So it’s a few days after Valentine’s Day, so I feel like it’s safe to kvetch about a romantic book I didn’t enjoy: the utterly unnecessary sequel to Me Before You.
I have to say I almost dnf’d this at page 37. So far it had been pretty uneventful, I didn’t like the downbeat tone and then this sentence happened:
“Now, when I read newspaper stories about the bank teller who had stolen a fortune, the woman who had killed her child, the sibling who had disappeared, I found myself not shuddering in horror, as I once might have, but wondering instead at the story that hadn’t made it into black and white.”
So there’s a nice bit of moralising that wasn’t in the first one- let’s break down everything that’s wrong with this statement:
- Moral equivalence between theft, murder and assisted suicide- which somewhat lessens the evil of a mother who kills her child
- Oh great, the main character sympathises with child murderers now… I shouldn’t have to say this, but the horror of a mother who kills her child is pretty “black and white”
- Using these really shitty examples to “prove” your point actually undermines it (and kinda proves why moralising doesn’t work)
Now I’d like to say that after this the book got better, but the plot of this was a hot mess (just like the main character). I mean, really- I felt like the story had ended at page 300– I was like “well that’s that then”. But it just kept going and going and… *spoiler alert* all that happened in this book was for the mc to end up back where she started, about to jet off somewhere else, moving on and living life.
If you’ve read the first one, you’ll know it had no need for sexual coercion, weird confrontations, dramatic accidents and shootouts because it was all about the people. But here the people and their relationships were left behind. I didn’t feel connected to the romance in the same way. I didn’t like or dislike the characters- I just didn’t care. Not even about the protagonist, Lou.
Obviously I get that she was a hot mess- I mean grief can do that to you. But the thing I had liked about her was her bubbly, quirky personality- which was completely gone in this book- it just didn’t feel like the same person. And that was ultimately my biggest problem here- it could have been a separate story about entirely different people. The author easily could’ve left well enough alone- just like I should’ve.
Rating: 2/5 bananas
So have you read this book? What did you think about it? And what romantic book have you read that didn’t hit the mark? Let me know in the comments!
I loved Me Before You. It was my English teacher last year that recommended it to me, but she told me not to read After You because it wasn’t great! I think I’ll stop with Me Before You! 🙂
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I also loved it- but yeah, your teacher was right, after you was a letdown!! Good choice 🙂
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Thanks! 🙂
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you’re welcome! 🙂
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I’m so sorry this was such a disappointment! I’ve read many similar reviews so you’re not alone.💁🏻
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Ah yes it was a shame- but that’s good to know!! Thank you!
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Sorry you didn’t enjoy it. I felt like it’s kind of an inbetween book, that there will be a third.
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yeah it was a shame- but it didn’t really do it for me.
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I don’t understand. Hadn’t it into black and white? What does that mean?
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Just saying that it’s pretty clear that it’s bad for a mother to kill their child- the book seems to think this is an ambiguous issue- hope that clarifies things
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With the correct quote, it makes sense. I was just confused earlier, like experience of my years of novel reading has deserted me in my time of need for sentence interpretation xD
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hahaha that’s fine!! Glad it makes sense now!!
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It still doesn’t make sense , because as you pointed out in your post, it’s a rubbish logic due to moral equivalency and other long words. Now I just feel like I’m spamming your comments section and have no idea why I’m even typing anymore. I should take a nap ‘fore your patience snap (yay, rhyme)
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No it doesn’t make sense!! I read that in the book and my brain just went “WTF?!?” (except I didn’t abbreviate that) haha you’re a poet and you didn’t know it 😉
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That rhymed too
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I totally agree with you on this point. Being myself a mother, I cannot even think of such acts being considered ambiguous.
Btw, great review!!!
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Thank you!!! I know- it’s terrible that it even needs to be said. Thank you!!
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oh sorry- just saw the typo in the quote “hadn’t made it into black and white”- to be fair, that one’s on goodreads quotes 😉
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Am I the only one who spots typos or the only one who points them out? I’m hoping it’s not rude to point them out. I did it on some other blogs as well and they took it positively, but I usually check with the authors, just to be on safe side. Although on retrospect, I should ask them about it before I point out the mistakes. But yea, whatever. Moral : I’m a good guy and any resemblance to grammar Nazis, alive or fictional, is purely coincidental.
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haha no problem- it’s a good thing! Very helpful- thanks! hahahaa
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At the ending of my comment, I was trying to imitate the disclaimer thing they show before a movie starts, but it’s 6 in the morning over here, and I studied all night, so I’m kinda too fatigued to articulate that properly.
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hahaha no worries!! I got the joke! It was funny 😉
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To be honest I haven’t read/watched the Me Before You, because I know that it is going to make me cry and I don’t feel like crying at the moment lol. I have heard its good though. I’m sorry you didn’t like the second book, it sounds like the portrayal of her grief wasn’t done very well and she just ended up coming across as bland.
