I find myself this Sunday in the pleasant I-can’t-wait-to-get-back-to-my-book state. I haven’t been caught up in the storyline affecting two relatable and like able characters in quite awhile and I’m thoroughly enjoying it. It changes a bleak toneless Sunday afternoon, the first in December, into a cozy cup of tea and cookie (oatmeal with raisin) kind of day in which getting ready for Monday-time has disappeared.
Still, there is a conundrum. I can’t wait to finish the story, but I know once I do I’ll want it not to have ended. The book in question is, Me Before You. It’s the first book I’ve read by Jojo Moyes. Me Before You begins with a prologue. I confess to often being a skipper of prologues but it was a good thing I didn’t in this case as I’d have had to go back to it once I started in on chapter one. So if you pick up the book start at the prologue, you’ll thank me for it.
The story’s two primary characters are Will Traynor, who due to an unfortunate accident is now a quadriplegic, and Louisa Clark, a local girl who is hired to be his at home helper. Will was once a affluent corporate mover and shaker who is now in the midst of coping with his changed life circumstances. As for Louisa, she has always had to work to help her family and has never gone beyond the confines of her home town. The opportunity to assist Will comes with a hefty salary increase after her job at a nearby cafe abruptly ends and so Louisa takes on the job although she has no experience, or confidence in her ability.
Their relationship goes from caregiver and cared for, to friends, to the possibility that they’ll become something more. As an incurable romantic I’m hopeful that they do. That’s where I am in the story right now. I know you’re wondering why I’m not reading right now. I’ve asked myself that question, but I also have set myself a weekly deadline of posting and since I’m a responsible incurable romantic I’m going to get to it, as soon as I finish this post.
But here’s the thing. The writer in me wonders if Jojo is going to pull the rug out from me, and her characters and off one of them. As a writer it is a tempting thing to do. We’re in fact told to throw as much trouble as you can at our main characters, and I have done that, but in this case as the reader I really don’t want her to. I hope she doesn’t . . .
Listen, I hope you understand. I’ve got to go. I’ll let you know how it ends.
Any books that have caught you up in their characters, the storyline? Please share, I’m going to be book bereft shortly and I’ll need and injection of good prose to cheer me up.
Writer-Reader-Teacher 