The Midnight Library by Matt Haig - Restarting August 30th 2022

[Sarah Elizabeth]

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.

[Lydia]

24% (page 70)
(view spoiler)[ So far the concept sounds very very interesting. But for some reason the writing feels very "script-y" to me, like it was meant to be a play instead of a book. I mean I like the story, it's just that, I haven't yet connected or felt for any of the characters. Except for the cat.

The first "trip" was quite interesting, even though she thought she hurt Dan, apparently he was better off without her -at least for that point in his life-.

The whole "oh what happened to her"
(the other her) wasn't very believable, so I think the writer could have skipped that. (hide spoiler)]

[Lydia]

60% (page 172)
(view spoiler)[ This book is still very interesting, and hard to put down. However, I'm not a fan of philosophy, and trying to explain stuff like this. By reading this book, you are accepting that you are reading fantasy basically, so is there really a need for the characters to try and explain everything? Well, in my opinion, no. But I may be wrong. Overall though it's super suspensful, interesting, and quick. I still find the writing more scripty, but I barely mind anymore, I'm very into the story. I also like a lot of her realizations (hide spoiler)]

[Lydia]

74% (page 214)
(view spoiler)[Still enjoying it very much actually! I think it's getting a bit predictable that at the end she'll just realise that she could do anything she wants in her actual life as well? I could be wrong though. Aaaand it still feels very scripty unfortunately (hide spoiler)]

[Lydia]

Finished! Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Bayan]

10%
(view spoiler)[that was super dramatic and sad, how hard must it be for someone who is depressed or suicidal.. (hide spoiler)]

[Bayan]

22%
(view spoiler)[this part is so freaking SADDDDD.. the idea of the midnight library was so awesome I couldn’t even properly understand it, but how she’s thinking of things now that’s she taken part in this life, I knew I wouldn’t have liked Dan just because idk I just didn’t like him :/ but I’m sad that she wasn’t as close as she was in this life to her friend (hide spoiler)]

[Bayan]

50%
(view spoiler)[this reads like an inspiring letter from an ancient grandparent, I feel like it has so many amazing philosophical quotes that I’m just absorbing like a sponge but I feel like it’s explained too much lol (hide spoiler)]

[Bayan]

80%
(view spoiler)[ I’m a bit confused, has she realized the whole purpose behind the whole thing or is she just taking guesses like oh I can do this I can do that (hide spoiler)]

[Bayan]

Finished
I enjoyed this very very much I couldn’t put it down and I loved every bit of it!!

[Bayan]

Lydia wrote: "24% (page 70)
..."

Agreed I would have done without that whole convo about the other one

[Bayan]

Lydia wrote: "60% (page 172)
[spoilers removed]"

I agreeee I totally felt like sometimes there was too much explained like okay I got it lol

[Mummy's Naughty Corner]

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Date changed. Restarting August 19th 2021. Happy Reading ☺

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[[deleted user]]

Yeay... can't wait to start this. I waited so long for the library to let me borrow it on audio.

[[deleted user]]

21.0% (view spoiler)[ so, so far what I get is that Nora wants to kill herself, but before she does we get a short glimpse of events happening in her life hours before she decides to die. Her job, her cat, her ex, her brother, her friend, and her unaccomplished dreams, then at exactly midnight she is transported to a library.... and bam she is greeted by Mrs. Elm and that awful book of regrets. Dan, is the first one.... (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

40.0% (view spoiler)[ I liked this other alternate too, she got to be close to her brother and she got to be a professional swimmer, winning medals and she had become a doctor. How cool is that? But she still didn't feel like this was the life she wanted. I dont think I like her dad either and her mom just gave up to drinking and Nora wasn't there for her mom on the last days. (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

75.0% (view spoiler)[ ehh she almost disappeared after that speech. I like Hugo, I feel that he is living all this lives but it has to get boring. I am glad that Nora is finally coming to the conclusion that all those other lives don't matter. I'm glad she wants to just live her one regular life. Let's see what happens with Ash. (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

