woW eins meiner jahres highlights und lieblingsbücher. emotionale achterbahnfahrt. wunderschön und zugleich unglaublich traurig. ich habe die beiden protagonisten sehr ins herz geschlossen!!!

I finally gave in to the hype and started this book AND OMG I DON'T KNOW WHY I WAITED SO MUCH TO PICK THIS UP. The writing flowed amazingly and it kept me engaged and interested. I love the chapters with different POV's, it gave depth to the story and added those missing information we needed to better understand what was happening as well as an insight into other character's thoughts and personalities. The only reason I gave it a 4 stars instead of a full 5 stars was the romance in itself - I expected a lot more adorable moments and at least more than 1 kiss. Idk, I guess I was hoping for Will and Lou to admit their feelings and at least be 'together' for a while before the end. AND, the last couple of chapters were heartbreaking and so so sad, but it wasn't the tear-fest I was prepared for. The feels were a little bit there and the final scene in Paris was bittersweet, but I was fully expecting to flood my room with tears, which didn't happened. I still loved it, though and the entire relationship between Will and Lou, the way it developed, was just lovely. I loved Lou and her family. She is so funny and so bright and full of light and she just wants to make this right for everyone. I could relate a lot to her. She became one of my favorite female characters. The dynamic with her family, although I felt that at the beginning they were a mean to her and maybe were putting her down most of the time, but as the book progressed the love they have for each other really shined through. Even Treena, who I found incredibly selfish most of the book (I actually hated her at some parts), in the end showed how much she loves her big sister, despite their differences, and was there for Lou in the most crucial times in her life - the night in the maze and after coming back from the trip and when Lou was supposed to meet the Traynors in Switzerland. I resented Lou's mom in the end, I think she was a little bit harsh with her daugher, but I can understand why she acted that way, given the very controversial topic. As for the Traynor family, my love for Will is TOO MUCH. My poor bb, I can't imagine how much suffering he was in, but seeing him come out of his shell little by little after Lou arrived was just amazing to see. Regarding the rest of the family, I didn't care that much about them. I could empathize with Camilla a lot, because of what she was going through with her son and her husband at the same time. It can't be easy to watch your own son in that state and then ask you to help him die. As for the entire 'assisted suicide' matter, I liked how the book presented not only with society's view of the matter but the quad community and a disabled person's view. As a medical student, I've dealed with spine chord injuries and I know how awful must be to become so dependent of others for even the most basic things, to not have control over your body and your life, and how painful it is. Quads are very prone to infection, respiratory and urinary especially, and the catheter and sometimes inabillity to swallow only adds to that, not to mention the risks of ulcers from being in bed or sitting constantly - which can infect or grow more and more, causing a huge amount of pain. AND the gastric ulcers from all the medication. And the higher the level of the spine injury, the worst it is, the more dependent you are and the lower your life quality. I know there is people who can find a way to cope, a way to be happy despite everything, but it must not be easy to, along with all the medical issues, see able bodied people do all the things you used to and can't anymore, not to mention the sympathetic looks and people whispering behind your back and looking everywhere you go. Just living is a constant reminder of all the things you lost. I can easily understand Will's decision and I absolutely respect that. All in all, this was an amazing book, and I can't wait to see the movie adaptation! I don't think I'll be reading "After You" though, because I love how things ended in this one and I'd like to imagine Lou moving forward and completing her studies and traveling the world, remembering Wil and just being happy. Picking up the sequel would shatter this picture for me, plus there are certain books that shouldn't have a sequel anyway and I think "Me Before You" is one of those.