The two main characters are Louisa and Will. Louisa hires on as a caretaker for Will who is a quadriplegic as the result of an accident. Louisa comes from a financially-stressed, close-knit, blue-collar working class family. Louisa's world is very small, as is typical for those who have very little money to spare, but she is a delightful blend of whimsy paired with a no nonsense attitude. The author manages to make these two paradoxical character traits coexist believably. Will's world view has been shaped by the life experiences typical of a wealthy, white-collar, well-educated, hard-working and hard-playing family. Will was well traveled, full of cosmopolitan experiences, and highly successful in his career before his unfortunate accident. Now he is moody, bossy, and bitter about his situation. Jojo Moyes sets this stage early on in her novel.
The supporting characters are well developed and varied and complement the main characters. I enjoyed the way the relationship between Louisa and Will morphed and developed. Each helps the other to grow – facing fears, confronting insecurities, and acknowledging feelings. Yet many of their interactions were also amusing and coaxed a smile from me. A unique setting places the story in a small village, home to a castle that is a main tourist attraction and a source of employment and income for the townspeople. Not a red herring, the castle, complete with a garden maze, adds to the complexity of the plot.
This was a story that was emotionally intense in a very thought-provoking way. It contrasted the views of white-collar versus blue-collar societal classes. It juxtaposes a growing world against a shrinking one. It was an eye opener of the struggles, both societal and medical, of those with spinal cord injuries. Once I started it I could not set it aside. I recommend Me Before You as a good read.
My Book Club read this book and I attended the meeting about it. But...I did not read the book and I did not stay for the discussion. Uh...the food was good at the meeting, though - ha! Glad you enjoyed the book!
ReplyDeleteWe saw the movie together last weekend - I would recommend it.
ReplyDeleteI finally read this book and very much enjoyed it (4 stars for me). I actually thought, until I read a spoiler right before I finished the book, that Will would not die. The setting reminded me of my time studying and living in England and visiting many, many castles. The notes in the book about young kids breaking into the castle grounds reminded me of jumping the fence to get into a castle after-hours, also (not to cause trouble, but to avoid paying the entrance fee as a poor college student). I'm now encouraged to read After You, which I'm picking up from the library tonight.
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