I didn't even know what "Me Before You" was up until about two months ago. I was seeing another movie in theaters with my friend, and the commercial for that movie came on. I remember it vividly, mainly because I looked over at my friend to tell her that we had to go see this movie when it comes out just to see that she was already crying just over the commercial. I also didn't know that the movie was based off of a book, and a book that had been out for a while at that.

I'm not really one to read much of anything. I've always struggled with the concept of sitting down and trying to focus on something long enough to even put the storyline together. Sure, I read "The Fault in Our Stars" and absolutely loved it, but that was a rare case for me. However, as the movie got closer and closer to being released I cracked and decided to read the book beforehand.

Not only that, but I read in less than 24 hours and had a hard time putting it down to take a break and I cried for way too long after I finished it. But I was so glad that I decided to read it after I finished it, and I was even more excited to see the movie.

A few days after I finished the book, I started to see some serious criticism regarding the book and before I go on WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD.

I saw people writing about how "Me Before You" belittled the lives of people with disabilities, how it promoted assisted suicide, how it condoned decisions such as that, and several different ideas with these same general ideas. When I first saw these things, I was confused. I was wondering how I read this book and watched this movie and wasn't in the least bit offended. But then I realized there was such a deeper meaning behind the story that these critics seemed to have missed.

These people missed what the concept of Me Before You is all about. Louisa put everyone and everything else before herself throughout the entire story. She worked endlessly, and in the beginning at a job she completely hated, just to help provide for her family, especially so her sister could go to college and to be a stronghold through her father losing his job. She tried to be supportive of her athletically-obsessed boyfriend Patrick, and made time for him amidst her hectic schedule and he always put her behind anything that he thought could make him better equipped for his triathlon. Finally, after she learned that the man she was caring for, Will, was planning to take part in assisted suicide if his mind couldn't be changed within six months, she poured her heart and soul into trying to change his mind by making him love and enjoy life again, even if it wasn't the life he had chosen for himself.

Louisa tried to make Will see the beauty and wonder that he could still find in his life after his tragic accident. She put her cares and needs aside to tend to his at all costs. Although she didn't change his mind, she did try and so did his entire family. No one in the book or the movie was okay with the decision, but they also knew that it was not their decision to make and after he decided to go through with it, they did exactly what they should have done, and exactly what it was their place to do- they loved him. And they put him above themselves and they put his wishes and desires above their own, as hard as it was for all of them.

And after it was done, after Will passed away, it was revealed that he had given money to Louisa to travel and get her out of their little town to unlock her full potential that she wasn't able to while being essentially trapped there. And he wanted to her to be able to get out and live to her fullest capabilities, and he did not want to hold her back with his condition or make her regret anything. Whether this decision was morally okay, whether or not she would actually regret anything, he still ultimately put her above himself.

So if you can't look past the concept of assisted suicide within the book, if you can't read through this and dig into the deeper meanings within the book, then you probably shouldn't get wrapped up in "Me Before You." But if you want a phenomenal read that can change your life and your outlook, this is definitely the story for you.