“After You” by Jojo Moyes Book Club Questions

Courtesy of Jojomoyes.com

It was a happy day for me when I found out Jojo Moyes wrote a sequel to Me Before You.  The first book left a few loose ends to tie and had characters that I just wanted to “see” again in.    FYI, there are SPOILERS in this post, so definitely stop reading now if you plan to read Me Before You first.

After You begins roughly a year later with Louisa Clark working at a less-than-stellar airport bar lounge. She is still suffering sadness and regret over Will death and even with her initial good intentions, she is struggling to break out of her thick state of grief. After drinking too much one night she has a freakish accident that lands her in an ambulance to the hospital and back to her family’s home for recovery.  When Louisa finally makes her way back to her own flat she finds a surprise, a teenage girl, waiting for her.   Not able to handle her own life well right now, Louisa is not positive she can help this girl too.  After You is centered around the heart-breaking state of loss and finding ones way through that grieving process with the help of other lonely people. Here are my After You book club questions:

1. We meet Louisa first in this book, what do we learn about what has happened since the end of Me Before You?  What has she been up to these past months?  What are some things she has done to try to handle Will’s death?
2. After the terrible fall and Louisa is back at her parents house, we learn her family is going there own changes What is her mom up to, how is it effecting her family?  Do you see other new dynamics?
3. When Lily enters Louisa’s life she learns quite quickly that she is Will’s daughter. What is Louisa’s first response to this news.  Why is she so upset with Lily’s mom.
4. Treena is not happy with Louisa’s decision to help Lily.  Are Treena’s reason’s warranted?
5. Lily had a stereotypical closed off teenage attitude.  Why do you feel she acts this way?  What are some things in her past that would make her so disgruntled, reckless, and rude to adults.
6. How do Will’s parents initially respond to the news of Will’s daughter finding Louisa.  How do their relationships grow and evolve?
7. Louisa feels guilty she knows so much about Sam from what she hears from the Moving On Circle.  Does this effect her relationship with him?  What does Louisa find out that makes her look at things differently?
8. What parts of the book take place in Louisa’s little garden? What do you feel Louisa’s garden symbolizes?
9. At the end of After You everyone’s life changes.  Where is Lily? Sam? Traynors? Clarks? and even Louisa?