Me Before You by Jojo Moyes - June 2023 (previously read January 2016)

[Lily]

Just finished this book - it’s so good. I’m still internalizing the plot and my feelings.

[[deleted user]]

I just got this in the mail today and about to begin it. This is going to be book 30 for me for the year.

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

I loved this book so much. I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone else thinks of it.

[Carol]

I had just started reading this before it was selected as one of our reads. 19% of the way in.

[Rachel]

I have read 28% of this book. I am finding the plot really interesting to me.

[Rachel]

I have finished this book. It was very good.

[[deleted user]]

We just got us a new computer. I finished this book and loved it so much...after finishing it at 2 in the morning, I had to run out and get its sequel and book 3. Luckilly, the used book shop down the road had book 2, and I ordered 3 on Thrift books; I had a freebie.

I have my thoughts on this book, and there are plenty. I loved it and it was a gut punch. But I will likely write up my thoughts tonight, using spoiler tags of course.

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

I hope you love the next two just as much, Travis. I don't think they had quite the same impact as this one, but I enjoyed them both.

[[deleted user]]

Kristie wrote: "I hope you love the next two just as much, Travis. I don't think they had quite the same impact as this one, but I enjoyed them both."

I am enjoying book 2 at the moment. Agreed not as much of a punch as the first book, but still good. I really like but also detest other characters. Looking forward to writing up a review tonight.

Do we have any discussion questions for this one?

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

Found these:

Questions for discussion:
(view spoiler)[
1. If you were Louisa, would you have quit working for the Traynors? If yes, at what point?

2. Were you able to relate to the way Will felt after his accident? What about his outlook on life did you find most difficult to understand or accept?

3. Discuss the meaning of the novel’s title. To whom do the “me” and “you” refer?

4. Louisa often finds Mrs. Traynor cold and judgmental. Is there an appropriate way to behave in Mrs. Traynor’s situation?

5. What is your opinion of Mr. Traynor? Did it change after you read his side of the story?

6. Why is Louisa able to reach Will when so many others could not?

7. Were you as surprised as Lou to learn of Will’s plans?

8. Compare Louisa’s relationship with Treena to Will’s relationship with Georgina. Do siblings know one another any better simply because they are related?

9. Would Patrick have asked Louisa to move in with him if he hadn’t felt threatened by Will? If Louisa had never accepted her job with the Traynors, where would her relationship with Patrick have gone?

10. Discuss Louisa’s own secret ties to the castle. Would most girls in her situation have blamed themselves? Should Treena have behaved differently in the aftermath?

11. What did you make of the way Lou’s mother, Josie, judges Lou’s decisions regarding Will. Is Josie’s reaction fair?

12. Before his accident, Will was a philanderer and a corporate raider who would probably never have given Louisa a second look. Why is it that people are so often unable to see what’s truly important until they’ve experienced loss?
(hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

I just posted my review, as well as finished this book's sequel on lunch break. I am looking forward to doing some discussion questions when I get home.

[[deleted user]]

I just posted my review of After You as well.

[[deleted user]]

(view spoiler)[2. Were you able to relate to the way Will felt after his accident? What about his outlook on life did you find most difficult to understand or accept?

My answer: In some ways I was able to, especially because there is always something that most people, one way or another, will experience that is guaranteed to knock them down a peg or two. Or give them a bite of a reality sandwich. Or, in some cases, like Will's, experience a free fall from grace.

From personal experience, I have had a wake up call or two in my life that, one way or another, has caused me to have to reevaluate things and, God forbid, grow up. Until his major accident, it seemed too much like everything came to Will served up on a silver platter: a fast life, beautiful women, all of the spoils he could ever ask for, as well as a very successful (if not sometimes unethical) career to bank roll it all.

But after the accident, I can relate to him in that all of his friends, including the one he considered his best friend...as well as his supposedly loving girlfriend, magically disappear. In other words, Will is pretty spot on in opining that it was bad enough to lose his livelihood and sense of being, but was an even bigger slap in the face when he also lost all of his friends....including the best one, as well as his girlfriend. The part about how his former best friend and last girlfriend not only did not stick around to help, but then ran off and were then getting married turned out to be a kick in the teeth. His outlook and evidence proves that tragedy really does make people's true colors come out. From my own experiences, as well as those on loved ones around me, things like Will's have colored my own outlook almost the same way. Besides my own life, I watched it happen slowly and rapidly once my mom's health began to seriously decline until her death a couple of years back.

Regarding the latter half of this question, I will make this the potentially unpopular opinion: besides the fact that he thought his best solution was to resort to assisted suicide, there is nothing in his outlook or views that were difficult to understand or accept. Accepting or starting over in a new life is scary, hard, or often times downright depressing, This, especially when you, one way or another, have literally lost virtually everything. If I were in such a situation, I cannot say that I would want to die per se, but the fact that it is near impossible to find people who will be there for you through hell and back is nearly impossible these days. Bottom line, the only thing I could not totally stomach is that he ultimately just wanted to die. (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

(view spoiler)[1. If you were Louisa, would you have quit working for the Traynors? If yes, at what point?

My answer: I am starting to realize that, especially after reading this book, that a lot of my opinions may be potentially unpopular. For instance, I am not in the boat of people who thinks that assisted suicide is so controversial, or would tar and feather someone who would let someone go through with it. That is, even in the case of Will, whose life is nothing like what it used to be, or who has no previous purpose.

It is later on in the book that Louisa learns that Will has the intent to do what he does, and even quits the position. When she did this, I found myself going "what are you thinking?" I mean, she understood the mission of what the Traynors wanted her to do and fully understood that it may not be totally successful.

