Genre: Contemporary
Publication Date: January, 2012
Synopsis:
(from Goodreads)
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.
–Possible Spoilers! Read at your own risk!–
“Some mistakes…just have greater consequences than others. But you don’t have to let the result of one mistake be the thing that defines you.”
Gosh, this book was great. I was this close to deciding not to read it, but I’m so glad I changed my mind.
Me Before You was absolutely wonderful.
From the first page I knew I’d love Louisa. She was such a great main character; strong, quirky and absolutely hilarious. I think I might have a slight girl crush on her. She’s awkward, but has a charming personality that makes you root for her.
And I can’t even begin to explain my love for Will Traynor. I will admit, I didn’t like him at first, but damn did he grow on me.
I loved Lou and Will’s eventual friendship and how they’re just so good together.
“No. Stay for a bit. Talk to me.” He swallowed. His eyes opened again and his gaze slid up to mine. He looked unbearably tired. “Tell me something good.”
They both help each other break out of their comfort zones, they care about each other, they lean on each other, they understand each other. They make each other better.
“Right. Are you listening to me?”
I murmured a yes.
“Then I’ll tell you something good,”
Will encourages Lou to branch out, to live and to never settle for anything less and she does the same for him.
And finally, that ending. That freaking ending. I SAW it coming. I was preparing for the worst. I thought I was ready. And yet, here I am. Bawling my eyes out.
Ugly crying.
Damn.
I went in this book expecting a cheesy romance fest, and although there was romance it was not even close to being the main focus of the book. Instead you get this wonderful coming-of-age novel about life and all its ups and downs, choices and how important they are, family, friendships, controversial topics that make you question everything, and amazing characters that you wish were real.
Me Before You is an emotional roller coaster, you’ll laugh, you’ll cry (both happy and sad tears) you will feel like your heart is beating out of your chest, you’ll get mad, you will literally feel ALL of the feels, but in the end you’ll also feel strangely satisfied and even possibly, okay.
4.5 out 5 stars
★★★★½
“I hadn’t realized that music could unlock things in you, could transport you to somewhere even the composer hadn’t predicted. It left an imprint in the air around you, as if you carried its remnants with you when you went.”
Buy Me Before You
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Let’s be friends!
m y b o o k a c a d e m y 