Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Cosola
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Moving story of a quadriplegic and his quirky caregiver.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 5 parent reviews
Based on 14 kid reviews
Kids say this book is an emotionally gripping and heart-wrenching story that captures the struggles of love and life, especially through the lens of mature themes such as suicide and assisted dying. While many praise the deep character development and overall impactful message, they caution that it may not be suitable for younger teens due to its sensitive content.
- emotional journey
- mature themes
- character development
- suitable for older teens
- tearjerker
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Louisa Clark has no aspirations to seek a life outside her small British town. She lives with her parents, works at the Buttered Bun, and sees her boyfriend of six years a few times a week. When the cafe closes, she finds herself out of a job. Because of the recession and her limited job experience, she's forced to take jobs that don't appeal to her. One of these is as a companion to a quadriplegic man who lives on his parents' estate near the town's castle. It's only across town, but socially it's a world away. Will, the man she's hired to look after, lived an exciting, successful life in London before an accident left him in a wheelchair. The two get off to a rough start, as Will resents anyone who tries to make decisions for him or doesn't understand the depth of his anguish over his condition. Chatty, quirky, funny Lou eventually breaks through the wall Will has built around himself, and a lovely relationship develops. The biggest issue is a decision Will is making about his life and future.
Is It Any Good?
It's impossible not to fall in love with the characters and story in this deeply emotional and insightful novel. Me Before You tells the story of a man and a woman in a small British town: One is confined there, and one has confined herself there. Readers might think they're getting into a romance, but instead they find themselves enmeshed in a beautiful, emotional, and suspenseful novel. No character in this book is a cliche, not even minor characters, such as an ex-girlfriend of Will's who easily could have been a stereotype. The story's told mostly from Lou's viewpoint, with a few chapters from the viewpoints of other characters, with the notable exception of Will. Lou has a great voice as a character. She has a lot on her shoulders, but she's charming and funny, especially when she babbles nervously. Will is more of a cipher as he confronts major problems: confined to a wheelchair, living with pain, missing his old life, and not knowing when or how badly his condition will deteriorate. Author Jojo Moyes provides an eye-opening look at what quadriplegics have to deal with on a daily basis, physically, emotionally, and socially. Also addressed is the issue of death with dignity. That said, the book has stirred controversy for offering what some consider a stereotypical portrayal of a disabled person who feels that life's not worth living because he's disabled.
Me Before You will move many readers to tears, but not in an overly manipulative way. In addition to the humor and emotion in the book, the suspense is gripping. Moyes doesn't telegraph the ending at all, which will have most readers on the edge of their seat.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Will is portrayed. Do you find his view of being disabled problematic? Can you see why disabled people might? What do you think about how disabled people are portrayed in the media generally? Do disabled characters tend to come off as stereotypes rather than complex individuals?
Stories about characters with serious illnesses are popular. What makes them so appealing? Which others have you read or seen in the movies?
Right-to-die and death-with-dignity laws have been covered in the news. How do you feel about this issue? Do you think people should be able to make those decisions for themselves? What are some instances where you think it's a good idea and some where it might be a bad one?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Contemporary Fiction
- Topics : Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Penguin Group
- Publication date : July 30, 2013
- Number of pages : 369
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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