K. Z. Richards

In Matt Haig’s feel-good novel, The Midnight Library, thirty-five-year-old Nora Seed finds herself in the in-between world of the Midnight Library after an attempted suicide. Through the books on the library’s shelves, and guided by the familiar face of former friend and librarian, Mrs. Elm, Nora explores the infinite multi-verse of lives she could have lived if she had made different choices, from Olympic swimmer, to fearless glaciologist, to famous rock star, hoping she can find the one that is most worth living.

While Nora’s potential lives are predictable and at times disinteresting, the universal emotion of regret and the curiosity that every person has felt in fantasizing about lost opportunities and neglected potential propels the narrative forward. The reader is challenged to wonder, “What would my own library look like, and which books would I read?” while following Nora’s story, so the book’s real impact is limited only by the reader’s imagination and own life experience. 

If you are looking for a book with complex plots and characters, this book is not for you, but if you wish to explore a new idea through your own life experience, The Midnight Library provides a cathartic opportunity, with Nora, to realize the beauty of life and the value of perspective in a satisfying and emotional read.