The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

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The Midnight Library centres around Nora who is planning to end her life but the night before at midnight, she finds herself in a library where she is faced with the opportunity to try out all the lives she could have had, getting to see how her life might have been, based on certain choices.

I know this book appears to be a bit like Marmite amongst readers – either you hate it or you love it; there doesn’t seem to be an in between. As someone, much like with Marmite, on the love it side, I find it really hard to understand why people don’t like it.

I really love the main concept of this book – the idea that the choices we make direct us down certain paths and that there are paths we have missed out on because of those choices. The Midnight Library really made me think about my own life and the choices I’ve made, and whether my life would be significantly different had I went one way or the other (for example, if I had carried on with Textiles into A-Level, would I have pursued my original dream of becoming a fashion designer; if I had gone to university would I have moved away from home and stayed away from home; would I be in a relationship etc.)

Although it has that sad element you learn about from the beginning – that the main character wants to end her life; she sees no other way out and deals with her mindset that her life is only going downhill and there’s nothing good in it – you really root for her to find something to hold onto (at least I did). Especially when she starts looking at her how her life could have been. I found myself wanting her to stay in some of those lives.

This book is thought provoking, intense and emotional. I think everyone should give it a go, like all books, because you never know if it’s your thing until you try it.

If you didn’t like, I’d be really interested to know why.

If you did like it, or like me, absolutely loved it that years later you still remember it as if you’ve only just read it, then let me know your thoughts.

If you haven’t read it yet, please do read it and then let me know your thoughts.