Jojo Moyes' sequel would have been better as 'Let it Be'

AFTER YOU<br><b>Jojo Moyes</b><br><i>Michael Joseph/Penguin</i>
AFTER YOU<br><b>Jojo Moyes</b><br><i>Michael Joseph/Penguin</i>

Me Before You, which follows the unconventional romance between Louisa Clark and her quadriplegic charge Will Traynor, is an emotional powerhouse of a book that has sold more than six million copies worldwide.

If you haven't read it, you should and you should stop reading this review of its sequel After You, as, inevitably, it contains spoilers.

At the end of Me Before You we leave Lou in Paris, with a letter from Will telling her to live her life and not get too maudlin.

In After You we find her working in an Irish-themed airport bar and doing a lot of drinking.

Not coping with what happened and her role in it, it takes a near-fatal accident for Lou to slowly start rebuilding her life with help from her family, a new support group and a surprise link to Will.

I had big expectations for this book and I really wanted to enjoy it.

Jojo Moyes is a great storyteller and the book is actually fine.

But that's my biggest problem with it.

It doesn't live up to the first book.

Without Will this is all Lou and she's dreary and frustrating and still not living up to her potential.

The main storyline frustrated me and the humorous situations supplied by her offbeat family just felt forced.

Moyes decided to write this while working on the movie version of Me Before You (set to star Emilia Clarke, of Game of Thrones fame) and in response to the demand from fans to know what happened next.

Those fans will no doubt be thrilled to have another chapter in the life of Lou but I can't help wishing Moyes had just let it be.

• Laura Hewson is an ODT subeditor.

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