Over 4 years ago, I read a book that introduced me to one of my literary best friends. Her name is Louisa Clark, and like many of my other literary best friends, each time I read a story with her at the helm, I know I’m in for a treat.
When I read After You (the follow-up to Me Before You) last year, I was happy with where it put Lou in her life and love journey, so I was completely surprised when I found out a few months ago that there would be a third novel. However, despite not feeling like I needed to know more, I wasn’t unhappy to read another work from Jojo Moyes.
Still Me begins right where After You left off, with Lou on her way to New York City for a new job opportunity. I loved reading about her experiences there (though to be honest, I’ll read pretty much everything set in New York — I’m pretty sure my soul lives there), and liked that although she has grown since the first novel, the events that transpired still affect her quite heavily. On that note, I love that Moyes has a firm grasp on how people deal with tragedy and heartbreak in their lives. Some writers would have her move on completely without a second thought of someone who was such an important person to them, and essential to the person they have become. While I understand from a writing perspective that it can be more exciting to discover new relationships and places for your characters, ignoring the reasons that they have come to those new places and relationships does a disservice in attempting to make your characters relatable. So, thank you Jojo Moyes for writing such fleshed out and relatable heroines.
There were many parts that were predictable to me, but not in an irritating way. I’m often the person that can figure out major plot points long before they’re revealed in a movie or TV show (I get it from my dad, and it’s something that really annoys my husband when I point it out during the show). I enjoyed the times that I was able to sit down and immerse myself back into Lou’s story, and found myself having a serious book hangover (when I can’t start reading another book for a period of time after such a good one) afterwards. I liked it better than After You, so if you were left underwhelmed by that one, I would encourage you to read Still Me because I think you’ll like it better.
Have you read Still Me? Who are your literary best friends?
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