Me Before You by Jojo MoyesMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
"...I told him a story of two people. Two people who shouldn't have met, and who didn't like each other much when they did, but who found they were the only two people in the world who could possibly have understood each other."
Why is 5 stars the highest? Haven't we all heard the saying that "the sky is the limit"... This is another 10 star book for me. It is not because I am being emotional but because this book is so good.
A favourite Booktuber of mine recommended it on her channel saying that soon this book is going to be transformed into a movie starring Sam Claflin and Emilia Clarke (who doesn't love Finnick Odair and Daenerys Targareyan?) So I looked it up on Goodreads. I wouldn't lie and say that I was too intrigued to read it but after watching the trailer decided to give it a try. Thank goodness that I did so. Otherwise I would never have known such a fantastic book it is. (I tend to 'mostly' hate book-to-movie adaptations.)
This book is everything I could ever want it to be. It is humorous, satirical, witty, romantic, mysterious. Every effing thing. Both the lead characters Will Traynor and Louisa Clark are extremely witty and intelligent characters. The dialogues between them are not boring but dynamical. Two of the best characters I have ever read.
When Louisa's character was first introduced in the book and she said that there were 180 steps from her home to the bus stop I had this faint recognition in my mind of this girl being sad with her life (the usual heroines). But when I learnt more about her life I realized that she was not sad just ignorant about what the world could offer. Hell I wanted her to live. And it turned out so did her employer Will Traynor. Will's character was a very strong one but I found him to be stubborn a few times. But who am I to judge? I could never possibly imagine what his life could be like. I did not want him to die. I wanted him to live. I wanted Louisa and Will's relationship to somehow work out as it always did in some cliché romance novel. But then I realized what was the use of giving false hope to a reader when the reality was far from the truth. A piece of literature tends to become great only when it able to touch the lives of people. Not just give them a temporary satisfaction. A false hope of a happily ever after. When we know somewhere deep in our mind that is not possible.
I am still contradicted over Will's decision to die. I am hugely debated over death. A reality which I neither like to think or talk about. I know it that what Will did was not right but I also feel what he did was right. After all nobody can understand what we go through every day not even some perfect soul-mate. We come alone, fight alone, die alone. So our decisions should always involve our own priorities. I am not saying that we should not think about others. Or suicide is right. It is the most disgusting thing ever. But Will had a serious reason to consider it. Everybody felt that they wanted to hold on to him. They wanted him to survive but I know from my own experience that the pain subsides. It just does. In fact part of yourself is relaxed that it is finally over.
I liked Camilla Traynor's character. Her POV (which was unexpected) helped me to understand what is was like to be helpless. My heart goes out to her. I wish her all the best.
Me Before You just like The Fault In Our Stars (I am not even debating it) touched my heart. Even when they deal with huge topics they are books not of death but of living. As we just have one life and very very limited time.
I don't think I will read After You but I am definitely looking forward to the movie.
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