Book Review Discussion: Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

Book: Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
Genre: Literary Fiction
Rating: ★★★★☆
For: book club
From: bought with a Target gift card awhile back

Short Synopsis: Louisa has just lost her job and is on the search for another one. With the help of a temp agency, she decides to take a position as a caretaker for a man who has been badly hurt in an accident. In fact, he is a quadriplegic. She is nervous at first and hates the job for quite awhile. The guy, Will, is ornery and mean. But he is not an old ugly guy as she thought he might be. In fact, he's attractive and interesting, when he wants to be. As the both become used to the situation, they end up close friends and Lou has managed to make Will's life brighter than he ever dreamed possible. But he has a plan, and when she discovers that plan, it makes it her mission to change it.

My Response: I loved this one. The banter and slow burn between these two. The ever increasing fascinating relationship they create. Definitely my kind of book. A simple story, with a small cast of characters and a goal you can root for.

Bottom Line: A beautiful book. I loved it.

Let's Talk About: (Beware SPOILERS ahead!)

The ending begs to be discussed and so if you haven't yet read this book and don't want to be spoiled, stop reading now! If you have and want to discuss the ending, keep reading.

I knew the ending was going to be sad. I'd heard enough about this book to know that much. But still, as I read, I hoped that the ending I feared was not the ending that actually happened. But yes, Will goes through with his plan, which if you are here reading, you know is assisted suicide. It's a controversial topic and one that some people feel is justified and others not so much. I waffle depending on who's talking. I can see Will's side. But then again, I think I identify much stronger with Lou's. She feels like she CAN  make his life worthwhile. And why won't he let her? So selfish of him, right? And yet, is it selfish of her to make him live his life confined to a chair when he was active before? Who's in the right? Do you think if Will would have changed his mind he would have been happy? I want to think so, but probably not. It's a hard hard thing, and one that sadly many people have to face. What do you think?

Other Reviews:

This book was like driving in a snow storm and coming up on a red light, but when you tap on the break your car doesn't stop...and then everything slows down and you're just staring at the inevitable wishing you could open the car door and bail but you can't, you're are just sitting there helplessly slamming the break to the floor and watching IT coming. From Alternate Readality

A story of many subtleties that comes down to the choices we make and the effect those choices have on those we love. From The Novel Life

As a reader, I was there for every argument, humiliation, smile, and moment of joy. I was so involved that I never wanted to put down. From Literate Housewife

All I can say for certain is that the combination of some of the sweetest prose written, characters that played on my every emotional chord while remaining utterly real, and a storyline that haunts and pokes and tests readers left me absolutely devastated, a dried-out husk of my former shelf. From That's What She Read