery of herself.

The ethical dilemmas the story presented, especially around the topic of assisted suicide, were deeply thought-provoking. It made me pause and reflect, questioning my own beliefs and understanding of life’s true value.

By the time I reached the heart-wrenching conclusion, I was emotionally invested in Louisa and Will’s journey. The tears, the laughter, the moments of introspection – it all felt so personal as if I had lived through their experiences myself.

In the vast landscape of contemporary literature, “Me Before You” stands as a beacon, illuminating the depths of human emotion, the complexities of love, and the profound questions about life and choice. Jojo Moyes has crafted a narrative that is not only engaging but also deeply introspective. 

The journey of Louisa Clark and Will Traynor serves as a mirror, reflecting our own fears, hopes, and the choices we grapple with. It’s a testament to the book’s power that it evokes such a wide range of emotions, from joy to sorrow, from introspection to revelation. 

As readers, we are not merely observers but active participants, feeling every high and low alongside the characters. In essence, “Me Before You” is more than a novel; it’s a reflection on life itself, urging us to cherish every moment, to seek meaning in our existence, and to truly understand the transformative power of love. It’s a book that leaves an indelible mark, long after the final page has been turned.

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BookBrowse Reviews Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

Summary  |  Excerpt  |  Reading Guide  |  Reviews  |  Beyond the book  |  Read-Alikes  |  Genres & Themes  |  Author Bio

Me Before You

by Jojo Moyes

Critics' Opinion:

Readers' Opinion:

• Literary Fiction
• Romance/Love Stories
• UK (Britain) & Ireland
• Contemporary
• Dealing with Loss
• Physical & Mental Differences
• Top 20 Best Books of 2013

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Simply reading the jacket copy of Jojo Moyes's second novel might give readers the impression that it is a kind of romance novel, but Me Before You is, in fact, so much more.

Simply reading the jacket copy of Moyes's second novel might give readers the impression that Me Before You is a traditional "opposites attract" kind of romance novel, the kind of story that proves that love conquers all, even in the most extreme circumstances. Although on one level that may be true, Me Before You is, in fact, so much more. It's a story about personal redemption and self-worth, about finding courage, about knowing what to hold onto and what to let go. It's also a meditation on one of the most controversial and divisive issues of our times. And, lest you think that the novel is merely an inspirational fable or a "problem novel," rest assured that it's also a beautifully and smartly written literary work, full of lovely phrases, complicated characters, and compelling situations. When we first meet Louisa Clark, known as "Lou," she seems to have settled into a predictable pattern. At age twenty-six she still lives at home with her parents and her relationship with her boyfriend seems to have settled into familiarity – or could it be stagnation? She's never had much in the way of ambition – her only real gesture toward originality is her unconventional, adventurous fashion sense. But Lou is about to be shaken out of her complacency when she loses her job at the local bakery. It's 2009, the height of the recession, and Lou's family is relying on her to bring in an income, especially since her dad's job is far from secure. So against her better judgment, Lou applies to be a caregiver for a wealthy quadriplegic man. Much to her surprise, she is offered the job. Even more to her surprise, the middle-aged woman who interviews her is not the man's daughter or wife – she's his mother. Will Traynor is just thirty-five but has been confined to a wheelchair for two years, ever since an accident left him with an inoperable spinal cord injury. Will seems to despise Lou when they first meet, and she feels the same. He is incredibly rude and, more than that, he rejects her. Over time, however, Lou sees beneath Will's gruff demeanor and beyond his injury, and the two form an increasingly tender friendship. But it's a bittersweet one as well, as Lou soon discovers Will's true intentions – to seek suicide rather than to endure decades in a wheelchair – and takes it upon herself to set him on a different path during the short time they may have together. Me Before You is simultaneously whimsical (the descriptions of Lou's wardrobe are particularly delightful) and romantic. It is also intensely serious, as it compels readers to consider powerful questions about freedom, choice, and the value of human life. Both Will's and Lou's choices can, and likely will be, debated and discussed by anyone who reads their story – and the novel's surprisingly uplifting conclusion is bound to prompt more than a few tears. Moyes's novel will appeal to fans of Jodi Picoult and Marian Keyes, as well as readers who appreciate a thoughtful engagement with real-world issues, nestled in a superbly told story.

