Written by Jojo Moyes, Me Before You (2012) has become an international phenomenon with more than six million copies sold worldwide, going so far as to spawn a movie adaptation. Despite such impressive credentials, those who have had enough of sappy romantic novels might be hesitant to pick it up, especially once they see the cover. Dotted with little flowers and stars on top of delicate pink letters, it is arguably not the most fetching first impression. However, here is why one should not judge a book its cover. 

The characters of the book are as much as can be expected from a romantic novel: an ordinary girl from a humble background meets a handsome boy from a rich family, and they fall in love. Sounds familiar? Except in this case, the male protagonist, Will Traynor, is not a Prince Charming on a white horse. Rather, he is permanently confined to a wheelchair after a devastating car accident has reduced him from a successful businessman to a reclusive quadriplegic. Will loses all motivation to cling to his miserable existence, which is where the female protagonist, Lou Clark, comes into the picture.

She is hired as Will’s caretaker to make him happy, but deep down, she struggles with her own insecurities and fear. Whether she succeeds in her mission is up to the reader’s interpretation, but there is no doubt that the six months they spend together end up turning their lives upside down. 

Me Before You transcends a stereotypical love story in that it brings forth the idea of self-improvement and expanding one’s horizons. Lou realizes her potential only after Will opens her eyes to the limitless opportunities that life has to offer. From a small town girl who has never stepped out of her small English town to an adventurous young woman who goes scuba diving in Mauritius, Lou becomes a completely different person, thanks to their love for each other. 

By witnessing how Lou, who once led her life without any sense of purpose, transfor ms into an inde pendent and driven young woman, readers become motivated and emboldened to step out of their own comfort zones as well. In a way, seeing her transformation is even more encouraging than all those self help books that throw empty words at readers to be brave and try new things, simply because they get to witness the painstaking efforts Lou makes to break out of her shell.

Another theme the book addresses is the idea of euthanasia and dignified death. The author frequently brings up the question of respecting one’s right to die, while also representing the other side of the argument: the sanctity of life and the consequences such action would have on loved ones. This dilemma and how the book approaches it, for all its controversy, is what captivates the readers and drives the story forward. Whether one agrees with assisted suicide or not, there is no doubt the author gives the readers very important food for thought. 

At the end of the day, Me Before You is still a romantic novel that revolves around the idea of love between a man and a woman. It is certainly not the most profound or philosophical book. It does not reveal life-changing wisdom. Nevertheless, this beautiful, yet heart-wrenching story deeply resonates with readers and arouses all sorts of emotion in their hearts. As a cherry on top, it then goes on to give them a chance to do some soul searching about life and death, which is what a good book should be all about, not a fancy cover. 

▲ Me Before You. Provided by goodreads.com.