After You by Jojo Moyes (2015) [B2]

B1 is Me Before You, the first book in the series. Read the post here.

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Finally, another book from my Extended Reading Challenge! This took a long while because I spent what I had of my reading time lately reading the last two books we decided to do for Book Club.

(Yes, I know I haven't been posting anything about book club, but that's because we haven't all been able to meet up to talk about them since... like... March? But, yeah, those posts are still coming!)
(Don't worry.) 

Anyways, on to the post! After You (2015) is the second book in the trilogy that follows plucky English-girl Louisa Clark on her adventures through life. We first met her back in Me Before You  when she was hired to care for quadriplegic Will Traynor. 

In the sequel, Louisa is living in London and it has been 18 months since the events of the first book. Right from the first few pages you can tell she is still having a hard time with Will now gone and struggling with moving on and living her life to the fullest like she promised him she would. And then right as the first chapter ends, she has a horrible accident; she falls from her apartment roof.

Her accident forces her to reconcile with her family, whom she hasn't spoken to at all in the prior 18 months. Reluctant, but happy they do, her parents come and take her home for the duration of her recovery. But who called 911 when Louisa fell? Cue the entrance of Lily; Will's long lost daughter whom no one knew existed! Lily becomes a major character in the story and most of the book revolves around her and Louisa's relationship. Louisa feels obligated to help this girl because of her previous connection to Will.

I have strong feelings of dislike for the character of Lily. I personally think the book could have done without her and found other ways to help Louisa get through her guilt, grief and depression. However, that being said, I understand the plot device that Lily is. In observing this unruly, whiny, flaky and lost teenage girl try and figure things out now that she knows who her father was; Louisa is forced to grow up a little more and make her way out of the shadow and security blanket that was Will's passing. Lousia sums it up in this line. "- and all I could think was how strange it was that it was a messed-up child who barely knew herself who actually had so much to teach me about the business of living." (pg. 127)

There were many other new and returning characters that made the second book feel as witty, good-hearted and gut-wrenching as the first. I was excited to read that Louisa was still keeping in touch with Nathan, the nurse who helped out when she was with Will. The return of her quirky family to the page was also good fun at some points. The best new characters were Ambulance Sam and his partner Donna. Then there was the introduction of the Moving On Circle group. The MoC was a therapy group Louisa started attending as part of her recovery upon returning to London. All were such colourful characters and were a big contributor to Louisa's 'recovery'.

Other than Lily, the most important character that helped Louisa grow out of her grief was Ambulance Sam. (He's a paramedic in the novel.) His presence makes her question a lot about how much she is holding back because of Will: in life, in love, and in herself. At one point she straight up asks him, "How long do you think it takes to get over someone dying? Someone you really loved, I mean." (pg. 117) It takes him by surprise, but she feels she can openly talk to him about her loss because he understands. Sam's response is really good and has a lot of thought and reflection behind it. (I'm not going to quote it though, because where is the fun it that. You'll have to read the book to find out.)

There is a shocking twist towards the end and I was really taken aback by it. At that point I had to keep reading until the end because I kept thinking, "If the authors ends it one of two ways I'm going to completely lose it!" I was happy with the way it ended though, so hopefully that doesn't discourage any readers. The ending also leads very well into the premise of the third and final instalment of the story; Still Me. Which I will be reading at some point in time in the next few months.

Overall, I liked this sequel, but I still prefer the first book. I think that feeling has a lot to do with how much I didn't like Lily's character. HOWEVER, I absolutely recommend this book for fans of Me Before You if you want to continue following Louisa Clark's story. It is a great book about trying to cope with a loss that not everyone understands. The aspect of a loss that isn't common, even by today's standards, makes for a great perspective and great points to explore. Author Jojo Moyes keeps Louisa Clark just as witty, sharp, quirky and soulful as in the first book despite what she is going through, which makes her story all the more enjoyable and heart-felt to read.