The student news site of Colonia High School

The Declaration

Breaking News
  • March 1Good luck to our wrestlers in the State Competition in Atlantic City
  • March 13/2 - Girls’ Basketball State Championship vs. Chatham (away) @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
  • March 13/2 - Boys' Basketball vs. Millburn (home) NJSIAA Tournament, Final Round, North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 TBA
  • March 1Celebrating read across America this month
  • March 1March is Women's Herstory Month
The student news site of Colonia High School

The Declaration

The student news site of Colonia High School

The Declaration

Poll

Good News! You have the opportunity to live forever, but you must be one age for the rest of your life. Which age would you choose?

Loading...

Sorry, there was an error loading this poll.

Advertisement

Me Before You leaves readers in tears

Paperback cover of the novel Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
Photo Credit: Kaitlyn Ferreira
Paperback cover of the novel ‘Me Before You’ by Jojo Moyes

“You only get one life. It’s actually your duty to live it as fully as possible.”

Published on January 5, 2012, Me Before You written by Jojo Moyes, is novel filled with humor, sadness and the bittersweet truth of life. With over 15 million copies sold, Me Before You tells a story of two people who couldn’t have less in common – a heartbreakingly romantic novel that questions, What do you do when making the person you love happy also means breaking your own heart? The recommended age for the novel is 15 and up. Me Before You has a sequel called After You which was released on September 29, 2015.

Louisa Clark is an ordinary girl living an exceedingly ordinary life who has never been farther afield than their tiny village. She takes a badly needed job, working for ex–Master of the Universe, Will Traynor who is wheelchair bound after an motorcycle accident. Will has always lived a huge life—big deals, extreme sports, worldwide travel—and now he’s pretty sure he cannot live the way he is. Will is sarcastic, moody, and bossy—but Louisa refuses to walk on eggshells around him like everyone else does, and soon his happiness means more to her than she expected. When she learns that Will has shocking plans of his own, she sets out to show him that life is still worth living

Readers might think they’re getting into a romance novel but instead they find themselves entangled in an emotional, and suspenseful novel.

Story continues below advertisement

Me Before You had extremely vivid characters. No character in this book is a cliche, not even minor characters, such as Alicia, Will’s ex-girlfriend who easily could have been a stereotype.

In the beginning of the novel, the reader might not like Will because of his moody, bossy and sarcastic nature but you begin to love him throughout the novel because of that sarcastic nature. Louisa has a great voice as a hilarious heroine. She’s one of those charming but unfortunate individuals that finds herself in numerous awkward situations but somehow gets through them and just warms your heart with her delightful lack of propriety. According to readers of the novel, the least liked character is Patrick, Louisa’s boyfriend because of the fact that all he seems to do is care about himself, his job and no one else.

The story’s told mostly from Louisa’s viewpoint, with a few chapters from the viewpoints of other characters including Camilla and Steven, Will’s parents, Katrina, Louisa’s sister and Nathan, Will’s nurse with the notable exception of Will. I believe that if Moyes had included a chapter in Will’s point of view, it would of given more information to the reader about how he feels and what is going through his head during the novel.

Me Before You will move many readers to tears but not in an overly manipulative way but I suggest you keep a box of tissues by your side at all times.

Catch the movie adaptation of Me Before You starring Emilia Clarke as Louisa Clark and Sam Claflin as Will Traynor, in theaters on June 3, 2016.

Leave a Comment
More to Discover
About the Contributor
Kaitlyn Ferreira, Spring Reporter
Kaitlyn Ferreira is fifteen years old and a sophomore at Colonia High School. Her interests include loves taking pictures, watching TV and reading. Ferreira is 4’10 which she loves and hates because at concerts or other events, it is difficult to see over all the taller people in crowds because most people are taller than her. Her friends say that she is kind and shy in the beginning when she doesn’t know you but once you get to know her, she becomes funny and totally crazy. As of now, Ferreira works with her dad, helping him with his business but in the future she hopes that one day she will work for a very popular magazine as a photographer. She is an only child and lives with her mother, father and yorkie named Rusty. Ferreira’s inspirations in life is her mom and Taylor Swift because they both have been there for her ever since she was little.

Comments (0)

The Declaration reserved the rights to not publish comments that are offensive, are hurtful, are in bad taste, are not constructive, or are spam.
All The Declaration Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Activate Search
The student news site of Colonia High School
Me Before You leaves readers in tears