“Me Before You” gets a much-anticipated sequel

“Don’t think of me too often
Just live well
Just LIVE.
Love,
Will.”

This the foreword to After You, the much-anticipated sequel to Me Before You by Jojo Moyes.

I’m sure many of you know the very moving story of Will Trantor, a man who has gone from a rather well-off executive to a very bitter and unhappy paraplegic which resulted from a motorbike accident.

Enter Louisa Clark, who is in limbo after losing her much-loved work and cannot find another job. Louisa is chosen to be Will’s daytime carer/companion and they end up falling in love but Will is adamant that he does not want to live the unfortunate life he now has.

Me Before You is a soon to be released movie starring Emilia Clarke, as Louise, and Sam Claflin, as Will. To tie-in with the movie the novel is being re-released with the beautiful, evocative cover opposite.

After You is set 18 months later when Louisa is floundering in her role as a bar attendant in an Irish-themed pub at one of the city’s large airports. To watch people from all walks of life flying off to who knows what adventures makes her even more depressed. She resides in a small flat, with just the basics, no personal touches and tends to become maudlin in regards to her former life with Will.

The only outlet for her anger is to climb up the stairs to the rooftop, only accessible to herself, to sit, drink wine and watch; occasionally spewing forth expletives to Will about how unfair he had been, leaving her so bereft and lacking the energy to move forward. The temptation to teeter from one end of the building to the other, on the narrow parapet, often comes over … then one evening she hears a small voice saying “I don’t think you should be standing there!”

Louisa loses her footing, and all is black!!!

There follows a long, slow recovery aided by her parents and Sam, the paramedic who tended her at the accident scene. This scenario is overshadowed by the emergence of a 16-year-old girl, Lily, who claims to be linked with Will.

Louisa’s mundane existence is suddenly thrown into turmoil by the antics of this spoilt little rich girl, by the fact that she is the only link to Will, the love of her life, and she needs her. The ups and downs of this temperamental teenager leave Louisa in a very fragile state of mind. After a time, she realises that the companionship of Lily, her slovenly habits and her hangers-on etc is more welcome than the loneliness she experienced previously.

Will is foremost in their minds whilst they get on with their daily lives without him; Louisa’s journey into a new life is one of apprehension and fear of commitment to Sam, or any other man. This leads her to an important decision whilst she focuses on just what and wit whom her future is going to be.

This book is a more traditional romance than Me Before You and hasn’t the same emotional stirring of the senses – the first book left me battling tears over the last chapter.

It may not be as earth-shattering as Me Before You but that did not stop me enjoying After You, written by Jojo Moyes. Both books are  available from Dymocks.

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