Book Blurb:
The much anticipated sequel to the international bestseller and number one film Me Before You – out in paperback on June 30th 2016!
When one story ends, another begins . . .
Lou Clark has lots of questions.
Like how it is she’s ended up working in an airport bar, spending every shift watching other people jet off to new places.
Or why the flat she’s owned for a year still doesn’t feel like home.
Whether her close-knit family can forgive her for what she did eighteen months ago.
And will she ever get over the love of her life.
What Lou does know for certain is that something has to change.
Then, one night, it does.
But does the stranger on her doorstep hold the answers Lou is searching for – or just more questions?
Close the door and life continues: simple, ordered, safe.
Open it and she risks everything.
But Lou once made a promise to live. And if she’s going to keep it, she has to invite them in . . .
Book review of After You:
After the heartbreaking Me Before You, we all wanted to know if there would be a sequel. It brought excitement when After You was announced. But is it worth? Can the sequel create the same magic?
Truly speaking, it falls a bit short in creating that same impact. Sadly that’s what probably makes one feel that the book isn’t up to the mark. If the benchmark will be Me Before You, then the booklover might just find it falling short. But if we remove the enigma of the first book and drop the expectations; and try to read through the book just to know about Lou’s life after the death of Will Traynor, then it surely does leave its mark.
After You tells us the story of Lou eighteen months after Will’s death by euthanasia. Quite understandably, Lou has still not let go of Will and his memories. She hasn’t come to terms with her family as her mother still cannot understand how she could be part of all that led to the death of the man she loved. She has been trying to follow the words and advice Will had given her – to live life to the fullest. But she just cannot do it anymore. That’s when a terrible accident happens, things seem to fall apart around her and she helplessly watches it all happen. Thinking that their daughter needs help, her parents force her into joining a Moving On group and there she realizes how each one is trying to move on after losing someone they loved. These characters do add a bit of philosophical touch and humour to the story.
On the way to recovery, she gets the shock of her life when a young girl, Lily – a teenager – lands up at her door. She is someone who would have been the most important thing in Will’s life if only he had survived. Lily wants to know more about Will. She concludes that the best person who would help her know Will better was Louisa Clarke. But why does she want to know Will more? That’s one surprising element in the story. Lily’s life has also been one strange journey and you feel sorry for the little girl. But at times she really seems to be nothing but trouble!
Unintentionally and unknowingly, Lily starts influencing Lou’s life, just as Will had. Her existence is something none in the Traynor family knew and so her introduction to Will’s now divorced parents brings in some sad moments.
Lily changes Lou’s perspective and makes her look at life. For Lou, it is like reliving life with Will! Little does Lou know what she is getting into, yet she is sure that if she could deal with Will, she could deal with this young girl too. The fun, the frolic, the meeting and the parting, the tears and smiles she shares make us realize that life tends to move on, however, hard one tries to hold on to the old memories. Life doesn’t stop for those left living.
In all this, a new man – Ambulance Sam – enters her life. Love seems to come knocking but that too comes with its share of confusion and misunderstandings. Life seems to be getting a bit steadier for Lou yet she is not sure she can give any man that place which Will holds in her life. Until she comes to the verge of losing the man in question. And that brings in more clarity in her thoughts and her feelings.
On the whole, this book does bring smiles and tears, just like Me Before You, but if you measure this one to its prequel then you might just be a tad disappointed. I wasn’t expecting much from it, because I always feel that the hype around sequels leaves a bad taste. I guess that lets me enjoy the book for what it was. Jojo Moyes created an amazing piece with Me Before You but to use it always for the rest of the series or the other books would be unjust on the author and her abilities. If you can drop the expectations as easily as me, then you should pick up this one for sure to know where Lou’s life is going before you read the next book, Still Me.
written by Syeda F.R