Thursday 28 July 2016

Review: Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

Whispered by Clara Cheng at 8:44 pm

Me Before You | Jojo Moyes
Publication Date: December 31st 2012
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books / Viking
Genre: Romance, Adult, Contemporary, Chick Lit
Owned, Hardcover, 369 pages

Synopsis:
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 f them knows they're going to change the other for all time.

My Review: 

"All I can say is that you make me... you make me into someone I couldn't even imagine. You make me happy, even when you're awful. I would rather be with you - even the you that you seem to think is diminished - than with anyone else in the world."

Some books were meant for leisure reading; some books made you think, this beauty was undeniably one of those. I couldn't help myself but to feel the unspeakable emptiness clutching my heart tightly after closing the book, to ponder about life, family, love and existence. It was the kind of book that would haunt you, even few days, maybe weeks, or months after you've finished it. There was something shattered in me, crumbled into tiny pieces and flown away along with the ending.

I was a little bit worried because the story started out slow in the beginning, but boy, I was utterly wrong. It turned out to be so much more than a romance as the plot were crafted whimsically and their back stories were gradually revealed, which deepened the characters, especially Lou. Everything was built for something bigger, I was in awe when the truth hit me so hard.

Lou was an ordinary girl who barely lived a life. She was contented with everything being normal, until she met Will. Will had a broken soul after the motorcycle accident and resented to live, but he was once a man who worked hard to be above average. Perhaps you would start to predict the cliche from here, but their relationship was actually beyond romance - it was platonic, pure and selfless; and both of them had blossomed to become a better person with the companion of each other.

"You only get one life. It's actually your duty to live it as fully as possible."

I especially adored the moment when Lou's past was unfolded. In fact, it was one of the most beautiful parts I reckoned in this masterpiece, and it changed my view on Lou entirely in a positive way. She became someone who lived off the page, I felt more connected to her than ever.

"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. You, Clark, have the choice not to let that happen."

The final chapter and epilogue of this book had both completely caught me off guard as well. I anticipated the ending, and dreaded it, while I read along, but apparently I had never expected it to be written like this, and now I couldn't think of any better way to wrap it up. It was truthfully one of the best, tearfully heartbreaking closures I had ever encountered.

If you have watched the movie adaptation and enjoyed it, I hope you would read this book too because you would absolutely love it, and if you'd unfortunately couldn't fall in love with the movie as much as you'd expected to, I hope you would at least think about reading the book, maybe you would be pleasantly surprised. This art creation was lyrically sad and full of life, it was one of those that would charm and richen your reading journey because it was more than a chick lit - it was about living - to actually living your life.

"You are scored on my heart, Clark. You were from the first day you walked in, with your ridiculous clothes and your complete inability to ever hide a single thing you felt."

Now I'm more than happy to have this book imprinted a scar and scored on my heart.


Perfect for this book:


We finally fall apart and we break each other's hearts
If we wanna live young, love, we better start today

It's gotta get easier, oh easier somehow
Cause I'm falling, I'm falling
Oh easier and easier somehow
Oh I'm calling, I'm calling
And it isn't over unless it is over
I don't wanna wait for that
It's gotta get easier and easier somehow
But not today
Not today



With love,
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8 lovely confession(s):

Zoey River on 1 August 2016 at 18:48 said...

I'm sure this book is beautiful. I'm sure I'll love it so much. Just like I loved The Fault in Our Stars. Honestly, I want to read it but... I can't. Because I also know this book is so sad. That this book does not have a happy ending. And I made a promise to myself, long ago, not to read a book like that ever again. My heart just can't deal with it.
I know I'm missing on an amazing story, but... I can't.

I'm happy to see you loved it. Well, I actually never met someone who didn't love this book so... (:

Grace @ RebelMommyBookBlog on 1 August 2016 at 19:57 said...

This was such a great book! I totally was a mess at the end. I really want to watch the movie when it comes out on demand. Great review!

Reg @ She Latitude on 1 August 2016 at 21:47 said...

Great review, Clara! I read this book when it first came out and really, really loved it - it was just so sweet and sad, and like you said, it made me think.

Have you seen the movie and are you going to pick up the sequel? The movie’s pretty good, personally, but I’m kind of staying away from the sequel because reviews have mostly been bad. I dunno if I ever will pick it up… I mean, we know she’s not going to end up with Will. D:

Claire on 2 August 2016 at 10:07 said...

I haven't read Me Before You yet. I've been seeing it everywhere! Especially now that the movie is out, I feel like this book has received a lot of hype from readers. I'm glad to hear that the hype is well deserved! The quotes seem memorable, too, the kind I'd quote for life lessons or deep thinking :') I'm usually not a fan of romance novels but you've convinced me to give this book a try! I love your header photo, by the way.

Claire @ Cover to Cover

Lola on 3 August 2016 at 04:48 said...

Wonderful! Oh, I'm so glad you loved it!! I absolutely did, too. The ending is heart-breaking, but hey, I understood the guy. Can't wait to see the movie! I think I'll be reading After You sometime soon :)

Pearl @ Pearl's Book Journey on 3 August 2016 at 06:10 said...

Wow I'm so glad you enjoyed this book, Clara. Isn't the movie so adorable, too??? Sigh...

maliemania on 4 August 2016 at 16:38 said...

I really love your review, Clara. It's been about a year since i first read MBY, and you brought me right back to that moment. I'm currently reading After You and although it's probably not as amazing as MBY especially because Will isn't in it anymore, I'm finding myself enjoying it because i related so well to Lou in the first book <3

Shooting Stars Mag on 8 August 2016 at 10:00 said...

I absolutely loved this book, and I also quite enjoyed the film too! I need to read After You now. Thanks for your great review - I'm happy to see you loved it too.

-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.blogspot.com

 

♥ La Sourire