Me Before You
Ratings474
Average rating4
This book is incredible. When I started reading, I didn't know what'll happen or what to think about it. But as I went on reading, it got better and better and it came to the stage, when I couldn't stop reading. I got into the story of Will and Lou, her struggle to make him happy, to change his mind. So emotional writing, a good writing.
4/5 stars rating for this great book.
I read the last quarter of the book on a plane. I do not recommend doing this. It was very difficult to stop myself from sobbing against the window. That might have freaked out the little girl in the seat next to me.
I still wish it hadn't been spoiled for me, but it was still a very good read.
I could not put this book down! Loved it from front to back! Very touching thought provoking story.
Me Before You is an incredible, heart-wrenching love story between a quadriplegic and his caretaker. Louisa makes it her mission to show Will that he can still live a fulfilling life in spite of his circumstances and somewhere along the way, Will ends up changing Louisa as well. Their story is beautiful and I didn't want it to end. It's also a reminder to live life to the fullest because you never know when there might come a day when you won't be able to. Highly, highly recommended but be warned that Will Traynor will crush your heart.
This book was so heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. I read this after my friend Lauren on Twitter recommended it to me months ago, and I don't regret it.
I know some people disagree with the ending, but I thought it was perfect and the only way to end the book. Yeah, it was sad, but I think it was the best outcome for both Lou and Will.
And WOW AM I EXCITED FOR THE MOVIE ADAPTATION. Emilia Clarke, Sam Claflin, JENNA COLEMAN (my bby) and Matt Lewis? YES PLEASE.
A bit slow until the halfway point. But the romantic aspect was quite sweet. Lou's character could have used more personal development. I was unimpressed by the implied abuse in the maze, for one. But I'd most likely read it again.
Before you all get mad at me... 3 stars does mean that I liked Me Before You, but I wasn't overly enthralled. I just thought that it felt flat and cliché by the end. I mean, it was a good story of an impossible love and the inspiration to truly live your life well. But there was still a lot of emotion lacking in this book - it should have made me sob. But it didn't. And I was left thinking... aww that was cute.
I loved Will's character. He had so much emotional depth to help you understand his constant battle with reconciling his life that was and his life that is. And Louisa had some depth but I found her character development lacking. I never really felt everything, I just understood the motions as she went through them. I wanted to be a little more inside her head, I guess.
Also, I absolutely hated Louisa's family... they are the most self-centered people, almost unrealistically so. They constantly berate her, and I almost stopped reading because I hated them so much at the beginning.
But I'm not mad that I read this book. Do I think I would have been missing out if I hadn't read it? NO.
“Me Before You” is probably 2016's most hated book. People love to hate it. When it came out it got nothing but rave reviews but because of the movie and the protests against it there's so much negative publicity surrounding it now. I actually understand people's objections to it, however, my experience with it, when I read it years ago, was completely different. I perceived the plot and the characters quite differently. I would have loved to see all these people's reactions to the book if a movie hadn't come out and the media hadn't blacklisted it. I feel like their opinion is already set even before they pick up the book.
My opinion on it has slightly changed after reading a review of it by a disabled blogger. She gave a very respectful, level-headed opinion which made me understand why certain aspects of can be seen as very problematic and I think it's fair that they are debated and questioned, but, overall, I still think people are being unfair and overly visceral about this book.
It basically all comes down to the ending and how you interpret it. People who are enraged by it see it as hateful ableist. I see it as an individual's rightful choice of ending their pain when they feel, beyond any doubt, that they can't stand any more of it. I also didn't see Will as just a tool in Lou's development, I saw him as his own person. I thought the message was that sometimes love doesn't conquer all and can't fix everything. I don't think it's ok to see it as a message directed to the entire disabled community, I don't think it was intended that way, but hey, it's just my opinion. But, because of the lack of representation of the disabled community in the arts, I do understand why people chose to see it this way.
