Tellulah Darling

Just because you can write another book with a beloved character, should you? I loved Lou in Me Before You, so going in to this next story, my answer would have been "weeeellllllll.... *pulls doubtful look*. That first book had so much emotional depth and heart and was tackling very profound and complex issues. My fear was that this was going to become a "where is she now" story, because what could possibly follow that up?

Silly me. This wasn't a fluffy "look at Lou live life to the fullest" romp. It was a heartbreaking look at loss and grief and guilt in the face of not being sure exactly how to live one's life. Do not go in to this book thinking you're going to find some other Will/Lou dynamic. Yes, there are various new relationships, some of a surprising type, but for me, this was really about Lou, unable to live up to a promise she'd made while living a most subsistence-level life.

You don't need to have read book one in terms of plot. What happened is fairly well recapped here. However, you should read them in order because only with a complete understanding of Lou's emotional journey with Will, does the heartache of her current situation really hit home. The ending was lovely - not pat, and with just enough hope. That said, I'm not sure I'd want a third installation of this.

My one criticism and this has nothing to do with Moyes, is the damn covers of these books. Like they're supposed to stimulate anyone with a womb who sees them. I think they reduce these beautifully wrought, complex tales to the lowest of "women's lit" marketing. These are great stories, period.