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• Review: <i>Me Before You</i> Is a Three-Hankie Dose of Charm and Waterworks

Review: Me Before You Is a Three-Hankie Dose of Charm and Waterworks

S ome tearjerkers are briskly effective at getting the waterworks going, though not in a way that’s lastingly cathartic. Me Before You–adapted by Jojo Moyes from her enormously popular novel and directed by first-timer Thea Sharrock–is that kind of picture, a harmless enough entry in the “adorable mite tames surly masculine beast” romantic-weeper genre, hitting all the right beats with the clink of an expertly struck cowbell.

Game of Thrones’ Emilia Clarke, looking and sounding less like a mother of dragons than the kind of winsome cartoon mouse who uses a polka-dot toadstool for an umbrella, plays Lou, a young Englishwoman who has deferred her dreams of going to college–she needs to work to keep her family afloat. In desperation, she takes a job as caretaker to a man who has recently been paralyzed in an accident. William (The Hunger Games’ Sam Claflin) used to be one of those guys who would “live life to the fullest,” which, in the movie’s terms, means doing manly-man, rich-dude-at-leisure things like performing daredevil waterskiing feats and diving off impossibly high cliffs into the surf below. Now stuck in a wheelchair and essentially a prisoner in the family castle, William is sour and miserable and wishes to die.

Until Lou comes skipping down the lane. At first, William resists her sunny disposition and wardrobe of sweaters adorned with hearts. But her charm assault is formidable, and it’s not long before this former crosspatch is bestowing kooky gifts, like whimsical bumblebee legwear, upon his lady love. In terms of bending men to her will, Lou may not be so far off from Khaleesi after all.

If you can tolerate this much cuteness, Clarke and Claflin may grow on you–their banter becomes less adorably unbearable as the film goes on. And the bittersweet ending of Me Before You may make you cry, even if an hour later you may not remember why. Cheerful and efficient, this is the stripey tights of melodramas.

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Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

• Publication Date: April 26, 2016
• Genres: Fiction , Romance
• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Books
• ISBN-10: 0143130153
• ISBN-13: 9780143130154
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A thing of beauty is a joy forever

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes | Book Review

Louisa Clark is an ordinary girl living an exceedingly ordinary life—steady boyfriend, close family—who has barely been farther afield than their tiny village. She takes a badly needed job working for Will Traynor, who is wheelchair-bound after an accident. Will has always lived a huge life—big deals, extreme sports, worldwide travel—and now he’s pretty sure he cannot live the way he is. Will is acerbic, moody, and bossy—but Lou refuses to treat him with kid gloves, and soon his happiness means more to her than she expected. When she learns that Will has shocking plans of his own, she sets out to show him that life is still worth living.

Jojo Moyes’ novel Me Before You has been labeled a romance novel or chick-lit.

However,  Me Before You tackles some very serious issues: What if your life is irreparably changed in an instant? What if you suddenly have no control over any aspect of your life?

Table of Contents

In me before you, louisa clark and will traynor slowly fall in love.

Louisa Clark gets a job as a caregiver for a quadriplegic, Will Traynor.

Will was a man who lived big – he was a financial wheeler-dealer, he climbed mountains, jumped out of planes, and loved traveling the world. All that changed when he was hit by a speeding motorcycle and his life was changed forever.

At first, Will and Louisa don’t like each other. Will is understandably bitter – the former daredevil now only has very limited use of one arm. He needs care 24/7 and is completely dependent upon others.

Will was a corporate type and Louisa is more of a free spirit, at least in the way outrageous ways she wears clothes, but is far more careful in her personal life where she prefers things to be simple and safe, due to a traumatizing personal incident that happened years earlier.

But as they get to know each other, Will and Louisa learn to understand each other more than they thought they would. Will is intrigued by her kooky dress sense and her warm spirit. Louisa gets to know the charming, playful side of Will that he rarely displays to anyone anymore. They grow to care for each other and depend on each other. But is it enough?

