holcolbrook reviewed The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Missed Potential
2 stars
The concept was awesome, but the writing kind of made me want to pull my hair out sometimes
Paperback
The Midnight Library
by Matt Haig
4 stars
(99 reviews)
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. …
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.
oox reviewed The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Review of 'The Midnight Library' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
This is one of those rare books that make me wonder if I should go back and demote all other books I've read by a star just so that this one can stand out properly
Lowrain reviewed The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Loved this as Invisible Cities
I love these kind of books that explore how one thing can be multiple things - like cities in Invisible Cities or time in Einstein's Dream. In this case, it's one life and all the alternative universes that might spin off it. Altogether, an enjoyable read though maybe not as poignant as Invisible Cities or Einstein's Dreams.
dria reviewed The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Review of 'The Midnight Library' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
A thoughtful story with a slightly over-telegraphed end. Quick read. Loved it.
brunosan reviewed The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Review of 'The Midnight Library' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
Entertaining. Some good moments of reflection, not an original idea and a predictable arch of narrative, but quite well done. It seems ideated to be a Netflix original movie, not a book.
k1dokuu reviewed The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Review of 'The Midnight Library' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
Such a quick read! I certainly like the premise, but I expected there to be a kind of twist to this whole ordeal. In the end it was too on the nose and...predictable, for my liking.
npchampion reviewed The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Review of 'The Midnight Library' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
A very unique and engaging read. I couldn't stop turning pages. Highly recommend it.
AnneOminous reviewed The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Review of 'The Midnight Library' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
I don't know exactly what I was hoping for when I read the premise, but the book I got was not it. Ultimately, not terrible, but the introspection reads way too much like sentimental advice at times.
unicorndeburgh reviewed The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Review of 'The Midnight Library' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
This starts out depressing, but is very much worth persevering. Young woman travels down many paths of parallel lives that might-have-been, searching for a life worth living.
fiainros reviewed The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Review of 'The Midnight Library' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
This is a relatively fast read. There's a lot you can skim.
It's getting a 3-star review because I like the concept. However, in its execution this book wasn't for me. I'm not sure who it's for, to be honest. I could go into why, but I'm not sure that really helps anybody because the why's feel personal and not generic.
I will say every positive review I've read of this book implies I should already know who Matt Haig is, and I have aboslutely no clue who he is, even after googling. That's probably the most generic issue I have - that the book seems to be sold on his name recognitition to a good degree and I don't recognize his name.
So, again, it's an okay book. I wouldn't recommend it because I don't know who it's for, probably people who already like Matt Haig and would read …
This is a relatively fast read. There's a lot you can skim.
It's getting a 3-star review because I like the concept. However, in its execution this book wasn't for me. I'm not sure who it's for, to be honest. I could go into why, but I'm not sure that really helps anybody because the why's feel personal and not generic.
I will say every positive review I've read of this book implies I should already know who Matt Haig is, and I have aboslutely no clue who he is, even after googling. That's probably the most generic issue I have - that the book seems to be sold on his name recognitition to a good degree and I don't recognize his name.
So, again, it's an okay book. I wouldn't recommend it because I don't know who it's for, probably people who already like Matt Haig and would read it anyway.
Jack 💜 reviewed The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Review of 'The Midnight Library' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
This was a hotly anticipated title for me. While the beginning was an instant hook and a perfect illustration of how depression can spiral, the ending by comparison ultimately feels trite and insincere. I don’t know. It just rubbed me the wrong way personally.
MikeR reviewed The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Review of 'The Midnight Library' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
(4.5 stars...minus .5 star for wrapping things up too neatly...)...but really loved the premise that regret will hold you back (and the sci-fi/fantasy angle was kinda cool too!). My better half lives by the code of “we make the best decisions we can at any given time and any subsequent second guessing is not productive”. I’ve always admired that in her. This book embodies that philosophy.
V171 reviewed The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Review of 'The Midnight Library' on 'Goodreads'
2 stars
This was.. fine? Cute, I guess? I have a lot of complicated thoughts about this book, but it all evens out to a solid "It was fine."
From a technical standpoint, the writing was solid. The prose was appropriate and I found the setting to be incredibly charming. I loved how the author wove in callbacks to setting and people that made me smile when we got to see people and places across lives. The pacing felt a bit rushed, and character dialogue never felt natural (Nora lived untold lives, but she still stumbled through conversations? She's constantly dropping '...well I did that in another life...' as if that's a normal thing to say?) I think some of the characters were supposed to be written in a way that made them loveable but flawed, but often I just didn't like them. Mrs Elm in The Library felt condescending and unhelpful. …
This was.. fine? Cute, I guess? I have a lot of complicated thoughts about this book, but it all evens out to a solid "It was fine."
From a technical standpoint, the writing was solid. The prose was appropriate and I found the setting to be incredibly charming. I loved how the author wove in callbacks to setting and people that made me smile when we got to see people and places across lives. The pacing felt a bit rushed, and character dialogue never felt natural (Nora lived untold lives, but she still stumbled through conversations? She's constantly dropping '...well I did that in another life...' as if that's a normal thing to say?) I think some of the characters were supposed to be written in a way that made them loveable but flawed, but often I just didn't like them. Mrs Elm in The Library felt condescending and unhelpful. Dan didn't seem to have any redeeming qualities. Ash was the only character that I found to be likable, but that's because he wasn't written with any flaws. Even Nora's characterization was irritatingly dense and felt completely flat for 90% of the book with no real development happening until literally her last life (you can't just say her regrets are disappearing and count that as character development. That needs to be reflected in her actions as well).
Thematically, I get the message. And it think it's a well told story that explores Sylvia Plath's symbolism of the fig tree. I don't think it's a particularly unique idea, but I digress. However, (maybe not the author's intention) this book is often talked about almost as a companion to The Bell Jar. I just don't see it. I don't think the themes of The Bell Jar needed to be explained or drawn out any further. In short, I think The Bell Jar did what The Midnight Library wanted to do, but better. In a vacuum, this was a strong story. But I don't think there's any meaningful comparison to the Bell Jar to be had.
But with all of that being said, the story was predictably sweet. Found purpose stories are hard to be very critical of. But I do wish this lived up to the hype I've seen around it.
ish-i-ness reviewed The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Review of 'The Midnight Library' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
I love the underlying message of this book and am very glad I now have a book I can point to as an illustration of that idea, but ultimately I feel the book is a little shallow, so I just can't quite justify a 5 star rating. I still highly recommend it, and hope someday I can debate with someone about what I see as it's weaknesses.
essteeyou reviewed The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Review of 'The Midnight Library' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
The first chapter of this book was really quite depressing. The following chapters livened it up a bit, but the book in general was a little bit upsetting. Right before the end, my opinion almost completely changed. It's actually quite uplifting, and I would imagine that it might make someone think twice about suicide, assuming they didn't get too depressed at the start.