Finished... (view spoiler)[ That library falling apart was scary!!! I'm so glad she got to experience Molly and Ash and she got to see what it would be like if she hadn't been for that boy she taught piano lessons to. I'm glad the librarian was able to help her realize the life she already had was the best version of her life. (hide spoiler)]

[Mummy's Naughty Corner]

30%

(view spoiler)[ Interesting idea. I've often thought what life would be like if I made different choices. (hide spoiler)]

[Mummy's Naughty Corner]

53%

(view spoiler)[ So Hugo is the same and it might not be as simple as we first thought. (hide spoiler)]

[Mummy's Naughty Corner]

75%

(view spoiler)[ Well it's funny to see all those other lives and she hasn't found the one she wants to have too much. I think her time is running out too. (hide spoiler)]

[Mummy's Naughty Corner]

Finished

(view spoiler)[ Well i liked it. It defiantly can hit home especially if things aren't going how you want but it's true only you can make the changes. (hide spoiler)]

[Mummy's Naughty Corner]

Cinthia wrote: "21.0% [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ Yeah I like how it was Mrs Elm that met her. (hide spoiler)]

[Mummy's Naughty Corner]

Cinthia wrote: "40.0% [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ Yeah it highlights the fact that you can't live your life for someone else. She followed her dads dreams for her and it still went wrong. (hide spoiler)]

[Mummy's Naughty Corner]

Cinthia wrote: "Finished... [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ Yeah it's cool how just another look at things could change her perspective so much. I loved seeing Mrs Elm in the home too. (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

25% (view spoiler)[This is really different. Depressing that the heroine wants to die but I am loving the concept. Like a blur of a Christmas Carol and Groundhog Day, only minus the same day over and over. I like the idea of seeing many of your possible futures based on some change that can be so minute. Being able to change things she regrets is nice because no matter what I think we all have some regrets, minor or major we wish we could change. (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

60%(view spoiler)[I love that she got to live her rockstar fantasy lol (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

88%(view spoiler)[Irony that the perfect life or should I say the life she thought was perfect is really not. Almost makes you appreciate what you have. (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Finished(view spoiler)[ Really enjoyed this. Think the heroine's journey was fun and even if the book was a bit boring here and there I enjoyed the ride. (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Cinthia wrote: "21.0% [spoilers removed]"

Yeah kinda a sad start!

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Cinthia wrote: "40.0% [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ I thought it was pretty cool she got to try out all her dreams too! Wish I could go and see some of my possible futures lol (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Mummy's Naughty Corner wrote: "30%

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[If only we all had a chance to make different choices. Then again I don't ever want to be to that point in my life like the heroine was in the beginning :( (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Cinthia wrote: "Finished... [spoilers removed]"

Not the library lol, it was more sad for me than anything I think ;)

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Mummy's Naughty Corner wrote: "Finished

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Makes me think of the quote about us being the masters of our own fates or something like that! So true too (hide spoiler)]

[Jenn]

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Date changed. Restarting June 1st 2022. Happy Reading ☺

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[Aaron]

10%
(view spoiler)[ I’m impressed with the atmosphere the author has managed to create. I feel totally in Nora’s headspace when reading. This is an interesting premise for a book. I think I’m gonna need more breaks than usual when reading this to avoid getting too sucked in to the overall sense of despair. (hide spoiler)]

[Haley]

i>Aaron wrote: "10%
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ I wasn’t expecting the chapters to be set up this way & I’m loving it so far! I agree with you on the author’s writing. I feel as if I’m Nora with the writing sucking you into the story. Definitely a good deal of sadness in this beginning portion (hide spoiler)]

[Aaron]

Haley wrote: "i>Aaron wrote: "10%
[spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ Its not set out how I thought it would be either. I was expecting much longer chapters but I like the pacing so far so it was a good decision. (hide spoiler)]

[Haley]