Publicado originalmente: El Extraño Gato del CuentoObviamente todo esta dicho sobre este libro, basta con ver los gifs en las reseñas de Goodreads, basta que con mencionar este libro a cualquiera que lo haya leído para que empiece una interminable lista del porque este libro es un maldito y TIENES que leerlo. No creo que pueda agregar más, no creo que pueda decir absolutamente nada más bueno o malo. No hay muchos libros que en realidad me hagan llorar, o sea, lo máximo que llego a veces es que se me llenen los ojos de lágrimas o esa picazón en la nariz, pero eso es todo. Pero con Me Before You... gasté unos cuantos pañuelitos y las lágrimas recorrieron el borde mi nariz hasta caer en la cama, juntándose con el otro montoncito que ya había caído. Soy muy buena controlando mis ganas de llorar con los libros, sólo que esta vez no pude. Al terminar de leer solo me quedé... ahí. Nada más.Pero me quedé con ganas de algo, tengo algunas cosas que decirle a Will, y tomaré mi blog para escribirle una cartaQuerido señor Traynor:Desde el comienzo tuve miedo de conocerlo, he tenido un montón de razones en los libros para llorar o al menos querer hacerlo, todas las advertencias y toda la publicidad me decían me alejará lo más que pueda de usted y su historia. Pero no hice caso. ¿Hay que vivir, verdad?No me enamoré de ti pero conecté contigo en demasiados niveles, comprendí tus decisiones y no estoy molesta.Estoy furiosa.¿Qué no piense en ti demasiado? ¿QUÉ CLASE DE COSA ES ESA PARA DECIRLE A LOU? ¿Sabes qué es lo que más me duele? Sí, está bien, yo no me enamoré de ti, pero Lou sí, ella te quería Will. ELLA TE QUERÍA. Se supone que los libros son para enseñarnos algo, que son quizá para avergonzarte de esa parte un poco destructiva de uno, pero Will... Will, siendo la persona que soy, también tomaría tu decisión, estuve a punto de hacerlo años atrás y cada día es difícil. Es sólo que no logro quitarme de la cabeza algo Will, comprendo completamente por qué lo hiciste pero... Si nos ponemos a pensar, Lou quizá tampoco hubiera sido suficiente para ti en tu anterior vida, tú hubieras sido el novio de la boda y no solo un invitado, nunca la hubieras conocido. No estoy dolida por mí, Will, estoy dolida por ella. Fuiste un imbécil hasta el final, Will, eso es algo que no nos podrán quitar jamás.Will me hiciste llorar y eso es algo que pocas cosas tienen el orgullo de alardear. Quizá en otra vida las cosas sean diferentes, ¿verdad?Twitter Blog Pinterest Tumblr Instagram
Wow... This book. I don't even know where to go with this review. I guess I will start with the main character, Lou Clarke. I enjoyed her transition from small town girl to forward looking woman. I loved the relationship that developed between Lou and Will, the paralyzed man, who she is employed to assist. This is a real page turner. I kept going back to it any time a chance to read it. No spoilers but I will say it was a bittersweet ending.
It's been a long while since I've read the perfect blend of sad and uplifting. Me Before You delivers just that.
A once corporate hot shot who loved loads of physical activities, travel, and women becomes a quadriplegic due to freak accident in which a guy in a motorbike rams into him. Two years pass, and Will cannot live with the physical and emotional pain anymore. He contemplates making arrangements for assisted suicide. The story brings forth a most uncomfortable topic in a sensitive yet straightforward manner. Will, and those who care for him, all share their points of view on the subject. The author does a magnificent job of not sugar-coating or pointing the finger at any of the points of view depicted.
It's a shame that the title and cover have a “chick-lit” feel to it because I think a lot of men would enjoy this read as well. Though it is infused with some humor, I did not find it to be a romantic comedy. The publisher should really rethink the blurbs and cover for the next reprint. Give it a shot, fellas.
Perhaps this is the year of reading sad books for me. Although this one, in a weird way, wasn't entirely sad. Part romance (but not at all “romancey”) and part political piece (but not at all overly political), this was one I couldn't put down, especially in the second half. I loved the flawed characters–really, all of the characters were so well developed. It's rare a book has so many characters and I actually enjoy and care about all of them. To me, this was a very human story, and the pacing was great.
