The Midnight Library
Ratings1,707
Average rating3.8
The Midnight Library was thought-provoking in a predictable way. After hearing the summary, I knew exactly what to expect, but the ideas expressed in this book were ones that I would have never been able to put to paper. Matt Haig does a wonderful job at expressing somewhat complex ideas in a way that is digestible and warm. I would definitely consider this one of my favorites and a comfort read.
The Midnight Library is one of those books that has a good plot, characters, and message, but for some reason it just didn't hit? It was really hard to pick up, but also hard to put down. Anyway, love the writing style and premise so I think in a few years, I'll do a reread
Contains spoilers
Nora Seed feels lost in life. So much so that she decides to end it. But instead of jumping into the endless black, she finds herself in The Midnight Library. This isn't an ordinary library. It’s a mysterious one, where each book contains a version of the life she could have lived. It’s like a multiverse of possibilities, where every decision she ever made takes her along onto a different path.
As Nora explores these alternate lives (becoming a rockstar, an Olympic swimmer, a loving mother) she discovers that none of them fully connects to what she sees as the "perfect life". Each one offers its own mix of hapiness and sadness, and some more fulfilling than others, but none seem to give her constant joy. Most importantly, these alternative versions don’t feel like her life, the life she has lived up to now.
In the end, Nora realizes that the life she had been living is the one she connects with the most. She just needed to see the alternative options life always provides, as long as you open yourself up to them.
The Midnight Library is a perfect read for anyone feeling stuck, haunted by regrets, or convinced they’ve made mistakes that can't be undone. While the ending is predictable, the book’s message is still inspiring and gives a reminder of life’s potential.
Originally posted at yordi.me.
ooooooh wanted to like it but a little too Inspiring???.. a little too incomprehensible-choices-mc?????? im sorry matt
4/5 - I enjoyed this story so much. It definitely made you stop to think about life and the choices you make and what would life look like had you made a different choice. And the answer was you will not always be happy and sometimes it is ok to just live life. Nora (FMC) had to figure this out by going through different points to see which life would work for her. I'm glad she was given another chance to live.
This was a surprise 4 star for me.
It's been sitting on my shelf pretty well since it came out and I have been avoiding it, worried I wouldn't like it, however I found it a very interesting play on a multi-time line theme.
I thought it was engaging, well written and I enjoyed the ending.
When I first started this book, I think I expected multiple people venturing through the library, so when I realized it was just a book following one main character I was a little worried I would get bored, however, it was so well done, that I loved living multiple lives through the eyes of our FMC.
The Midnight Library doesn't change the formula of a “life after death“ tale, but good writing makes it an enjoyable read.
This reminded me of The Quiet Earth though very different, parts of it took me back to that. Choices have repercussions.
An interesting concept marred by a bored and lifeless execution.
Putting aside the grotesque use of depression and suicide as superficial plot devices, fixed by simply, I don't know, not being bummed (???), the book just fails at ever being interesting.
Imagine the most dense main character who makes virtually no choices of her own, who does almost nothing to move the plot forward, and who seems as bland and incurious as possible. Then imagine that person telling you a story. That's this book. Nora is a dreadfully boring character who doesn't choose anything. All of the characters around her are 2D cardboard cutouts for her to talk to whenever she needs this one or that one. They lack any complexity.
Everything that happens to Nora (and EVERYTHING only happens TO her, never because of her), is riddled with cliche. The book never surprises you. As soon as a situation is presented, you will know the outcome because it is a series of cliche vignettes.
Lastly, the writing TELLS you everything every step of the way. Nothing is shown. It is perfectly fitting given who Nora is, but it is exceptionally boring to read.
I am totally okay with junk food books, with guilty pleasures, with popcorn. But this was none of that. It is only junk, no pleasure, and instead of popcorn tastes more like a slice of week old bread.
Contains spoilers
i don’t understand the hype. the book is repetitive and the conclusion is that depression doesn’t exist, you just have to be grateful because your life could be worse! hell no. the only reason as to why i give it two stars and not one is that i liked the way it was written. matt haig really knows how to tell a story, but when the whole plot is the same thing over and over again it’s just boring.