35% (view spoiler)[ I'm enjoying the mini stories within this story that shows what her life could have been. A book of regrets sounds like TOO much for someone who just tried to leave the world, but this in-between library helps Nora to figure out what life she could live. I wonder which regret will be the one that she actually feels happy in. (hide spoiler)]

[Haley]

52% (view spoiler)[ surprised there's more like nora! I wasn't expecting Hugo to be there and think this life as a glaciologist might be the one for Nora or at least the one she stays in the longest. At least she has finally felt meaning in staying alive. interested to see how this plays out. I did get a bit lost in the quantum explanation of life that Hugo dove into with his conversation with Nova (hide spoiler)]

[Haley]

70% (view spoiler)[ of course right after saying that Nora disappears from her life of being a glaciologist. Hugo seemed to be very bland... I'm wondering how the end of this story is going to wrap up... my prediction is she'll end up being happy with the life she tried to leave and attempt to rekindle relationships and find a new job that gives her happiness (hide spoiler)]

[Haley]

finished (view spoiler)[ a good ending and overall a really good book. I felt like I got a little bored during the middle when it started to become repetitive with Nora repeating different lives. The ending was sweet with her relationship with her brother improving and I can only hope she will end up with a daughter like Molly. I'm happy I finally got to dive into this book and the mention of mental health in this is definitely prevalent in the time now. The author did a wonderful job at describing the scenes (especially the fire in the library) I practically felt like I was there trying to figure out what I was supposed to write down in the blank book in order to escape. (hide spoiler)]

[Aaron]

Haley wrote: "35% [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ I wonder if she could ever really be happy in any of the lives seen as how she’s walking into all of them knowing nothing. She won’t seem herself or really know what she’s doing in any of them so they’ll all be hard to adapt to. It’d be better if she was given some background knowledge going in. I wonder what the outcome of all this will be. (hide spoiler)]

[Haley]

Aaron wrote: "Haley wrote: "35% [spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ I didn't consider that part. Having to adapt to whatever story she ends up in is a difficult process in itself and as soon as she feels disappointed she just gets taken out. She's expected to know the names of everyone around her (hide spoiler)]

[Aaron]

53%
(view spoiler)[ well that was an odd ending to that life. I don’t really get Hugo. Their explanation of what was going on was quite interesting. I don’t really get why she left that life though. She seemed pretty satisfied overall. She was just disappointed with her night with Hugo. Surely one disappointing moment shouldn’t be enough to make her leave a life or she’s never gonna stick to one. (hide spoiler)]

[Aaron]

Haley wrote: "70% [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ That sounds like a pretty good theory. She’d be better off starting over with Ash and building that life than throwing herself into this life with him. (hide spoiler)]

[Aaron]

Done
(view spoiler)[ I really liked the writing in this book. The atmosphere it created was excellent. I’m happy with the ending. Well done on figuring that one out. I did also get a little bored in the middle and it was a little preachy in parts but it was good overall. I can see why this has gotten so much hype. (hide spoiler)]

[Haley]

Aaron wrote: "53%
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ I thought the same thing.. it seemed like they were getting along and one bad night in bed seemed to be disappointing enough for her to go back to the library? weird (hide spoiler)]

[Haley]

my apologizes!! I didn't see these posts!!
Aaron wrote: "Done
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ the author outdid herself with the writing she created in this book and I truly enjoyed it! I'm happy it wasn't a longer book, I felt like it was the perfect length for the plot and concept of the story. The hype is understandable with the prevalence of mental health being so important right now. (hide spoiler)] thank you for buddy reading with me!!

[Aaron]

Haley wrote: "my apologizes!! I didn't see these posts!!
Aaron wrote: "Done
[spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed] thank you for buddy reading with me!!"

(view spoiler)[ you’re definitely right about the length. I’m glad it wasn’t dragged out. (hide spoiler)]. No worries. Thanks for finally making me open this book by buddy reading.