This book did make me ball like a baby but there was a lot I didn't like about the writing style and the overall pacing.
What a fucking horrible book.
I'm really surprised to see everybody gushing over this piece of five-hundredth-rate crap.
This was presented to my mother as a thank-you by a friend of hers, I picked it up because it read on the sleeve that Sophie Kinsella loved it, so of course I wanted to hurt my brain really bad and see for myself what kind of ‘literature' world-renown crapseller Kinsella ‘hearted'.
This is it and of this at least I'm not surprised.
Here the reasons for hating it:
- psychological depth of characters equals zero
- decision-making of said characters is preposterous
- male lead expresses respect for female lead's intellectual curiosity, which mistifies readers: said curiosity should be described by the fact that she goes on the internet a couple of times and signs up for a community site. Oh Lordie!
- a conspicuous part of the plot claims to revolve around a ethical nevralgic point, which is never discussed in depht
it seems to me this is enough. But there's more. A lot more.
What a coarse, incredibly dim-witted, horrible thing.
This book has been lauded all over the blogosphere for months now. I've kept a for-review copy on my shelf but I haven't opened it; I've been burned before by books that have been overhyped.
Happily I can say that didn't happen this time. Happily I can say that this is a story I'd recommend to others for both the quality of the writing, the thoughtfulness of the story, and the depth of the characters.
So I say: Give this book a read. See what you think.
3.5
The only thing I hated in this book is the writing style, and that contributed greatly to my average rating of this book.
It is written as if someone is SPEAKING and NOT WRITING. And this is not literature. And guess what? It ruins literature.
I cannot understand how someone can start a sentence with the word “Or” when completing the sentence before it! While they shouldn't even end the sentence before that.
This is not the literature I want to leave for my descendants. This is not the literature that I want to represent our modern world in 100 years. And trust me, this is not the literature that will survive after 20 years MAXIMUM.
On a brighter note, the story IS AMAZINGGGGGG and I really cried in the end :((( If only this book have been written better, I would have gave it an easy five stars :D
A propulsive love story with a twist. After being laid off, Louisa Clark, a quirky and clever homebody, takes a job as caretaker to Will Traynor, a handsome and wealthy quadriplegic. Their oil-and-vinegar dynamic soon dissipates as Will pushes Lou to embrace adventure, and Lou pushes Will to resurrect his joie de vivre. A compelling plotline, memorable characters, and clever moral dilemma make this a tearjerker that upends expectations and feels, appropriately, more fizzy than sweet. For fans of ONE DAY.
This is the first book i've read by Jojo Moyes and did so based on the sheer volume of good reviews. This story of Lou who is employed to care for Will, a man left a quadraplegic due to an accident is just beautiful.
Lou begins her time with Will with no expience of caring and a life spent in a small sleepy village and with no big plans in life other than spending time with her long term somewhat commitment phobe boyfriend Patrick. Her new employer Will is gruff, unhappy about her presence and frustrated with life. She hates her job. Slowly she and Will begin to build a friendship built on mutual sarcasm and slight acceptance. Then Lou finds out that Will intends to end his life at Dignitas in 6 months time and she sets out to convince him that he can have a fulfilling life in his wheelchair and that he needn't end his life.
This is a love story and a beautiful one at that. I read the last few chapters with tears streaming down my face and came away feeling that the characters and the story had really imprinted themselves on me. Beautiful book and worth every single 5 star review on this site.
Cried a lot! But definitely worth the read. Was recommended by friends seems everyone had read it and had all enjoyed it. I was a bit sceptical at first - looked like a real chick book which I thought I had grown out of. However, found the book easy to read, was immediately attached to the characters and wanted to pick it up and read everyday. Although I knew there was only 1 possible outcome to the end of the book I wanted to read on (even though I knew I would shed some tears). An enjoyable emotional read.