The Midnight Library Review

The Midnight Library  

By: Matt Haig 

Released: September 29th, 2020 
Pages: 288
My Rating: 5/5

Goodreads Synopsis: 

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:

This is easily one of my favorite reads of 2021 - I could not get enough of this book! I found myself trying to sneak in reading on this every chance I could get. I felt so connected to the main character, Nora, and felt myself wanting her to find peace. I loved all the philosophy references that were thrown in and I especially enjoyed The Bell Jar-esque vibes in the beginning of the novel. This will be a book that I reread because there is a lot to take away from it. I Still, after finishing this novel 2 weeks ago, find myself deep in thought over it just trying to write this post, and I have not felt this way about a book in a long time. 

Who doesn't have regrets in their life? They can range from big to small, things like "I wish I would have not been late to work" and "I wish I would have traveled abroad for a year". No matter what there will always be regrets and things we wished we would have done differently. However, The Midnight Library illustrates that we cannot dwell on the "what ifs" and "could ifs" but be present in the now.  

You have to create a life are excited by. At the end of the day are you choosing things because you want to or are you choosing them to make someone else happy? You have to protect yourself and choose the things you want deep down because at the end of the day, you only have yourself and you have to do the things that will make you feel the most fulfilled. Every choice you make creates a alternate path your life could have gone if you would have picked x, y, or z, but at the end of the day you have to find solace in what you are choosing and realize that maybe not every path is the "right" path, and that maybe you are just where you need to be. No body knows yourself better than you and you have to trust your gut. The Midnight Library leaves you feeling nothing but inspired to create a life you want to live and is a must read book if you have not yet picked it up.

Catch you later, 

Molly