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A review by kaulhilo
Still Me by Jojo Moyes
3.0
[3.5 stars or something] I like things that start where they finish; things that come back and tip a hat to the start, a glance backwards, to the lost face in a crowd. Ouroboros. A single one, or a double one - but snake(s) forming a perfect circle. And so, I look for that in almost every book I read, everything I come across. Look back, look back, look back. Say hello to yourself. Say a few words.
"[Live boldly, Clark.] You only get one life. Say yes, just say yes."
And this book (I should say this trilogy, really) was many things - but it wasn't a circle, not for me. I suppose that makes sense because Will is gone and the whole concept behind Still Me was about reinventing yourself and yet, staying true. So when I review this book, I (mostly) review it as a standalone, or at best, a duology. I can't mentally place it in the same box as Me Before You, not because it's bad, or anything of the sort - but because it's too jarring. Too alienating.
I get that the trilogy (?!) is supposed to revolve around Lou and her finding herself, and then rediscovering herself all over again, and I respect that. I just can't reconcile that with what I feel.
So. 3 stars. Although I almost gave it a 4.
I liked this book, I really, really did - Lou never fails to make me wonder at her strength, at how good she is. How different from most other A/C book protags. And yet, this book - it's plot was so subtly mediocre, it actually threw me off. There were several times in a book where my mind was just ??????? this is a MBY sequel???? and I'm not saying that as an insult or whatever - but how did the trilogy go from the first book having the most complex plot to something so terribly average. I'd literally forget this wasn't [redacted]'s book that I was reading for something to fill up time. And so, I really do feel like this book would've done a lot better if it was more character driven than plot. Because at the end of the day, isn't that why we're here? For Lou? Because Will made her want to make lengthy leaps and we're all here to watch her do it.
I absolutely loved the last few chapters of the book, where everything came together (not literally) and Lou figures out where she's headed (not definitely) because that's what these books symbolize to me, I guess. Life. Mistakes and getting lost and catching up and people who leave and people who stay and more mistakes. Life moves on. So, I guess it's okay that the books don't make a circle - because life rarely does. Life is twisty, and it turns but it probably never rounds back on itself, just moves on and on and on. And that's something I can respect (and admit to like, however grudgingly).
Besides all that pretentious crap, I loved the casual Will mentions in this book. LOVED them. I always forget how much I love(d) him, and then something comes up and it's like my heart breaking all over again. And it's a bit more hard in this case - normally a fictional character I love dies, and the books end. Here: the books go on. Life goes on. And so, I have to live with his death in real life AND fictionally too, which. sucks. (My heart is bleeding.)
SAM. I. Okay. I like him, or I guess I love him even - but in a very abstract sort of sense. I love that Lou loves him, that she sees him and a calm spreads over her, that he makes her feel safe. I love what she feels about him, and I love what she thinks about him. I really can't remember After You or what I thought about Sam in AY, but. Oh well.
On to: Josh. Filler character, but very well planned. Sort of sad that he turned out to be so dull.
And then: my baby. The only reason I still read these books: LOU. MY LOVE. If this is really going to be the last book, I'm going to miss you. (But I'm not sad that it's over.)
(BUT. Think about Louisa Clark taking over different cities and a book for all of them. New York. California. Tokyo. Beijing. Paris.) (Fancy concept, but I doubt it can be pulled off successfully.)
Lou. Wonderful, smart, genius, kind, beautiful, fancy. I'm so happy I got to know a character like you, someone so strong and caring, someone who I feel like I know like the back of my hand. I really hope you have more adventures, Louisa Clark, and I really hope you never listen to someone asking you to change yourself (or your clothes) ever again. Love you more than starlight or subtitled movies.
"[Live boldly, Clark.] You only get one life. Say yes, just say yes."
And this book (I should say this trilogy, really) was many things - but it wasn't a circle, not for me. I suppose that makes sense because Will is gone and the whole concept behind Still Me was about reinventing yourself and yet, staying true. So when I review this book, I (mostly) review it as a standalone, or at best, a duology. I can't mentally place it in the same box as Me Before You, not because it's bad, or anything of the sort - but because it's too jarring. Too alienating.
I get that the trilogy (?!) is supposed to revolve around Lou and her finding herself, and then rediscovering herself all over again, and I respect that. I just can't reconcile that with what I feel.
So. 3 stars. Although I almost gave it a 4.
I liked this book, I really, really did - Lou never fails to make me wonder at her strength, at how good she is. How different from most other A/C book protags. And yet, this book - it's plot was so subtly mediocre, it actually threw me off. There were several times in a book where my mind was just ??????? this is a MBY sequel???? and I'm not saying that as an insult or whatever - but how did the trilogy go from the first book having the most complex plot to something so terribly average. I'd literally forget this wasn't [redacted]'s book that I was reading for something to fill up time. And so, I really do feel like this book would've done a lot better if it was more character driven than plot. Because at the end of the day, isn't that why we're here? For Lou? Because Will made her want to make lengthy leaps and we're all here to watch her do it.
I absolutely loved the last few chapters of the book, where everything came together (not literally) and Lou figures out where she's headed (not definitely) because that's what these books symbolize to me, I guess. Life. Mistakes and getting lost and catching up and people who leave and people who stay and more mistakes. Life moves on. So, I guess it's okay that the books don't make a circle - because life rarely does. Life is twisty, and it turns but it probably never rounds back on itself, just moves on and on and on. And that's something I can respect (and admit to like, however grudgingly).
Besides all that pretentious crap, I loved the casual Will mentions in this book. LOVED them. I always forget how much I love(d) him, and then something comes up and it's like my heart breaking all over again. And it's a bit more hard in this case - normally a fictional character I love dies, and the books end. Here: the books go on. Life goes on. And so, I have to live with his death in real life AND fictionally too, which. sucks. (My heart is bleeding.)
SAM. I. Okay. I like him, or I guess I love him even - but in a very abstract sort of sense. I love that Lou loves him, that she sees him and a calm spreads over her, that he makes her feel safe. I love what she feels about him, and I love what she thinks about him. I really can't remember After You or what I thought about Sam in AY, but. Oh well.
On to: Josh. Filler character, but very well planned. Sort of sad that he turned out to be so dull.
And then: my baby. The only reason I still read these books: LOU. MY LOVE. If this is really going to be the last book, I'm going to miss you. (But I'm not sad that it's over.)
(BUT. Think about Louisa Clark taking over different cities and a book for all of them. New York. California. Tokyo. Beijing. Paris.) (Fancy concept, but I doubt it can be pulled off successfully.)
Lou. Wonderful, smart, genius, kind, beautiful, fancy. I'm so happy I got to know a character like you, someone so strong and caring, someone who I feel like I know like the back of my hand. I really hope you have more adventures, Louisa Clark, and I really hope you never listen to someone asking you to change yourself (or your clothes) ever again. Love you more than starlight or subtitled movies.