[Spoilery Discussion] Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

18:29 Cilla 8 Comments

(I started writing this post as a review, then realised a discussion is a more suitable format for what I want to say. So this is a non-star, spoiler-filled discussion!)

The hype of Me Before You sailed by me almost entirely. I knew that it's a tearjerker, I vaguely knew the ending, and the movie came out (from the trailer, Emilia Clarke looked adorable), and there was some controversy around it. I didn't pay any attention to it all until last summer, when I spotted a copy in the library. I finished it within six hours, and then I was torn.


See, I enjoyed the book. Moyes' writing felt like a stuffy armchair you can just sink into. I loved the dynamic of Lou's family, particularly her interactions with her sister. I rooted for the romance and for both of the main characters to find their paths in life, together and separately. As a romance novel, it served its purpose.

Having heard about the problems with Will as a representation of a disabled individual, however, I couldn't set aside my critical glasses. Here are some articles that do that include voices from the community: Buzzfeed, The Mighty, HuffPost. As an able-bodied reviewer, my opinion on the matter should not shadow theirs, so please keep that in mind as we continue.

I have complicated feelings about voluntary assisted suicide, and I do appreciate that the conversation is out there. (If you'd like to listen to the advocating position for voluntary assisted suicide, this podcast is fantastic if really raw at times.) I appreciated that there were different responses from the characters about Will's decision. It's not a black and white topic, and I thought the book made a decent attempt at it.

However, I feel that the overarching message to quadriplegics should never be that assisted suicide is their only option, or that they have no chance for a full life. At the end of the day, it felt that that is what Me Before You seems to be saying. Granted, the book's attempt at negating this message was a tad better than the movie, as book-Lou actually had interactions with other quadriplegics who were making the most out of life, but I feel there could have been more to it. It still didn't change the fact that Will's advice for Lou to live fully jars with his action. Yes, a lot of the things he valued and had done to 'live fully' were now impossible, and his loss was not trivial. Still, it felt like the message is that Will's injury means he'll never find other things he can enjoy, that there's no chance he'll find meaning in life again.

The position I take on the debate around assisted suicide means I won't condemn Will's choice, but I don't think he should've qualified for it. The bigger issue, however, is that this is one of the few representations of people with disability in novels, and it is potentially harmful for readers who are in Will's positions. Jojo Moyes is a good writer, and I may still read another book of hers if I feel like reading a romance. I just don't feel like I can recommend this one.