The Midnight Library by Matt Haig --> Restarting August 4th, 2022

[Hina]

One Night in Longyearbyen (view spoiler)[ OMG I didn't expect this at all. There is another person who can change his life too with her on this boat?! (hide spoiler)]

[Hina]

The Podcast of Revelations (view spoiler)[ Poor girl can't even have one good moment in her life without it being ruined by something tragical - her cat's death, her father's death, her brother's death, her mother's death... in each life there is something sad that happens to her. This book teaches us how there is nothing as a totally happy life "Sadness is intrinsically part of the fabric of happiness." - Nora Seed (hide spoiler)]

[Hina]

How It Ends (view spoiler)[ I already knew this book will be a 5 star read from the first page! Definitely one of my faves! I really like how it teaches us to appreciate what we have now and let go of regrets. I'm so excited to read another book by this author! (hide spoiler)]

[Ellen-Arwen]

Hina wrote: "How to Be a Blackhole [spoilers removed]"

Loving it so far too!

[Ellen-Arwen]

Hina wrote: "The Moving Shelves [spoilers removed]"

OMG, yes, I wish this was true lol. I'm enjoying this more than I thought I would for some reason - it's just really engaging!

[Ellen-Arwen]

Hina wrote: "The Three Horseshoes Page 50: Idk why but I feel like Dan her husband in this life is a big red flag?

Page 58: Well I wasn't wrong, he really IS a red flag, I didn't feel right about him since th..."

Yes!
The Successful Life(view spoiler)[

It's sad that every life's positive things seems to get cancelled out by the negatives so everything is just normal. Like in this chapter, her dad's alive but her mum's an alcoholic and died. Like, no life can be perfect. I guess that's the point. (hide spoiler)]

[Ellen-Arwen]

Andy wrote: "52% [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ It was so exciting to find someone else with a library (or video store lol) - I wish she'd stayed in Svalbard for longer. I wanted to learn from him more y'know? He's a pro at this! (hide spoiler)]

[Ellen-Arwen]

The Podcast of Revelations (view spoiler)[

She's realising what I was just writing about! She said she realises that every life has sadness in it and then is still massively surprised that her brother is dead :(

I love the idea of some of her songs - Howl sounds awesome, and I'd like to hear David Theroux as a song! (hide spoiler)]

[Ellen-Arwen]

Finished (yesterday) (view spoiler)[

I actually found this book incredibly sad on a personal level. Probably TMI, but the idea of the book of regrets and leaving them behind and being able to leave them behind and just live one life and be content with it... I spend so much time regretting things. Nora's realisation that she has to just live, just be alive, was amazing and I wish I could feel like that...

This is my own musings, sorry. This book really touched me. I'm no stranger to suicide and I wish I could have a midnight library and a Mrs Elm to help me negotiate life and the things I've missed out on. The so many things I regret. I don't know how to let go and I full on sobbed during bits of this. Very emotional for me.

As for Nora, I'm happy for her. She matures amazingly.

And I thought it was really well read (I audio-ed it) and the writing was good. I've only read Matt Haig's non-fiction before, and I was impressed. It's not beautiful or amazing writing, it's just writing that carries the story very well, the sort of writing you don't really notice.

Anyway. A very good book - and touched so many nerves with me that I wish I was a bit more prepared when I started! (hide spoiler)]