If I were in her shoes, I would wrap my head around the understanding that yes, the end result may not be what everyone was hoping for. However, yes I gave it my best and did all I could to try and convince him what the Traynors were paying me for, Also, even if things did not work out that way, the experience not only looks good on a resume for someone looking to prove they at least have some of the skills to cheer such a person up in parts. But also, once I realized that being charged with such responsibilities as she had was changing me into a better person and, dare I say, growing up fast and losing bad reservations she once harbored, I could say with confidence that, no, I would have not quit working for the Traynors.(view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Rachel]

I have a question because I am new to the book club. How do you read what someone posted when they put spoilers? I cannot figure out how to read the discussion questions about the book.

[[deleted user]]

(view spoiler)[5. What is your opinion of Mr. Traynor? Did it change after you read his side of the story?

My answer: From even the beginning of the story, right from when you have met both Mr. and Mrs. Traynor, I got the idea that the wife was way more active, caring about her son. Any place where the husband needed to at least put on the appearance of caring about his son, I really got the impression that he was phoning it in at best. Seeing multiple instances of this, I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt that he knew something everyone else did not until later, and was just being distant. That all went out the window, however, when Louisa sees him out and about with the red-haired woman that we learn he has been having a long term affair with.

At that point when Louisa runs into the husband and his mistress while out and about, I had a gut feeling that that was the primary reason why it seemed like he could care less not just about his son, but about his entire family. He was yearning, I got the idea, for the new life that was free of the drama and turmoil that his son brought on upon everyone. He wanted the new life, and I had a lot of reason to believe that, even before it was explicitly said that Mr. Traynor was actually looking forward to his son dying, one way or another, he resented his son for putting a wrench in his plans.

Usually in books when we see that we will see the side of another character's story, their perspective, that usually means that the events or actions told by one perspective - even third person - paints them in a horrible, evil, or detestable light. When I got to the point where Will's dad was getting his own chapter to tell his story, I thought he would employ back story or justification or something similar to clear his name and persuade us, the readers, that he is not the sleaze ball that the author makes him out to be.

This is one of the rare occasions when I can say that the MY SIDE OF THE STORY chapter absolutely back fires. I lost about 97 percent of my respect for him when the affair was confirmed in the most messed up way possible. But then when he learn of his hopes and aspirations in his own words, praying for the day when his son would just leave the picture, the remaining 3 percent or so went right out the window.

I did not like Mr. Traynor from the get-go, as I had a vibe that something was way off for someone needing to show love and care to his own son. But after a certain point it was confirmed: Mr. Traynor is a grade A slime ball. (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

Rachel wrote: "I have a question because I am new to the book club. How do you read what someone posted when they put spoilers? I cannot figure out how to read the discussion questions about the book."

If you are looking for discussion questions, such as the ones that Kristie posted, you just have to click the link that says "view spoiler." She is doing this because the prompt and discussion questions are meant only to be viewed and answered once someone has completed the book. The same goes for when someone posts their answer, like I just did; all you have to do is click on "view spoiler" to uncover what is under it. We do this because everyone reads at different paces and will finish at different times; we don't want to hinder anyone's full reading experience. BTW--If you are posting responses to questions, make sure you use the spoiler tags.

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

Rachel wrote: "I have a question because I am new to the book club. How do you read what someone posted when they put spoilers? I cannot figure out how to read the discussion questions about the book."

You need to be online to open the spoiler tags. You can't do it from the app. Once online, it is just as Travis wrote above, just click on 'view spoiler.'

[[deleted user]]

Kristie wrote: "Rachel wrote: "I have a question because I am new to the book club. How do you read what someone posted when they put spoilers? I cannot figure out how to read the discussion questions about the bo..."

Indeed! I do apologize if I was not 100 percent clear.

[Rachel]

Thank you Travis and Kristie. I was using the app so it was not working.

[Leena]

Ive finished this book and frankly, I had to really push myself to finish reading it. I actually found the book quite offensive. Louisa is immature, juvenile and pretty self centred. I found the book very confusing- what is this ? Is this about Louisa or is this about Will? Somehow Will is the least developed character. We never get to hear what he feels through the book. Its got everyone else's pov - even her sister, Treena's.
The writing started off well, but it got progressively pedestrian.

I hated Louisa's reaction to Will not changing his mind - how dare she? Just because shes decided shes giving him.the time.of his life or because shes in love with him and she's made all these elaborate plans for the 2 of them he has to change his mind about how he wants to lead his life. It ends with this becoming more of everyone else than about Will. Its how she got treated by Patrick.

Louisa 's mom's reactuon is out of proportion. It doesnt concern her at all. This was unwanted snd weird.

The entire book was preachy and tediuos. I've reluctantly given it 2 stars .

[PattyMacDotComma]

I read this one a few years ago, and didn't think I'd like it. It looks like a corny romance, but I wanted to see what all the hype was about. I was surprised to find how much I enjoyed it.

I could understand why this young woman grabbed at a job to help her own family as well as a young man's family. She's pretty young, so possibly believes in happy endings, and somehow-it-will-turn-out-ok. (Don't we all, deep down?)

Despite himself, Will enjoys her company and her personality. To her, he's still handsome and witty. She's never had any kind of attention from people like this, and it makes her feel important (as well as developing a crush on Will).

I ended up loving it.
My review

[Carol]

4.5 stars. I’m probably the last person I know to read this book. It was a little slow for me at the beginning and I wondered at all the 5 star reviews…but the last half….couldn’t stop reading and a crying mess at the end. Can’t say I fully understand Will’s actions, but I have not walked in those shoes.