Play Book Tag discussion

After You – Jojo Moyes
Book on CD narrated by Anna Acton.
3***

A sequel to her runaway hit Me Before You, this brings the reader up to date on Louisa and her efforts to heal from the events in the earlier novel. I can’t say much more because that would spoil the first book. (S*I*G*H)

There are no easy, straightforward answers for Louisa, Sam or Lily. Or, for that matter the supporting characters: Mr and Mrs Traynor, her parents, her sister. These characters have to struggle to find their way, but they find support with one another. Are there missteps? Of course. Who amongst us hasn’t said or done the wrong thing without meaning to harm, insult, or detach from another person? In some cases – in the novel as in real life – it’s because we lack the full story, so cannot understand what the other person is really going through. Who amongst us hasn’t been puzzled and hurt by a comment made by someone else who intended no harm but was ignorant of the facts? While the scenarios these characters are dealing with are not situations I have personally dealt with, their emotions ARE familiar to me.

I have felt frustrated by the bad behavior of an acquaintance, wanting to just divorce myself from that person, and then later feeling ashamed that I reacted that way once I learned the full story, and arriving at sympathy (and even empathy) for their struggles. I’ve been faced with hard choices – do I take the promotion or move on to a new life? Do I forgive and forget, or harbor resentment and anger? Do I walk away from the troublesome situation, or stick it out and try to find a solution?

I did think that the plot got a little too complicated. Didn’t really need the drama with Louisa’s parents, for example. And did she really need such a dramatic crisis (not once, but twice) to wake her up to her true feelings? Still, this was a very enjoyable sequel to the first book and I’m glad to have read it.

Anna Acton does a marvelous job reading the audiobook. She really brought Lily to life in all her teen drama! And I loved the way she voiced Louisa and Sam, too.


My full review HERE