I would like to have a conversation about Me Before You, the popular Jojo Moyes book that is Now a Major Motion Picture, or so it says on the front cover. I haven’t seen the movie, I am not sure how to do that now that Blockbuster has closed down and it’s not on Netflix. #firstworldstruggle
I’ve come very late to this novel, and indeed to Moyes’ work. I read Paris for One, of course. It was cute but nothing to write home about. Plus only one story was set in Paris! False advertising!
I enjoyed reading the book, devouring the 369 pages on a Sunday. The story is important of course but I think you could describe the novel as character driven. The character of Louisa is wonderful, quirky without being ditzy, and while she does experience something of a hero’s journey through the story, it’s more about the people than anything. Although if I had to compare and contrast with another recently read novel, I’d say I cared far more for Jackie French’s characters in Miss Lily’s Lovely Ladies. I didn’t cry when the *ahem* thing happened…spoiler alert… It was just a little obvious… dare I say…but I sobbed my heart out when one of the character’s died in MLLL. Sobs! I’m also a bit of a hard ass when it comes to death scenes, unless it involves an animal and then I am a complete mess. (Robert London, Call of the Wild broke my heart.)
I want to start a conversation about what other readers loved or not about this book. There’s no doubting its popularity and I’m not going to lie – I would dearly love to write a novel one day that people love as much as they seem to love this one. As part of my ongoing Learning Out Loud I want to know what makes people love or hate a character, a story or a theme. What made you love this book? Or not…love it, that is.
For me, I loved the characters, and there were a lot of them. (There seems to be a pattern in Chick Lit for very limited cast of characters??) Reading this book made me realise that none of my characters from Hotel Deja Vu are very lovable. I certainly don’t think anyone cried when Alex died…
Anyway, I would love to know your opinion. Either in the comments below or hit me up on a DM (instagram or facebook). <3
I did not read the novel but O saw the movie and I am not sure if i qualify but i did have a very strong reaction to it. I loved and hated it. i loved the romance, the quirky Louisa, even the hard man with a heart of gold thing. But I could not get past the suicide at the end. As a therapist I work hard to stop suicide (as best as one can stop suicide) and I know this was bot the intent but i felt it romanticized suicide a bit. mind you i saw the movie once and did not have the experience of sitting and reading the author’s word. I was also very uncomfortable with the parents hiring her to help save their son. Was it a beautiful movie..absolutely. But it left me disturbed..even years later.
Thank you and yes I welcome all comments ☺️☺️ yes I felt it glamorised the suicide. Did you feel ‘13 reasons Why’ did that also? I did. I felt it had a little of the 50 Shades to it, as in if the man wasn’t wealthy it would be quite a different movie. As the joke goes ‘if 50 shades was set in a housing estate it would be an episode of CSI’. What I found interesting is that as I work towards getting representation and publication the guidelines from agents et al now say ‘no rape stories, no suicide stories, etc’ perhaps this is a result of the success of this book… perhaps they didn’t even mention the subplot of the rape backstory in the movie?
I’ve realised I actually love teasing these things apart to see what makes them tick 🤣 thank you so much for your input.
I didn’t read these books but know there was some controversy about Me Before You. Disability rights group protested it because of the plot saying that it was offensive to those with disabilities.
Aah I’ll research that. Ta.
I know you wrote this a while ago but i just came across it, and coincidentally was filling out a survey for Go Gentle – Org related to Andrew Denton’s advocate on Euthanasia. Like Natasha this movie disturbed me and still does as i wonder how i would feel if that was my son, and that question I guess would come down to how much physical pain he was in. The movie indicated that but then I thought if you had no feeling you wouldnt have pain, but not according to this movie. No-one should be made to suffer if pain is not manageable. This was just a movie and they had money for anything he could want for, he could still go on holidays, with help, and he was not alone. Yes I fell in love with his character, albeit the romance between the two, the hope, but felt let down when he wouldn’t fight, even for her, but was his physical pain too great? Its a movie. A poignant movie.
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I think the best movies make us think about the big issues in life. sure sometimes I like superheroes and explosions but I’d never bother reviewing those unless they asked some big questions, like Black Panther or Captain Marvel. I need to watch the movie.