Final Analysis

Even though the subject matter is so sad, I thought that the book was well written and was completely immersed in it right from the start. I was curious to see how the book ended. I liked Louisa very much – she’s spunky and fun, but she does need to expand her horizons.

At first, I didn’t like Will very much. He is very, very bitter, which is completely understandable in his case.

Will has made a certain decision that will not be changed by anyone else.

He also never really tells her how he really feels until the very end.

Will’s mother is rather cold, but that may just be her way of handling trauma. We all have different ways of handling stress and tragedy in our lives, and that just might be her way of handling tough issues.

Also, as some feminists have pointed out, why does Louisa need a male figure to expand her horizons for her? Can’t she do it herself?

However, because of the dark incident in Louisa’s past, she needs to learn to get past that fear and learn to live again – to live big . Will helps her to do just that.

I believe that this book is worth reading. It does raise serious issues that need to be discussed, which is why I believe this book is a favorite of book clubs.

Me Before You was the first book in a trilogy.

If you like this review, please read my review of People We Meet On Vacation by Emily Henry.

Thank you for reading The Literary Lioness!

About Jojo Moyes

Jojo Moyes is a British novelist.

Moyes studied at Royal Holloway, University of London. She won a bursary financed by The Independent newspaper to study journalism at City University and subsequently worked for The Independent for 10 years. In 2001 she became a full time novelist.

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I think this book would make a great movie or Television adaptation. The character types and story are just so persuasive. The Summer I Turned Pretty Book Series: A Season of New Love

It was made into a movie in 2016. It was not changed much from the book, which is unusual.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Me_Before_You_(film)

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Me Before You

By jojo moyes, a disappointing read.

So, this book was all over the bestseller lists and has amazing ratings on Amazon. I’m bewildered. To start, Me Before You is probably more accurately described as Chick Lit rather than actual, you know, literature. I feel a little bad saying this since I’m always loathe to discount female writers just because a story includes a romantic story line, but honestly, the material is pretty thin. But even as someone who has no problem admitting that she loves well-written chick lit and a nice love story, this book is just not very good nor particularly unique.

It’s a straightforward story, free of any subplots or main side characters. Louisa meets Will. She’s poor, plain looking, unemployed and a bad dresser. He’s handsome, wealthy and, sadly, paralyzed due to an accident not too long ago due to his adventurous ways. He’s bitter and she needs work, so she takes a position as his caretaker. He’s mean, but she’s determined. She tries to help him to appreciate life again, they begin to care for one another, etc. The story takes on a more serious tone as he considers ending his life at a assisted suicide facility due to his condition. So, that’s the story, and I won’t ruin the ending for you, but there’s not much else to it.

The book is not badly-written, but it’s not great prose either, it just moves the story along. If you’ve read any chick lit or watched any rom-coms ever, the whole “they-hate-each-other-and-fall-in-love” thing is pretty tired and the way it goes about it is pretty uninspired too.

Still, I think what really bothered me was the fact that Will is so wealthy, successful and handsome, that it prevents the story from being real. Louisa falls for him and tries to help him by planning these elaborate and expensive trips, but that leaves the question in my mind of — what happens if you are paralyzed and not wealthy and good looking? Is your life worthless then? What if you are faced with difficulties and you cannot just throw money at the situation?

If the point of the book was to explore the idea of the value of human life in the face of life-changing disability, then it would have been better off exploring it in the context of more realistic people in real situations. Instead, the author “cheats” in a way by making it the easiest situation ever (e.g. he literally has everything else going for him), and so it is a largely worthless mental exercise to consider it. Without it, all that’s left is a pretty uninspired love story with two uninspired characters. The book focuses a lot on the difficulties of his disability, but its consideration lacked nuance. It made the point that there are a lot of things he cannot do now, but is that really a revelation to anyone? There weren’t any subtleties or surprises for me.

