AFTER YOU by JOJO MOYES

AFTER YOU

BY JOJO MOYES

THE BLURB:-

Lou Clark has lots of questions.

Like how is it she's ended up working in an airport bar, watching other people jet off to new places.

Or why the flat she's owned for a year still doesn't feel like home.

Whether her family can ever forgive her for what she did eighteen months ago.

And will she ever get over the love of her life.

What Lou does know for certain is that something has to change.

Then, one night it does.

But does the stranger on her doorstep hold the answers Lou is searching for- or just more questions?

Close the door and life continues: simple, ordered, safe.

Open it and she risks everything.

But Lou once made a promise to live. And if she's going to keep it, she has to invite them in...

THE REALITY:-

I read the predecessor to this book, Me Before You, some three years ago (found it for £1 in a charity shop, before the film was made and it got relaunched) and it brought tears to my eyes, being an incredibly moving piece of work. The main character is Will, who was once a very active, ruthless City boy, until fate cruelly intervened in the shape of a motorcycle accident that left him paralysed from the neck down. In this book, Louisa starts work as his carer, and falls in love with him- but he's already decided that his fate is a humane ending at Dignitas; which he carries out. I haven't seen the film yet, but I would like to.

In this book Louisa is rebuilding her life and I began reading with trepidation, as very few sequels are ever as good as the first novel. But this was a great read! The character of Louisa is certainly not dull, and we have to live through her various mishaps, including her falling off a roof and surviving, finding a new man only for him to get shot and also her putting up with the job from hell. With a good selection of likeable, dislikeable and interesting characters, both old and new, the story moves on at an even pace.

But it was little Lily, the sixteen-year-old who turns up on Louisa's doorstep claiming to be Will's daughter (she's telling the truth) who really grabbed my heart. Proof that money doesn't buy class, she comes from a rich background, but has ended up being bottom of the list of priorities in everyone's world. At war with her mother and stepfather (the latter whom she names both Fuckface and Penisfeatures- that made me guffaw out loud!) she's fallen into all sorts of trouble and finds the door to the family home locked against her.

I can really, really, REALLY (and unfortunately) relate to this character. I, too, was slung out of the family home at the age of sixteen for no real reason other than staying out late with my new boyfriend. Well, I was in love, okay? And, even that age, I knew that you had to take advantage of whatever love you could get and simply go with the flow. That love really didn't last very long (as tends to happen, when you're very young) and I moved back home after struggling with money; having a pretty crappy job, no household implements and no adult advice or support. That was after having a mini-breakdown and developing bulimia. Only a couple of days after moving back home, my parents threatened to call the police to 'get me out' for coming home... (it was either quarter to or quarter past midnight, I can't remember which, but it's certainly not what I'd call) late. I'd been to see a local band and had to wait for my lift home from a friend's dad, and that's just the way it was- the world didn't revolve around my parents. But, seriously, what kind of parents would threaten to do that? Not very good ones, that's for sure. I was never especially close to my mother and my close relationship with my father dried up when I became a teenager. I'm still shocked nowadays when people who've long moved out retain keys to their family home- I could just have seen my parents doing that (sarcastic)...ha!!!!

Personal rant over, my point is that this character Lily really touched me and I could certainly effing well relate to her, and I'm glad she was accepted into her new family; although not quite seamlessly... Parents, do your job properly. This novel tells it like it is, and it's a really dangerous world out there for teenage girls who haven't been looked after correctly. It abounds with predators. Enough said.

This book comes highly recommended from me. Read Me Before You, then read this. It tickles the emotions and the funny bone, has a good but not totally predictable ending and it didn't take me long to finish.