Good Reads / Community Library Notes
Me Before You
JoJo Moyes
Review by Priscilla Comen
Me Before You
JoJo Moyes
Review by Priscilla Comen
Me Before You, by JoJo Moyes, is the first in a series of three books about Louisa Clark who gets a job assisting a quadriplegic, Will Traynor. Injured in a motorcycle accident, his mother is strict about rules, and Will is snappy to Lou, angry that he is stuck in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Lou isn’t sure she can deal with this position. But Nathan, the physical therapist, helps her learn. Will’s former fiancé comes to see him and announces her engagement to his friend, Rupert. Will smashes all the framed photographs that hang on the wall of him with his former girlfriend.
When a severe snowstorm hits the area, Will asks Lou to spend the night, and she’s glad because no transportation is running. During the night, Will gets a high fever. Nathan has told her what to do in this event, and she gives Will heavy antibiotics, and sleeps in his bed to stay near him. In the morning he is better, but his mother is furious. Will’s father had been at his girlfriend’s house, but mother doesn’t know this. Lou must keep it a secret.
Lou’s boyfriend, Patrick, is obsessed with running a marathon, and ignores her. She does everything for Will and one day, decides to shave his growing beard. He permits her to cut his hair as well. It’s an intimate process. Lou overhears his mother and sister talk about Will’s attempted suicide. Lou has been hired to be sure he doesn’t try it again. Will has asked his mother to send him to a place called Dignitas, an assisted suicide place in Switzerland. Lou feels terrible about his impending death and writes his mother a note quitting her job. Mrs. Traynor begs Lou to stay on for six months during which time she may convince Will that life is worth living. Lou and her sister, Katrina, discuss how their parents need the money Lou earns at her job. Their dad has been dismissed from his and has trouble finding another. Katrina comes up with a list of activities for quads that Lou could try with Will. She has four months to make exciting things happen: trips away, concerts, lunches out, games that other quads play or watch.
The first outing is to a horse race. Nathan goes to help her. It’s raining, the parking lot is a river of mud and they are not permitted into the fancy dining room. There is another room for cripples. The outing is a flop, and Will says he hates horses and horse races. The next outing is to a concert of classical music. She’s never listened to classical, but Will tells her to expand her horizons and she finds she enjoys it. On the internet, Lou finds devices so he doesn’t have to use his hands to write or draw. Lou’s birthday dinner at Mum and Dad’s is a success with both Will and Patrick there. Patrick is jealous of the attention she must give to Will. Mum likes Will and fusses over him; Will and Dad laugh together over stories about a younger Lou. She goes to the public library and emails other quads to see their ideas about her plans for Will. Author Moyes deftly weaves their attitudes toward assisted suicide with the fiction story in this novel. One says a loving partner is the most important element to value life.
When they pass a tattoo parlor, both Will and Lou get tattoos. She’s learning to try new things at Will’s urging. Patrick is deeply involved in training for the Xtreme Viking marathon. Will and Lou go through the castle near their house where tourists travel daily. He insists she go through the maze and he will rescue her if she gets lost. She is afraid and tells him what happened when she was in high school. She had been teased and left behind in the maze. She had been terrified, but Will tells her it wasn’t her fault.
When they are invited to Alicia’s and Rupert’s wedding, they have a marvelous time, with Lou getting drunk. They stay the night at a nearby hotel, and the next day Will has a high fever. His blood pressure is sky high and Nathan is furious. After he recovers, Lou plans a trip to an island paradise with special attractions for quads, such as snorkeling. Lou tries this and loves the new world under the sea that she finds. Will is pleased to see this new attitude in Lou.
Does Will go through with his plans for Dignitas? Will Lou convince him his life is worth living? Author Moyes makes the debate between the choice of life or death into a deep love story. Find this with other Moyes books at your Mendocino Community Library.
When a severe snowstorm hits the area, Will asks Lou to spend the night, and she’s glad because no transportation is running. During the night, Will gets a high fever. Nathan has told her what to do in this event, and she gives Will heavy antibiotics, and sleeps in his bed to stay near him. In the morning he is better, but his mother is furious. Will’s father had been at his girlfriend’s house, but mother doesn’t know this. Lou must keep it a secret.
Lou’s boyfriend, Patrick, is obsessed with running a marathon, and ignores her. She does everything for Will and one day, decides to shave his growing beard. He permits her to cut his hair as well. It’s an intimate process. Lou overhears his mother and sister talk about Will’s attempted suicide. Lou has been hired to be sure he doesn’t try it again. Will has asked his mother to send him to a place called Dignitas, an assisted suicide place in Switzerland. Lou feels terrible about his impending death and writes his mother a note quitting her job. Mrs. Traynor begs Lou to stay on for six months during which time she may convince Will that life is worth living. Lou and her sister, Katrina, discuss how their parents need the money Lou earns at her job. Their dad has been dismissed from his and has trouble finding another. Katrina comes up with a list of activities for quads that Lou could try with Will. She has four months to make exciting things happen: trips away, concerts, lunches out, games that other quads play or watch.
The first outing is to a horse race. Nathan goes to help her. It’s raining, the parking lot is a river of mud and they are not permitted into the fancy dining room. There is another room for cripples. The outing is a flop, and Will says he hates horses and horse races. The next outing is to a concert of classical music. She’s never listened to classical, but Will tells her to expand her horizons and she finds she enjoys it. On the internet, Lou finds devices so he doesn’t have to use his hands to write or draw. Lou’s birthday dinner at Mum and Dad’s is a success with both Will and Patrick there. Patrick is jealous of the attention she must give to Will. Mum likes Will and fusses over him; Will and Dad laugh together over stories about a younger Lou. She goes to the public library and emails other quads to see their ideas about her plans for Will. Author Moyes deftly weaves their attitudes toward assisted suicide with the fiction story in this novel. One says a loving partner is the most important element to value life.
When they pass a tattoo parlor, both Will and Lou get tattoos. She’s learning to try new things at Will’s urging. Patrick is deeply involved in training for the Xtreme Viking marathon. Will and Lou go through the castle near their house where tourists travel daily. He insists she go through the maze and he will rescue her if she gets lost. She is afraid and tells him what happened when she was in high school. She had been teased and left behind in the maze. She had been terrified, but Will tells her it wasn’t her fault.
When they are invited to Alicia’s and Rupert’s wedding, they have a marvelous time, with Lou getting drunk. They stay the night at a nearby hotel, and the next day Will has a high fever. His blood pressure is sky high and Nathan is furious. After he recovers, Lou plans a trip to an island paradise with special attractions for quads, such as snorkeling. Lou tries this and loves the new world under the sea that she finds. Will is pleased to see this new attitude in Lou.
Does Will go through with his plans for Dignitas? Will Lou convince him his life is worth living? Author Moyes makes the debate between the choice of life or death into a deep love story. Find this with other Moyes books at your Mendocino Community Library.