I remember reading a blog post a while back from someone who wrote that a major difficulty that many people living with disabilities encounter is being accused of “faking it. That is, if you don’t have any readily visible signs of your disability, people you meet are unsympathetic and tend to think that you are faking or exaggerating. Alternatively, you might have a visible sign, like being in a wheelchair, but just because you are physically able to stand up straight for a few seconds, it doesn’t mean that you don’t have a disability if it causes you excruciating pain, and those people can be accused of “faking it” as well. It was surprising to me and made me think more deeply about the difficulties of physical disabilities. This book had none of that.

I’d seen Me Before You around a lot — appearing on bestseller lists and in the “Recommended Books” section in a number of bookstores — before finally deciding to pick it up because of the hoard of positive reviews it got on Amazon. I honestly have no clue why anyone liked it. People seemed to find it heartbreaking — the idea that an otherwise perfect man becomes disabled. But while the fact that someone becomes disabled is obviously sad, I think any worthwhile book should delve deeper than that, but this book is doesn’t really present a situation that allows it to really explore what it means to become disabled and the value of life.

Me Before You is frankly insipid and glorifies superficial crap. What’s worse, it parades around as literature because he’s so damaged and angry. Kind of like that hot, angsty guy you meet in high school that’s full of existential bullshit. Skip it.

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I wasn’t sure if I wanted to read this book or not. I think your review placed me pretty firmly on the ‘not’ side of things, I’m not much of a chick lit reader anyway. Great review, you did a wonderful job articulating what didn’t work for you about the novel. :) Have you seen the movie?

Hey, thanks for dropping by — I think if you’re a chick lit fan and you’re used to the conventions of the genre, you might enjoy it (but honestly Emily Giffin has a new book out and it sounds like people are loving it and The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand sounds really promising, too). I used to read more chick lit a long time ago (loved the Shopaholic Series, etc.) but haven’t in quite some time and I didn’t really realize what I was in for, so I think that had something to do with it too.

I haven’t seen the movie, but I really like both Sam Claflin and Emilia Clarke so I will probably see it at some point! Thank you for your comments! :)

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Review | Me Before You: A Novel by Jojo Moyes Paperback – April 1, 2016

• Print length 66 pages
• Language English
• Publication date April 1, 2016
• Dimensions 6 x 0.15 x 9 inches
• ISBN-10 1530847532
• ISBN-13 978-1530847532
• See all details

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (April 1, 2016)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 66 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1530847532
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1530847532
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 5.3 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.15 x 9 inches

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Review: In ‘Me Before You,’ a Broken Man Meets a Free Spirit

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By A.O. Scott

• June 2, 2016

A recent screening of “Me Before You” concluded with audible sniffles and even a sob or two. Why not gales of laughter or quiet snores? These are the mysteries that trouble a critic’s uneasy mind. This floppy British romance, directed by Thea Sharrock and adapted by Jojo Moyes from her best-selling novel , sits at the point where tedium, ridiculousness and heartfelt sentiment converge, separated by an all-but-imperceptible distance. You can’t really argue with someone else’s tears. You can, however, find yourself mystified by them.

Which is not to say that there is anything especially hard to figure out about this movie. On the contrary: It makes a virtue of its absolute obviousness. The first time we see Louisa Clark — known as Lou and played by Emilia Clarke — we note her brightly colored tights and surmise that she is a quirky free spirit. And she is! In contrast, Will Traynor ( Sam Claflin ), is imperious and sarcastic, both because he is an aristocrat (in an actual castle) and because an accident has left him mostly paralyzed from the neck down.

Lou, having been laid off from a job dispensing bogus nutritional advice to old ladies at a tea shop, is hired by Will’s mother ( Janet McTeer ) to care for him. “Not the physical stuff,” Lou is assured. Those duties are taken care of by an affable Australian (Stephen Peacocke). Lou’s assignment is to be cheery and pleasant. To keep Will company and interrupt his brooding with chipper chattiness. To annoy him until he falls in love with her.

Movie Review: ‘Me Before You’

The times critic a. o. scott reviews “me before you.”.

