I appreciate the opportunity to review this, but I still haven't read it after five years and likely will not. Thank you anyway!

I will admit this novel was not what I thought it would be but I am glad that I read it. Nora is unhappy with her life and the decisions she has made. The only way she feels that she can escape is by dying. After attempting to overdose she arrives at the midnight library a sort of limbo where all the books in the library are lives that she could have lived. I found it a fascinating way to work a bit outside the "what would my life be like" trope and recommend it.

I loved this concept, but I was SO ANXIOUS about being dropped into a life I knew nothing about. Overall, such a good read though!

Why do I feel like I have been sleeping on The Midnight Library? I found this novel to be such a uniquely written work with a premise that delights the audience but doesn't dilute the seriousness of the subjects of suicide or depression. Matt Haig certainly knows how to create a world of his own and entertain the audience tremendously.

In the space between life and death there is the midnight library, where a person can contemplate all of the untaken paths in their lives. Nora Seed is one of these people. Led by her favorite childhood librarian, Mrs. Elm, Nora is allowed to ask 'what if I made this choice' and peeks in on some alternate lifestyles. However, she quickly finds not everything can be made perfect by switching just one or two selections.

Guided by her former librarian, Mrs. Elm, Nora Seed explores alternate versions of her life after a suicide attempt, discovering that each path she regretted not taking had its own flaws and challenges.

I thought the beginning of the book was slow, then as we got into the different paths her life could have gone down, I was intrigued and enjoyed thinking about the what if's in life.

What a great read! I had to take a break halfway through due to the heavy nature of the content. When I picked it up again, I couldn't put it down. This made me feel a range of emotions, and it's one of the few books that has ever made me cry. Nevertheless, I absolutely loved every moment of it. It's definitely worth reading, and I'm now equally excited to read more from the author. This book is simply that good!

Many reviewers of this complain about its cliched, self-help vibe. But its cheesy "Life is worth living message" is part of what makes it worthwhile. The premise of the endless library and the quietly helpful librarian is lovely. The depression at the beginning is excellently drawn and very relatable.

I love Matt Haig, including his Comfort Book. Midnight Library is a great read for lovers of mainstream contemporary reads, literary fiction lovers, and people who need a little pick-me-up.

I was really enjoying this book until it turned into a combination of Everything I Need to Know I learned in Kindergarten and the Beatles' All You Need is Love. The moral of the story got really heavy handed there at the end. I really like Nora and I could see how she got into the place she found herself at the beginning. I liked the premise that every choice we make leads us on a different path, including when we don't make a choice and just let life happen to us. I just had a problem with the pages of "realization" Nora had when she came to the conclusion that love really is all around you.

The Midnight Library is a great book if you believe in the butterfly effect. I enjoyed the openness of the character and the weight of one's decisions.

Not for those with triggers for suicidal ideation/mentions of suicide. I couldn't finish this one, but I know several people who really enjoyed this one. I know the overall messege/theme is a great one.

4 stars, rounding up from 3.5. Goes on a bit too long, but a truly enjoyable book, well worth all the hype, long waits at the library by patrons, and choice as a book club title. Narrator was really great as well.

Many thanks to #NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

While this book uses some themes that might be difficult for some people to approach, its story is overall good, and it's obvious that Haig is a good writer.

A middle aged woman on the verge of suicide. Will she or won't she? Even she doesn't know. As she teeters between life and death she finds herself in a library, a neverending library. But what is contained in all the books. Will they guide her to a life worth living, or to the afterlife.
What happens in the midnight library???

This book led to a great discussion with a senior citizen book group I run. The ideas presented resonate with anyone who has lived a life and is open to other options maybe taking place. It was a surprisingly potent jumping off point for all involved. I say surprising because it was also a very accessible, enjoyable read and those books don’t always lead to the best conversations. But this book lives up to its phenomenal success.

Matt Haig is a master, and this is a tale that will stay with you long after you've turned the last page. Haig takes the reader to the land of "what if's" and it's an incredible, satisfying journey!

I picked this up and it gave me La sombra del viento vibes and I was very excited. But then it went Paulo Coelho on me and that is not something I enjoyed. If I'm honest with myself, there is only one place a story like this can end, so I should have known better.

A good motivational read about accepting your own life, warts and all.
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I desperately wanted to like this book, it ended up with such good reviews, but I just couldn't like it. The idea of being able to visit a life where you didn't do something you regret in your current life was intriguing. But.. It was too in your face, and too obvious.

This book is not to my taste. The writing was excellent, but the story was a bit depressing for me, but I can see how many people would enjoy this novel and I will be recommending it to my patrons. It is definitely a book that would garner great discussions and I highly recommend it for a book club read.