The Midnight Library by Matt Haig [Book Review]

I finally read The Midnight Library by Matt Haig and had no idea what I was getting into; it was not what I expected. Read my review.

Some books you find, and some books find you. For me, The Midnight Library by Matt Haig was the latter. I’d hit quite a low point as the world continued (and continues) to go through bouts of quarantine and isolation periods. So it seemed like fate when I randomly picked up the 2020 novel and started reading. I’m happy I did!

The book follows Nora on her last day alive… or so it seems. After realizing she no longer matters, she decides to end her life; this is where the story begins. After Nora dies, she is transported to a massive library filled with books that contain variations of her life. With the help of her childhood librarian, Nora’ tries on’ multiple lives. If she can find one she wants, she’ll continue to live on in that life. If she never finds one that fits, she’ll die for good.

The book’s premise immediately hooked me, and the story kept me intrigued until the end. At our lowest point, who hasn’t wondered, ‘What if?’ What if I didn’t quit this activity? What if I had studied a different subject in school? What if I didn’t break up with my significant other? The Midnight Library asks: if you change these regrets or ‘what ifs,’ would that improve your life? Is there another life out there that you couldn’t create in your “root life?”

I recommend that everyone read this book if you haven’t already; it’s a captivating story that will leave you feeling better about life. Sometimes, all you need is a perspective shift; this book did that for me.

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