Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
I was having a burnout from work the other week. One day, I couldn’t really take it and told myself to find ways to chill tf out a little. While I didn’t find myself the energy to read, I still wanted to go home and stick my head into books, to find peace in another world in between pages. At the time, my read being A Little Life didn’t help at all. I needed something more brainless, a page-turner that could take off the weight of my mind…
Me Before You is a movie that I’d always wanted to watch, but it’s neither on Netflix, nor Disney+. It’s an adaptation of the novel with the same name. Recalling that I’ve already had it downloaded on my Kindle, I started reading it as soon as I got home that day.
When I thought it’s going to be something light and easy to read, yes, easy and definitely a page-turner, but it wasn’t light at all.
Because of the trailer and poster that I’ve seen on the internet, Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin naturally became the face of the story as I began. And I got to say that the casting was on point. Based on the interviews that I’ve seen of Emilia, I can totally see her personality in Louisa Clark. She definitely brings out the quirkiness and lovableness in the character, capturing its authenticity and vulnerability.
The story follows Louisa Clark, a young woman who becomes a caregiver for Will Traynor, a successful banker who was left paralyzed after a motorcycle accident. Initially, Will is despondent and unresponsive to Louisa's attempts to brighten up his life. However, as they spend more time together, they develop a deep bond that transforms both of their lives. Despite Louisa's efforts to show Will that life is worth living, he makes a heartbreaking decision that challenges her to reconsider her own views on love, life, and self-fulfillment. The emotional journey of the story explores themes of love, sacrifice, and the right to make your own choices in life. While some might find the ending controversial, it provokes important discussions about quality of life and personal autonomy.
The end left me sobbing when Louisa goes to see Will eventually, to say her last goodbye. My tears didn’t stop there. Reading that letter Will writes for Louisa at the very end as if it was for me, I couldn’t help but sob more. And seeing how Louisa goes on with her life at the end, heading to the perfume shop as Will instructed in the letter, brightens up my heart. When someone special leaves, it’s normal to mourn and cry so to express your own emotions and recover from your loss. They’ll always have a special place in our heart. Yet, life goes on. It’s a life-long lesson to learn how we move on with our lives by carrying the memories and find beautiful things ahead of us.
Even though it’s a poignant story, that it took another day for me to recover from it, it serves as a reminder to cherish every moment and the people you care in your life, and embrace the opportunities that come your way; it’s definitely a beautifully written novel.
