One Sentence Summary
Me Before You: A Novel (Movie Tie-In) by Jojo Moyes is a story of an unexpected relationship between a small-town girl and a wealthy Londoner who find love despite their differences.
Book Genre
Romance, Contemporary Fiction
Main Topic of the Book
Me Before You tells the story of Louisa Clark, a young girl from a small English town who is hired as a companion to a wealthy Londoner, Will Traynor, who is in a wheelchair after sustaining a life-changing injury.
Key Ideas
- Unexpected relationships: Lou first becomes Will’s paid companion, but over time a close friendship and a unique relationship develops between them.
- Finding strength: Lou is able to help Will see past his injuries and start to find joy in life again. She discovers in herself a strength and courage she never knew she had.
- Love overcomes all obstacles: Lou and Will’s love story shows that sometimes love is powerful enough to overcome even the most seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
Main Parts of the Book and a Short Summary
- Part One: Louisa Clark is a small-town girl who is having trouble finding employment until she meets Will Traynor. Will is a wealthy Londoner who is in a wheelchair after a life-changing injury. Lou takes the job of being his companion, creating a connection between them over time.
- Part Two: Lou and Will start to explore the world together, and Lou helps Will regain hope in life. Lou grows strong enough to stand up to Will’s family and persuade them to let him make his own decisions about his care. Lou begins to uncover secrets from Will’s past and finds a way to help him heal.
- Part Three: Lou and Will’s love continues to grow, but both of them face real-world consequences if they stay together. Lou must choose between being happy with Will and following the life path she thought she wanted. In the end, she finds the courage to make the right choice.
Key Takeaways
- We all have strength: Lou is able to find inner strength and courage to stand up for what she believes and help those she loves.
- Love knows no bounds: Even in the most difficult and unimaginable circumstances, love can still find a way to connect two people.
- Choose your own path: In the end, we all must make our own choices and live with the consequences of our actions.
Author’s Background and Qualifications
Jojo Moyes is a British author and journalist who is best known for her romantic novels. Her first novel, Sheltering Rain, was published in 2001, followed by 18 more novels, including Me Before You. She has won multiple awards, including the Romantic Novelists’ Association Romantic Comedy Novel of the Year in 2016, as well as the 2012 Romantic Novelists’ Award for Best Romantic Read for her novel The Girl You Left Behind.
Target Audience
Me Before You is ideal for readers looking for an engaging, heart-warming story of love and self-discovery between two very different people.
Publisher and First Publication Date
Me Before You: A Novel (Movie Tie-In) was first published in 2012 by Penguin Books.