Me Before You

A Novel

By: Jojo Moyes

Narrated by: Susan Lyons, Anna Bentink, Steven Crossley, Alex Tregear, Andrew Wincott, Owen Lindsay

Length: 14 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

Discover the love story that captured over 20 million hearts in Me Before You, After You, and Still Me.

They had nothing in common until love gave them everything to lose...

Louisa Clark is an ordinary girl living an exceedingly ordinary life - steady boyfriend, close family - who has never been farther afield than their tiny village. She takes a badly needed job working for ex-Master of the Universe Will Traynor, who is wheelchair bound after an accident. Will has always lived a huge life - big deals, extreme sports, worldwide travel - and now he’s pretty sure he cannot live the way he is.

Will is acerbic, moody, bossy - but Lou refuses to treat him with kid gloves, and soon his happiness means more to her than she expected. When she learns that Will has shocking plans of his own, she sets out to show him that life is still worth living.

A Love Story for this generation, Me Before You brings to life two people who couldn’t have less in common - a heartbreakingly romantic novel that asks, What do you do when making the person you love happy also means breaking your own heart?

Cast of Narrators:

• Susan Lyons
• Anna Bentink
• Steven Crossley
• Alex Tregear
• Andrew Wincott
• Owen Lindsay

©2012 Jojo Moyes (P)2012 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"A hilarious, heartbreaking, riveting novel.... I will stake my reputation on this book." (Anne Lamott, People Magazine)

"When I finished this novel, I didn’t want to review it: I wanted to reread it...an affair to remember." (New York Times Book Review, Liesl Schillinger)

"An unlikely love story.... To be devoured like candy, between tears." (O, The Oprah Magazine)

Difficult

The book is well written and well read. The problem is the story and it's contradictions. How can one encourage another that life is precious and should be lived to the full while they themselves plan to end their life because it's not the life they wanted?

Lou takes a job as a companion for a quadriplegic man, Will. She soon learns that she's really been hired to be on suicide watch since Will had already tried to commit suicide and continues to express his wish to die. Lou learns a lot about the trials and tribulations of handicapped people in her attempts to make life more interesting and full for Will.

Eventually Lou plans a vacation for Will, his medical assistant and herself. Parts of the trip are planned to show Will other handicapped people, doing the impossible, going outside their preconceived limitations. to increase their abilities and enjoy the world around them. The final leg of the trip is a tropical island where Will and Lou admit their feelings for each other. Then Lou learns that Will still believes that even having the love he and Lou share in his life is not enough. Yet Will continues to push Lou to move outside her comfort zone, venturing into new experiences. No spoilers so I'll leave the story there.

While I believe the author is attempting to show both sides of the coin of being handicapped - those that struggle day in and day out to do everything they can for the best quality of life available, versus the depth and despair of those who dwell on their losses after losing a life full of activity and Independence; however I think she contradicts herself and her explanations. You see, we should be happy with the life given us. And to have experienced a full life of independence should allow us to see how blessed we are. To have life itself is precious when you think of all those that desperately wanted to, but have not had the full opportunity to live. Will does face sicknesses, hospitalizations and pain but he still has the power to reason, love, laugh and communicate. He's not in a vegetable state, just a state he had not planned and one he finds not acceptable.

The Best Book Ever

I laughed, I cried, I smiled and I hurt but I could not wait to listen everyday. It’s a beautiful love story with depth and understanding. As the characters commented it’s a modern day Liza Doolittle love story with tragic overtones and complex realities that in the end make you smile with opportunities . Wow I haven’t loved a book this much in a long time.

Wow such a great book. Luv book

The ethics discussion around advance directives and the right to die will be engaging— Ms Moyes gave us a great starting point for this month’s book club. I loved this love story!

loved it

the narration was wonderful and the story was well written. surprised how much I liked it.

An Awesome Story

It was difficult to put this book down--despite a very busy week packing for a trip, I read as much as I could each evening. I can especially relate to the story line as I have a son-in-law who was paralyzed cleaning up debris in his neighbor's yard following Hurricane Irma. It was encouraging to see Will's caregivers traveling with him and getting him out and about!!! Our family has strong faith as does our patient and he continues to make improvements but at a slow rate and has not been off his property since November when released from the hospital. A true life change for the entire family especially when an entire income is lost!!
The author kept me truly engaged throughout!!! Looking forward to the next one!!!!

Good

This is the longest audible book I have ever read. I was unsure that I could get through it, but I did! The book is somewhat similar to the movie, but of course goes more in depth. I liked the movie, and I loved the book. I would recommend it.

An amazing love story

JoJo Moyes has a beautiful way of telling a story that makes you think about your own life and choices. She has a way with words that connects you to each character...feeling like you know them. I enjoyed this book immensely. Even though it was sad, it felt real and special. The book also inspires me to look closely into my own life and how fortunate I am. The simple joys of life are sometimes taken for granted. I will be more aware of making life count...to live with more passion. Thank you for the wonderful story. J. Morrison

Fabulous and very emotional

I loved the narrators all did an amazing job with all the voices. I loved all the characters I could picture them all clearly in my head. The writing was well done and it was like watching a film. I had to take a break near the end because I had to emotionally prepare myself for the ending not knowing what it may contain. I am VEEY glad I listened to this as I have a tendency to put off popular books for quite a while until they are not popular at longer it seems. No reason it isn’t really intentional it just seems to work out that way ... no idea why. I am happy I finally pulled this one up and read it! . I also rented the movie and will watch that one day soon as well. Be careful of the reviews as they can ruin the story for you!

So beautiful

This is written fantastically and performed to match! I felt I was right there with them as such great detail was provided. I “read” my audio books with headphones on usually while doing chores, driving, or anything done my myself and found myself laughing out loud—trying to explain why and giving up at other times...and then I found myself in tears—hoping nobody turned the corner into my office.
Looking forward to listening to the next two

me before you

book is better than movie. although still would repetitively see it. must read or listen. beautiful