His part of the bargain is to soften in her presence and to introduce her to sophisticated pleasures like Mozart and movies with subtitles. Lou already has a boyfriend, a self-centered fitness nut named Patrick (Matthew Lewis), but as soon as you see him, you will know better than to expect a werewolf-versus-vampire rivalry for a young woman’s affections. This is not “ Twilight. ”

But “Me Before You” does live in the same “Twilight”-fan-fiction neighborhood as “ Fifty Shades of Grey ,” though without the spanking or the atrocious dialogue. (Not that the dialogue here is any good. It’s just not especially memorable, one way or the other.) The operative fantasy is of an ingénue who seduces, and is seduced by, a man who is rich, powerful and also helpless, in need of rescuing by the heroine even as she finds herself in his thrall.

The ending of this movie, though, which I suppose I’m honor-bound not to spoil, is another matter altogether. It will be described in some quarters as tragic, but this doesn’t seem quite right. For one thing, there has not been enough genuine dramatic conflict to give sad events the full, cathartic weight of tragedy. For another, the conclusion might not really be sad at all. Lou gets a lot of money and a fresh croissant. So maybe I had it all wrong, and those tears were tears of joy.

“Me Before You” is rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned). Discreet discussions of death and sex . Running time: 1 hour 51 minutes.

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I made a reservation last Thursday (11/16/2023) for a trip to Iceland from 12/02/2023-12/07/2023 and then I was told that I can't have my refund back. This entire situation has been a massive chaos. When I called on last Thursday (11/16/2023) to place my reservation, the agent (Kathy) I talked to stressed about she "cannot" guarantee that I will be able to go on the trip. Before I provided the payment information, I specifically asked if I will be able to get the refund because the trip is coming up so soon. The agent ensured that I will be able to get a full refund back within 60 days if I decided to cancel the trip. I was also told that I am basically on a wait list and someone will contact me once I can go on the trip. No one contacted me about whether the agency was able to process my information at all, so I've been left in the dark about this trip since the beginning. I called the help line this morning (11/20/2023) around 9:00 Eastern Standard Time to cancel my reservation. I was informed by the agent that I will not be able to get my full refund back since it's too close to the trip date. Basically I was told that Kathy gave me the wrong information, so I will have to pay the cancellation fee. The only reason I provided my payment information is because Kathy specifically stated that I will be able to cancel the trip and receive a full refund. I've never been so frustrated with a traveling agency. I made sure to ask this agent regarding the refund policy twice before giving her my payment information, and she still couldn't provide me with the correct information. It's unbelievable that such a big traveling agency cannot uniformly train their employees with the correct set of information.

I have yet to leave on this trip to New England, but thus far the customer service has been DISMAL at best. They have every device to discourage you from talking to an actual person. Additionally, be warned: there is a lot of FALSE ADVERTISING. Website indicates first two nights a hotel in Burlington, walking distance to many things, or close to public transportation. So, we booked a pre-stay for two nights in Burlington, Before we booked the extra nights, I was told by rep the hotel would be 'Delta Marriott in Burlington'. When the actual hotels were sent, I see we are at Hampton Inn in Colchester. Well this hotel is in the middle of nowhere, not walkable to anything, 30 minutes drive to Burlington. Their front desk informed me we 'really will need a car to go anywhere' (except Starbucks and Costco across the street). I have been on the line now 43 minutes as I type this to 'tour support' line. The rep when she finally came on tells me there is NO REFUND for the pre-stay hotel payment. It is 'close to public transportation.' Turns out she is referring to the Colchester bus station -- 13 minutes away!! Clearly, reputation and customer service are not important to this company. I will never book with them again.