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Ah I totally understand that (and yes it will make you cry 😉 ) I did like the first one, but the second one not so much
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So glad I haven’t bothered with this one. I liked where the first book left Lou, and I think I’ll be leaving her happy in Paris and giving the sequel a miss! Thank you for saving me time and disappointment 🙂
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Ah that was a good choice- I would have given it a miss too had it not been sitting there in my library… Definitely wish I’d done that! Glad I could help 😉
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I love your reviews. Seriously, you always provide for a thoughtful, funny, refreshing review. Great stuff!
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Thank you so much!!
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Oh my. I watched the movie before I read the book. I didn’t like the way it ended. It gave me no desire to read it (or this sequel) to understand how it seemed like such an easy choice.
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That’s fair- my sister hated the ending and I get why, makes sense!
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That sucks! I really enjoyed the book and movie Me Before You, and I’ve heard people having similar reactions after reading this. That indeed is a disturbing quote, I had to read it over a few times to make sure I got it right lol.
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yeah it was a real shame! Me too!! yeah- I know right- me too- I couldn’t understand why the author wrote it- freaked me out a little to be honest!
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I almost read this book after Me Before You, but my Mum convinced me not too because it was unnecessary!
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Your mum was right!! It really wasn’t necessary!!
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Great review! That example definitely warrants a white flag. Wouldn’t have blamed ya for dropping the book and moving on. It definitely sounds weird. It’s like the character wanted to say that the reason behind the actions of each of those people can be justified but journalists decided to hide them. But a mother who kills their own child? How did your MC go on thinking a potential explanation to make killing your own child reasonable… Anywaaaayss, after the events of the first book (yeh, I was spoiled and didn’t mind at all hihih), I can see how it could’ve and SHOULD’ve stayed a standalone story.
– Lashaan
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Thank you!! It does, doesn’t it?! Yeah exactly. I’m all for looking at the other side… but like you said a mother killing their own child isn’t justifiable. I just don’t get it!! Yeah it really should’ve!!
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Agree that it wasn’t near as good as Me Before You and that it also wasn’t/isn’t necessary at all but it was supposed to show the aftermath of what happened. So while it might have not been a great book it made sense to be that the plot was dragging and that Lou was so different, because ultimately isn’t that what grief can do to people? It can make a completely different person out of you, with no desire to do anything. In that way the book made sense to me, because it didn’t pass over grief and its effects for the sake of plot or the sake of having a sympathetic main character. So in my perspective it’s legit that the book is hard and frustrating at times to read because that’s how grief feels too.
Anyhow it’s been quiet a while since I read it so I don’t remember much details, as for instance to quote you mentioned. And I totally get your points and I know that A LOT of people agree with you. But for me, since plot isn’t that important to me, I do like books like these once in a while.
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I can understand that. But I felt like she kept putting in a lot of action to counterbalance the grief- which really muddled the story up and confused what she was trying to do. What with all the falling off roofs and getting caught up in the life of will’s long lost daughter, I felt like the book really drifted away from that message. Plus, I felt disconnected from her as a character- I think one of the issues is that the first book focused more on her outward personality, so when that was gone, I just didn’t recognise the character. I actually think it makes sense that with grief she would be less bubbly- but without enough depth for the character, it felt like there was nothing going on underneath. But this is just my opinion, you’re totally entitled to feel differently, and I’m glad you got more out of it than I did. Just wanted to explain why I wasn’t so keen on it.
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That’s so disappointing… I had high hopes for this book.
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Ah yeah, it was a shame- it just didn’t live upto the first one for me.
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😦 It’s always disappointing when a sequel doesn’t live up to the original at all. I haven’t read Me Before You, but from what you said and from everything I’ve heard about it, it sounds like it was a story that really didn’t need a sequel!
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Yeah it is! It really didn’t need a sequel!! I feel like I should’ve known…
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True but sometimes you can be pleasantly surprised… and if you loved the first one it’s hard not to be curious about the second. That happens to me all the time with unnecessary movie sequels (even though I usually regret seeing them!)
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Yes, true!! I’m the same!
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I’m sorry to hear you were so disappointed in this book – I think I could be, too. I read and enjoyed Me Before You, but I didn’t see the point of this second book and I haven’t even read it ahah. I think I’ll stay away from it then 🙂
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Yeah it was a shame. Me too- but you made the right choice- I didn’t feel there was much point to reading this.
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After reading this, I had the feeling this was just some marketing plan to squeeze more money from people who had loved the first book. There was nothing in it.
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Ahh yes that’s very true- to be honest I suspected as much, which is why I only read it cos I picked it up in the library, otherwise I wouldn’t have bothered.
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I received it as a gift (obviously that person did not know my tastes in books xD)
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hehehe yeah obviously not!!
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I haven’t read Me before you. Should I? Is it good?
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I definitely enjoyed it- if you like romance you’ll probably enjoy it 🙂
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Aww, what a shame! Looks like there’s no point or reason to read this book.
There won’t be a third book, will there!?
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Yes it was- no there wasn’t. Yeah I’ve heard that, but gotta be honest, I have no desire to read it now.
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