Well I am going to start off by giving you a synopsis before getting down to the nitty gritty of what everyone thought.
Will is a quadriplegic as a result of a motorbike accident (he was a pedestrian) 2 years previously. Before the accident he had an important career and was a real life thrill seeker (basically living life to the full). He worked hard and played harder. Handsome, wealthy, athletic, gorgeous girlfriend, the world was his oyster. Fast forward 2 years after the accident and Will no longer wants to live. Then Lou happens. Recently unemployed, 26yrs old and still living at home with her parents, sister and nephew, she is hired by Will’s mother as a carer/companion for Will. The story then follows the 6 months of how Will and Lou’s lives become entwined, how their relationship develops and the impact this has on their respective friends and family.
To be honest, when I first saw this as a book choice and heard that there were ‘tears’ involved, I decided to give it a miss (totally not my cup of tea). However, at the last minute (well 2 days before book club), I bit the bullet and decided to give it a go, and I am so pleased I did, as I absolutely love, love, loved it. Yes there were some tears, but I found it to be the most wonderful story. The book was well written and an easy read despite the emotional content. I was totally drawn in.
It was discussed that despite Lou being employed to be a carer and companion for Will, in the hope of making him want to live, Will seems to inadvertently turn the tables. He shows Lou that life is an adventure that she should expand and explore her horizons. Basically living the life that he no longer can.
Although the underlying theme of the book circles around the ‘right to die’ and how each of the characters are affected by this choice, it is not at all as depressing and morbid as that sounds. It is in fact quite light-hearted in places too. Overall the novel explores how one person’s decision has a ripple effect on all those around them. The author quite cleverly manages to write about an extremely sensitive subject without judging the right or wrong of the situation. No matter how preconceived your ideas (as the reader) are, the author allows you to see the views of each character without any condemnation. So although all the characters were not exactly likeable (e.g. Patrick), when you put yourself in their shoes and look at how their lives are affected, it certainly gives perspective and allows one to understand (even though you may not agree) why they acted the way they did. (Except for Treena, she is just selfish and spoilt and I don’t believe her to have any redeeming qualities at all).
Overall I thought this was a fantastic read (no one is more surprised by this fact than me) and the book was quite well received (some book clubbers opinions on the book were actually improved after the discussion). Of course no book is perfect and anything can be picked apart and discussed to destruction if given enough time. However, if asked, would I recommend this to anyone else to read? The answer would be, a big fat YES!!!
(Written by Linda-Jean Delport.)
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