Me Before You by Jo Jo Moyes

The book club convened at the Nyack Art Café on a June 4 picture-perfect evening.  We were allotted our own private outdoor deck space in the back of the restaurant.  The cool breeze, landscaping, beautiful birds and delicious food were an idyllic setting for our discussion.  

“Me Before You” by Jojo Moyes is a love story that pairs two emotionally and physically damaged individuals who profoundly impact each other’s lives.  Will Traynor is an upper crust, high energy, successful young man who’s life comes to a crashing halt when an accident leaves him a quadriplegic.  Will gives up on life and intends to end it at Dignitas, an assisted dying organization based in Switzerland.   Louisa (Lou) Clark is a blue-collar working class young lady who lives an insular life following an assault during her early teen years.   Lou takes a job as Will’s caretaker, and their meeting promotes emotional healing and sparks an unraveling of beliefs, ingrained notions and family dynamics.  Lou is hellbent on changing Will’s mind about ending his life, and Will is on a crusade to enrich and enhance Lou’s life experience.  Love drives the sublimation of self and redirects the focus of each on the happiness of the other.   Will’s request of Lou to accompany him to Dignitas exacts a commitment Lou is ultimately able to fulfill, and Will in turn gives Lou the opportunity to live the fully-engaged life he feels she deserves.

The discussion began with an understanding of the impetus for Jojo Moyes’ decision to write about assisted suicide.  The author read about a young quadriplegic, former athlete, whose parents accompanied him to Dignitas and assisted in his suicide.  Her initial aversion to this act by presumably loving parents led to research and greater understanding.  It also evolved into a story she felt compelled to tell.  Humor, well-developed characters, and the talents of an accomplished story-teller, made for a wonderful read.

As anticipated, much of the discussion revolved around Will’s choice.  We shared stories of people in our lives who face a qualify of life similar to or worse than Will’s—and we talked of how they are coping.  Some of us felt that Will made the right choice—for him.  Others felt he should have taken the gift of Lou’s love and held fast to the hope for new scientific developments.  All of us acknowledged that such decisions are very personal and, therefore, unique to each individual.  

We also shared quoted text that evoked splendid imagry.  For example, we read about the healing powers of gardening as described by Camilla, Will’s mom.  She turned to gardening in times of stress and lonliness.  When Will came home following his accident, Camilla hoped the garden he would see from his rooms would spark thoughts of the wonders of life and renewal—thoughts that could steer him away from his intended suicide.   Similarly we read Lou’s description of her emotional and physical responses at a classical music concert—her first!  We very much enjoyed the text that told of her unbridled joy and the music’s journey through her mind and body.

In the final rounds of discussion, some said the plot was a bit too simplistic when juxtaposed against such an emotionally-charged topic. Others felt that the very simplistic telling made the heart-wrenching story more readable.  All-in-all, the concensus review of this book was positive.

                              
                                                            ----Tova A.