This review is for the tour of London and Paris. This was my third tour with GoAhead in the past 10 years. My first two tours in 2011 and 2015 were both very good, but this one was a disappointment with a dramatic decline in customer service and quality. That pains me to say, but it's true. This was essentially a bargain basement tour with terrible customer service and a bad Tour Director, Reuben, who made the tour very stressful and unpleasant. He was unavailable to us, ignored messages, and made us feel like we were bothering him. The whole tour group was constantly talking about how Rueben the tour guide was ignoring them and acting put out, like he didn't want to be bothered with the group. The wait time to talk to anyone at GoAhead on the phone was consistently 45 min to an hour minimum leading up to the tour and after. That's ridiculous. For my past 2 tours I received a quality travel bag in the mail from GoAhead. This time, GoAhead mailed the travelers a cookbook. Like that will come in handy whilst on tour. It was an obvious attempt at some promotional collaboration that didn't serve the needs of its customers at all. The London portion coincided with the death of Queen Elizabeth. It was understandable that there might be some adjustments made, but we were told in the hotel lobby that our bus had been "cancelled" and we would be traveling on foot. This was a problem, because we paid for coach travel throughout our tour. GoAhead sent us travelers an email on 9/15 that said "London is experiencing severe road closures, which do not permit buses to operate in the city." This statement was untrue. There were plenty of buses operating in the city, and numerous buses were outside of our London hotel every day transporting people from other tour groups. We took photos and video of these buses with time stamps. I understand that transportation is more complicated with activities around Queen Elizabeth, but to tell us that buses are "not permitted" to operate in the city is just false. For the excursions, there was never enough time to enjoy. It was rush-rush-rush, never allowing an appropriate amount of time to see the site, with no consideration to factor in time for restrooms or gift shops. Reuben was a downgrade from previous tour directors. It is the Tour Director's job to be available and hold our hands through the travel. Reuben left my husband and me at a London tube station after we couldn't get on due to overcrowding at rush hour. When we caught up later, he had the nerve to snip at us for not getting on fast enough. I'm a former New Yorker and know how to deal with rush hour subway crowding. There was NO ROOM to possibly get on. Then, when the group had just arrived in Paris, he took us on the Metro and then abandoned us all at an unfamiliar location in the Latin Quarter, saying that he would "challenge us" to see if we could all find our way back without him. Wow. Travel was chaotic and disorganized in his hands. The Paris hotel location at Place de Republique was shabby and filled with a constant stream of loud motorcycles at all hours and loud skateboarders, making sleep a challenge. I was also disturbed that GoAhead made a point to say that all of us travelers absolutely MUST have COVID testing just before travel, and that the Tour Director would be checking these test results as soon as we arrived. Reuben never once mentioned this testing, and certainly never came around to check our test results. I feel really lied to about this. When I contacted GoAhead with the documented issues we experienced and the demonstrable lies we were told on the tour, the representative acted all concerned and told us we were surely owed a partial refund. I asked for a $400 per person partial refund ($800 total), which is peanuts compared to the total cost. Of course, GoAhead later came back and said NO. No refund of any kind would be given. So that ended our relationship with GoAhead after 3 tours for use over the last 10 years. They didn't care at all about losing our future business. So, BEWARE. This company is not what it once was. It's a great shame. We will not be traveling with them again. There are a lot of other choices out there, and they don't care about making things right -- just getting your money and nickel and diming you to death. You've been warned.

We booked a trip and took the more expensive cancel anytime insurance. After 2 months of trying to get someone on the customer service line, I finally spoke to someone who gave me incorrect information. I was eventually connected to a supervisor who told me that cancel anytime meant, I could cancel, but there was no refund only a future trip credit. If you are brave enough to book with them-read all the fine print. I will never deal with them again

I originally booked a tour and paid the $300 fee. Things came up and had to put it on hold. I received an email stating that I needed to re-book or cancel by the next day. I cancelled it and they kept my $300 deposit. Why? I wonder how much they make off keeping customers deposits and they did not have to do anything for it. I will never book with them I'd rather take my chances and book my own tour. Buyer beware.

Customer service is horrible. Almost non existent. Our Tour Director and Naturalist were wonderful and the tour itself was very good. However, two accommodations were terrible and when we talked to Go Ahead about it, they basically said too bad even though we told them what we wanted upfront. So we will never go with this tour company again.

