Synopsis (From Goodreads)
Between life and death there is a library, and within that library, the shelves go on forever. Every book provides a chance to try another life you could have lived. To see how things would be if you had made other choices . . . Would you have done anything different, if you had the chance to undo your regrets?
A dazzling novel about all the choices that go into a life well lived, from the internationally bestselling author of Reasons to Stay Alive and How To Stop Time.
Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. While we all wonder how our lives might have been, what if you had the chance to go to the library and see for yourself? Would any of these other lives truly be better?
In The Midnight Library, Matt Haig’s enchanting new novel, Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision. Faced with the possibility of changing her life for a new one, following a different career, undoing old breakups, realizing her dreams of becoming a glaciologist; she must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place.
My Review
3 out of 5 stars
This was… fine. It was easy to read and it had a message to share. Honestly it reads like a Hallmark movie meets a self-help book.
Nora’s life ends up being cut short, and she finds her afterlife starting in the Midnight Library, a place full of books that can take her to her life’s infinite possibilities. What if she actually did stay in her brother’s band? What if she did marry the guy she ran away from? What if she did study to be a glaciologist? Nora didn’t find her current life all that meaningful, so this Midnight Library gives her a chance to see how everything would’ve played out differently.
I don’t think it’s the most creative story in the world; I have definitely come across similar ideas before. It’s cool that it’s based in a library, but the setting isn’t unique enough to make it that new. The writing style isn’t super atmospheric either, which definitely would’ve helped sell me on the overall story with the library setting. The ending is very predictable; you can probably guess how it’s going to end before you even pick it up. Given how many weeks this book has been on the NYT Bestseller’s list, I thought it would’ve been at least a little more original. I think people like it because it’s easy to read and provides a hopeful message. Many may have needed it, especially given this past year.
I might have liked this a lot more if I read it before all the hype set in, but as someone who reads too much, I don’t think this stands out.
See this review on Goodreads and on Storygraph.
Mad Scibrarian 