The Midnight Library
If comparison is the thief of joy… well then regret is the thief of happiness.
But what if you could explore every alternate reality linked to each one of your regrets or major decisions?
The grass may have been greener on the other side, but what if it wasn’t? I just finished reading “The Midnight Library” a few weeks ago and this novel by Matt Haig explores that exact concept.
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig is a fantasy novel that explores themes of regret, choices, and the meaning of life through the story of its protagonist, Nora Seed.
Nora is a 35-year-old woman living in Bedford, England, and finds herself deeply unhappy with her life. She feels like she's failed in multiple areas: her career, relationships, and personal aspirations. Struggling with depression and feeling overwhelmed by regret, she decides to end her life. However, instead of dying, she finds herself in a magical, in-between place called The Midnight Library, a space between life and death.
The library is filled with infinite books, each one representing a different version of Nora’s life—one she could have lived if she'd made different choices. Nora is guided by Mrs. Elm, her childhood school librarian, who explains that Nora can try out as many of these alternative lives as she wants. If she finds one she is satisfied with, she can stay in it; if not, she returns to the library.
As Nora experiences various lives—becoming a famous rock star, a competitive swimmer, a glaciologist, and more—she starts to understand how every decision she made affected her path. She explores what might have happened if she had pursued different dreams, stayed in relationships, or kept certain commitments.
I won’t spoil the rest for you, I will simply encourage you to read the book!
Use this link to buy The Midnight Library from Amazon!
I found this story extremely compelling and a lot of Nora’s challenges very relatable. Every new book and subsequent journey Nora takes is very thought-provoking for the reader. Should you choose to read the book you will undoubtedly find yourself reflecting on your own life and hopefully leave a little more gracious and at ease with how things have turned out.
After all “the only way to learn is to live” and we are all living this life for the first time!
So here’s to doing our best, as often as we can,
Connor