EF GoAhead Tours has a few good qualities but, their customer service and the ability to obtain refunds that they owe is the worst. We went on a European tour with them. We booked airfare, hotels and excursions through them. Total trip was well over $14,000. We paid all of this in advance by withdrawals from our checking account, as they require. They do not accept credit cards for payments except while on tour. To begin with, most of the booking part was a good experience. There were some challenges in getting and paying for the upgrade flight accommodations that we wanted but in the end, we did get those resolved. Now to the challenges and terrible parts. First, they cancelled our 3 day extension to Germany reportedly due to a lack of interest. The problem was, they did this after the cut-off date for us to cancel or reschedule. After pushing through to a Supervisor, that person did assist with booking our hotel and a return flight home, but nothing else regarding other travel or arrangements. Next, 4 days prior to the tour starting they canceled one of our excursions. This meant it was too late to book something else for that day. Then, they have refused to issue a refund for the entire amount we paid for that excursion. We are out $20 for this. Even though we have provided documentation of their error in the refund amount, no one at EF seems to understand and they refuse to address this issue. We then booked something on our own for that day. While on tour, they then offered another excursion for us for that day and were kind enough to credit us for the other excursion we then had to cancel. Problem here is they charged us an extra $10 per person for this excursion, citing their policy is that the price goes up once you are on tour. This is even though they canceled the other excursion just prior to the tour starting and did not offer us another option until we were on tour. We are out another $20 for this error or policy on their part. Next, they canceled two additional excursions while we were on tour. One was $198 for two persons and the other was $290 for two persons. They told us while on tour that they would refund these charges to us but, that it takes 8-10 weeks for them to process these refunds. Since the tour ended, we have been in constant contact with EF. Here are the problems related to this. First, you cannot speak directly to someone about these kinds of issues once the tour is over. You have to leave a message and then it usually takes them 3-4 days to call you back. The Customer Service reps are not empowered to do anything about this except to document it and then forward it on to someone else while you wait for a reply. I have asked several times for a Supervisor and each time I am told, they will ask one to call me but it also takes 3-4 days for them to call you back. They have asked for documentation of these issues and I have sent them emails, invoices, screenshots and all that there is. Unfortunately, no matter how clear the documentation is, nothing gets resolved. We finally established contact with someone we were told was a Supervisor. However, her title is Customer Loyalty and Engagement Specialist. We just can't seem to get to a Supervisor to assist us. This person has now told us several times that the initial $20 was refunded to our credit card. However, no refund has ever posted. Then, she told us an additional $238 was credited back to our credit card. That refund has also never posted and it has been over 2 weeks. She has also told us that the remaining $250 will be issued to us in a check. But, when asked when the check would be issued, were told they were completing their annual "audit" of finances and it would be another 3 weeks before the check would be issued. We are not confident at this time that this will ever happen. We were also recently contacted by another guest on our tour. Similar issue with a refund that was promised yet they have yet to receive theirs either. In summary, we had a pretty good tour experience with EF, it is the work on the back end and getting to talk to anyone or get refunds once we are off tour that is the problem. Their employees do not have any answers, they don't want to talk on the phone and want to try and handle everything by email and they are just plain difficult to work with. As of today, we are still waiting on $522 in refunds from EF with no understanding of when we might see our funds. Very disappointing!

Did a group tour of Ireland with these people. We were hauled around to every tourist trap in the country. Most of the people on my trip seemed to be Fox News watching Trumpers. The tour director didn't seem to know much about Irish history. Never visited a single site from the 1798 or 1916 rebellions. Total zero. Much regret it.

Review for England Ireland Scotland tour....Rae Webster was undoubtedly the best tour guide ever! Helpful, knowledgeable and just plain sweet. England, Ireland and Scotland were each beautiful and interesting in their own way. But the amount of bus time was unforgivable. And as for the buses provided by Manning- none had WiFi...in 2023! Really EF tours? And one bus had no working bathroom, which resulted in a very unfortunate and embarrassing incident for a gentleman on board. I have previously travelled with Go Ahead but I am not sure about future trips.

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Patriot Taxi of Waltham

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4.8 miles away from EF/GoAhead Tours

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