Wednesday 9 October 2013

Me Before You - Review

AUTHOR: Jojo Moyes
FIRST PUBLISHED: 2012
ISBN: 978-07-181578-38
GENRE: Romance

EXCERPT: 

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.

REVIEW:

There are some stories that touch the very soul; this is one of those stories. By the end of it I had tears streaming down my face. And it took me a long time to come to terms with the fact that it’s over. It made me emotional and though my life bears no resemblance to the story I felt connected. Also though the genre says this is a romance novel, this is much more than romance.

Louisa ‘Lou’ Clark is a regular girl living an ordinary life in a small town with her parents and grandfather. Having recently lost her job at a small café and being hard pressed at money she lands a job as the care taker of a quadriplegic Will Traynor. The story follows the bonding of Lou and Will. The various medical and emotional issues that Will faces and how Lou handles them, sometimes effectively sometimes otherwise.

The author has researched brilliantly on quadriplegia, the complexities of being in that state coupled with the emotional and mental condition. There is a lot of depth in the story, it is not just about a paralyzed person but even the other supporting characters that of the parents, sibling, friends and lovers. The story chalks out wonderfully with a different perspective of every personality. Some stories force you to contemplate, this is one of them. It not only makes you think it stirs your heart, makes you smile and even clenches you tightly with the sentiments.

Saying that it is not beautiful or it didn’t touch my heart would be an understatement. I was so moved by the plot that even now when I’m writing this review, the scenes are playing in my mind like a movie. I felt like I was living with Lou and Will, experiencing the desires and even the deep sated loneliness.

The story is enigmatic, not in the mysterious way but in a life changing manner. There is a profound sadness the kind that is so powerful enough it shakes you completely. When I read the story at first I felt it is a depressing one but on further realization it dawned on me, it makes you emotionally vulnerable. It is more of relatable intricate plot albeit a painful one.

The one thing that is best about it is love that spills from it. People generally these days have a notion love is just about physical relationship, in short materialistic. This story explores love in a different dimension. Friendship, care, companionship these are the feelings that truly make or break a relationship. The constant courage being to be for one and other, till death do us part is explored beautifully. It is much more than romance.

There is a lot to say, but then some things are best experienced. This is a story where you are bound to laugh with the characters in their times of happiness and also you’re so moved in times of grief that you can’t help but cry.

This story in a way talks about the writer, the way she writes. She wins you totally. It is easy to write happy stories but to write painful ones requires a great deal more. Me Before You, in simple words is an intensely emotional and a heart touching story.

Do not miss this one!

RATING: 9.8/10
PRICE: Rs.693
BINDING: Paperback
PAGES: 480

4 comments:

  1. Loved the review Fatima ... so polished and well written ... your words make me want to pick up this book.

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    Replies
    1. You should read this book! It is definitely a must read :)

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  2. Interesting book, I seem to have loved it !

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