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A review by jg34
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I felt icky after this one. A few issues I take with this book:
1) the message repeated through this book is “live your life to the fullest!!! No limits!!!!” But the ending contradicts that
2) sexual assault thrown in there a bit flippantly in my opinion. Just used as a way to explain why mc doesn’t like to travel? And someone says “it’s not your fault” and boom she’s cured and it’s never brought up again? Really she could just be a homebody it didn’t need an explanation
3) quirky main character. Just a personal dislike of mine it always seems like the author is trying too hard to make a character weird and they don’t feel genuine anymore
4) unnecessary pov changes. They didn’t add anything to the story that couldn’t have been shown from the mc. I much prefer one pov for the whole book but if you’re going to change perspective let it be for a reason
All that being said the book was obviously interesting enough to keep my attention. The representation of disability in this felt a bit gross to me but I am able bodied so don’t take my word for it. The book could have had one of two endings and either one would have been controversial and leave a sort of bad message. I was really hoping there would somehow be a third option but alas.
1) the message repeated through this book is “live your life to the fullest!!! No limits!!!!” But the ending contradicts that
2) sexual assault thrown in there a bit flippantly in my opinion. Just used as a way to explain why mc doesn’t like to travel? And someone says “it’s not your fault” and boom she’s cured and it’s never brought up again? Really she could just be a homebody it didn’t need an explanation
3) quirky main character. Just a personal dislike of mine it always seems like the author is trying too hard to make a character weird and they don’t feel genuine anymore
4) unnecessary pov changes. They didn’t add anything to the story that couldn’t have been shown from the mc. I much prefer one pov for the whole book but if you’re going to change perspective let it be for a reason
All that being said the book was obviously interesting enough to keep my attention. The representation of disability in this felt a bit gross to me but I am able bodied so don’t take my word for it. The book could have had one of two endings and either one would have been controversial and leave a sort of bad message. I was really hoping there would somehow be a third option but alas.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Ableism
Moderate: Self harm, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, and Medical content