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.
Okay. I feel ready enough to write some words about this book. I started it a few days ago after reading Jojo Moyes's newest (and unreleased book) The One Plus One. I first heard about Me Before You back when it was the latest must read book that everybody was raving about. I always find that books like these tend to be overrated and the fact that everyone else is reading them often puts me off. But, with over 2,500 5 star ratings on Amazon I had a fair idea that this book would be good. Good? It is one of the best books I have ever read.
Unfortunately I started it on Friday, I was in work on Saturday at 6 and Sunday at 7 so I had hardly any time to read it due to work and sleep. I ran a bath around 9.30, took my Kindle with me and emerged at 11.00 from a freezing cold bath and family members asking if I was still alive. I was lost in this story and had no awareness of time or the things going on around me the only thing that mattered to me was reaching the end of this book and finding out what happened to the characters. I couldn't even read the book near the end chapters because of the tears clouding my eyes and running down my face.
I would say that the cover and perhaps the blurb don't really do this book justice. They don't really give away the fact that this is one of those special books. A book that will stay with you for a long time. A book which doesn't really feel like fiction, and which actually isn't when you consider that there are people around the world in the situations described here. Books like this always make me think of those people who don't read and give the reason of 'well why would I read fiction, it isn't real'. That has to be the most stupidest thing anybody has ever said but I have heard it from people so many times. I would tell them to read books like this but it would just go over their heads. Then again if it was a film with some amazing man in the lead then who cares if it's fiction...
I loved this book. I experienced so many emotions whilst reading it. The characters were so well written. Especially Will. I loved some of his scenes with Lou and the way he called her by her surname. I also thought the mum was well-written, at first coming across as a bit cold and nasty it becomes clear that she just loves her son and would do anything for him. I laughed, I cried and I had no idea whatsoever of where I wanted the story to go. The last few chapters of the book especially were just heartbreaking. You think something is going to happen and then it doesn't and the last few paragraphs especially had me reeling. It was wonderfully written and either Moyes carried out some great research or is just a fantastic storyteller. The scenes with Lou speaking with other quadriplegics trying to find things to do with Will certainly spoke of someone who knows their stuff but then I can't tell as I don't know much about it.
STOP READING UNLESS YOU HAVE READ THE BOOK
It's odd to read a book which is essentially a love story but doesn't have a happy ending. But then it sort of does in the sense that Lou can build a happy life for herself. I didn't have a preferred ending to this book but felt that Will's letter could've been written to the reader themselves to remind them to live a happy life and stop taking the things for granted that people like Will would do anything to have. Anyway this book has left me in a state of shock and experiencing 101 emotions.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/701508094?book_show_action=false
No comments:
Post a Comment