I think if I was suicidal and somebody gave me this book I would find a way to kill myself quicker out of spite
A good read but I hate the place it left me at. Took me to thoughts I didn't want to tackle. Will hit you hard when at your lowest. Love how the author took time developing the plot and how one could predict the ending after a few scenes of things not working out.
The premise was fun, but the writing was so poor.
The main character was simply too bland. There was nothing that evoked any sense of sympathy for her. The first few pages that introduces the readers to her life sound like a teenager whining, even though the protagonist is supposed to be 35 years old.
The ending was also highly predictable. At places, it felt like the author is just stating the obvious for no apparent reason. It feels like the message is being forced down your throat.
The only reason I'm rating it 3 stars is for the idea, and the fact that i could complete it in one sitting without wasting my time.
Wow did I not think I was going to like this when I started. It was heavy and grey feeling and the MC was a whiny beyatch.
And boy was I wrong.
I think the things I didn't like in the MC was the reason I needed to read this book. They're all the things we ALL have, will or are currently struggling with. Hopelessness, helplessness and just questions of self worth.
It felt so annoying because it hit so close to home for me. By the end I was a blubbering mess and also felt my near empty cup replenishing. Found that the mere hope of it being able to be replenished, was fuel enough.
As a strictly fiction, fantasy, romance, history, adventure loving reader, who loathes self-help, modern crime and realism type stuff, I would highly recommend.
4.5/5.0
“Man konnte in den vornehmsten Restaurants essen, man konnte jede Art von sinnlicher Lust erfahren, man konnte auf einer Bühne in São Paulo vor zwanzigtausend Menschen singen, man konnte in donnerndem Applaus baden, man konnte bis ans Ende der Welt reisen, man konnte im Internet Millionen Follower haben, man konnte Olympiamedaillen gewinnen, aber ohne Liebe war das alles sinnlos” p. 275
3 ⭐️Aanradertje van Kobo Plus, dus zonder verwachting ingesprongen. Beetje magisch realisme, druist een beetje realiteitsbesef in en in een vlot-lezend jasje gestoken. En in ieder geval in dit genre voor mij beter dan de serie [b:Voordat de koffie koud wordt 54959634 Voordat de koffie koud wordt (Voordat de koffie koud wordt, #1) Toshikazu Kawaguchi https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1597519583l/54959634.SY75.jpg 62602162], voor zover je deze twee met elkaar kan vergelijken.Minnetjes vooral met betrekking tot het soort van heikele zelfhulp-achtige einde, en de manier waarop het verloop richting de zelfmoord aan het begin van het boek ingeleid wordt. Depressie komt meer naar voren als een keuze, ipv. een ziekte. Vind ik in het minste geval jammer, en in het ergste geval kwalijk. De manier waarop hiermee omgesprongen wordt is echt een dikke min, en zeer glad ijs als basis voor een dergelijk boek.
Reread + Bookclub read {S+S}/[UoG]: this had popped up in both my book clubs and I'd not read it at the time. I'd remembered not really liking it so was surprised to see I'd given it 4* previously. Having finished it today I remember why.
Overall I liked the idea, the extended “It's a Wonderful Life” was interesting, who doesn't want to know what they could have been had they taken a different fork in the road? I like the echoes of the other lives that bleed through into each other, the idea that despite the differences some things will stay the same.
I didn't, however, like the ending. It was all too positive. This idea that everything will be alright now because she has accepted her faults and will live for happiness. All will be fine if she gives piano lessons to vulnerable teens, volunteers in her free time and donates to environmental research.
I felt that the darkness of the previous chapters was undermined by the glow of the final few. Having lived with the “black dog” I know that sometimes it's on your back and at other times it's just lurking in the shadows, but it's always there. This ending felt so false it tarnished the pleasure of the rest of the book.
That saying, it was well written. I did like it overall and I'm glad I re-read it. At least now I've reviewed it now I'll remember why I had the feeling I disliked it before going in this time.