I'm late to add a review for this, but I loved it! Easy to recommend to people and a good way to introduce more people to Matt Haig. It will be featured in our library program, Best of 2020.

THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY by Matt Haig is one of my favorite books of the year. This imaginative novel explores the idea of divergent parallel universes and tells the story of Nora who is unhappy in her current life. Haven't we all wondered about the other choices we could have made? Caught between life and death, Nora enters a magical library where different life stories exist and she is able to visit alternative lives exploring glaciers, as a swimming champion, as a famous lead singer, as a wife and mother. Along the way, she struggles with her own Book of Regrets and eventually accepts that "the only way to learn is to live" for "sadness is intrinsically part of the fabric of happiness. You can't have one without the other." Haig's series of adventures (in some ways reminiscent of It's a Wonderful Life) will certainly have readers reflecting on the impact of their own lives. I loved when he pointed out, "Librarians have knowledge. They guide you to the right books. The right worlds. They find the best places. Like soul-enhanced search engines."

Haig is a prolific writer; his works include a number of stories for children. In addition, I have found Haig's writing about depression (Notes on a Nervous Planet or Reasons to Stay Alive) to be quite insightful and would also definitely recommend his How to Stop Time, another adult novel that blends introspection and adventure (rumored to be a movie soon). Haig says, "it's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see;" enjoy THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY from your own perspective – it received a starred review from Booklist.

I thought the premise of this book was very clever - the protagonist Nora Seed has the opportunity to see how her life might have turned out had she taken different paths. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and I recommend it!

Depression and doubt are the thieves of joy. This novel is a Journey into the most imaginative interpretation of that statement. I really enjoyed the deep dive into variations of Nora and how they story arc included them in her defining moments of growth.

I will be pondering on some of the life lessons brought up in the little gem for a while. Thank you NetGalley for the early edition.

Have you ever wondered what your life would be like if you had changed just one decision that you made along the way? Different job? Different place to live? Different mate? Turned right instead of left?

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig makes you really think about those decisions or possible regrets in your life. Would your life be better if you made different decisions? Nora, the main character, decides the life isn't worth living and commits suicide. However, instead of dying, she is taken to a "library" where each book represents what her life would have been like if a different decision had been made.

The book reminded me of the movie Groundhog's Day in a way, which is one of my least favorite movies. That being said, I loved this book. Weird, right? Even though it was sort of predictable, which is why I don't like the aforementioned movie, this book was full of hope and light. It helps your to realize that your life is the one you were meant to live, and really, there is a lot of awesome things happening to you. I love that this book made me appreciate what I do have in life.

I was given this book for my honest review. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an uplifting book to read right now.

Nora Seed was depressed well before her cat died, but when she got fired from her job and missed the piano lesson she was supposed to teach and had her elderly neighbor "fire" her from picking up his prescriptions for him THE VERY NEXT DAY... well, she couldn't see a way forward. The Midnight Library takes place in the moments after Nora's suicide attempt, where it's unclear whether or not survive. During this time, Nora visits The Midnight Library, where her childhood school librarian helps her look at the choices she's made in the past, and the lives that she may have lived if she'd chosen differently. It's a bit like It's A Wonderful Life, but with a really fantastic therapist on hand. Haig does a wonderful job of presenting anxiety and depression accurately and kindly, so that this book could be absolutely wonderful for someone who is on the road to success when it comes to managing their mental health. That said, it could also be a depressing story for someone who's not in a great state of mind. Though I enjoyed the story, I'm hesitant to give an all-out recommendation for this.

The midnight library starts with our main character killing herself and she finds her self in the midnight library. The midnight library is fled with stories/books that could have been different lives she could have lived.

Let me say this book makes you question so many things and I can't stop thinking about it.

One of my favorite reads of 2020

Really great book. I was hesitant at first because of the depression issues, I worried they might be triggering but it turned out to be a wonderful read. I loved the search for happiness and how to find who you really are.

QUICK TAKE: I wanted to love it, but I had issues with THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY...mainly, that I never connected to supporting characters in this story as they're not properly introduced in the beginning, so as our lead character lives out alternate versions of her life, you're never able to connect in an emotional way to the other people in her life or their interpersonal relationships. Cool concept, but the execution left me wanting more.

I loved this book of second chances and facing our regrets head-on. The Midnight Library is about the impact that each and every desicion we make, no matter how small, has on our lives and the lives of those around us. The ending wraps up a bit too nicely, but the message is a good one. This is a quick read that I throroughy enjoyed.

I loved this book. The idea of a personal infinite library housing the multiverses of lives we could have lived is both charming and scary. First of all, I loved imagining what that physical space would look like. The author does a really great job of presenting this situation whimsically but also seriously--what if you could do it all again? The moments we think were mistakes might not have been, and quieter decisions we have made in the past might have been more pivotal. How do you know your life would be better?

Nora Seed runs the gamut of these emotions in looking at her past/future/potential lives. Like all of us, she is pretty clueless about identifying the truly important things and moments in her life. Nora ends up learning about herself through this journey and facing her flaws and seeing the effect of her life and decisions on others. I would highly recommend this book for people who love flawed but endearing characters, books, and imaginary libraries.

Nora Seed has really sunk into the depths of despair when she finds herself given the chance to erase her regrets. Who wouldn't want the ability to see how life would turn out had one made different choices along the way. Will one of these new lives be enough for Nora? Does "all I've ever dreamed of" really lead to the the life of your dreams? What is the secret to happiness and fulfillment? Nora learns all of this and more in The Midnight Library. I enjoyed this sweet, heart-warming book. It's a quick read that will leave you feeling good. Features a fairly original plot and likable characters. Would recommend.

This was such a fun book, I am big fan of Matt Haig and was not disappointed. One minor issue I had was with the description of the book vs. the actual book itself. Something about the description led me to assume there would be more fantasy and whimsy than the actual story had. However, I was not disappointed in the story itself. It was exquisite. I just found it jarring to get into the book and realize it was going a different direction than I was led to believe. I loved the characters, I loved the idea of the library, and the execution of that idea. My only gripe is that I wouldn't have minded seeing Nora go down a few more rabbit trails of what ifs. Overall, it was a wonderful read and one I could see myself returning to again.
*I received an egalley from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Talk about a lyrical joy to read! This was a quick story centered around the question: if you could go back and change a decision you made, what would you change?

A loaded question comes with heavy consequences and Nora, our main character, sifts through it all one night after getting "stuck" between life and death in something called "The Midnight Library".

Based on quantum physics and parallel universes, this read could be sci-fi? Could be fantasy or even magical realism? That really takes a backseat to theme and story arc--it is not something that is emphasized or that confusingly takes away from the plot.

I won't say much more in fear of giving a way too much, but this truly was a beautifully written, stunning story of a woman who is given a chance to choose a "different" life, in an effort to discover what it means to be happy and loved.

The Midnight Library is an emotional and fascinating read. Matt Haig's writing is bewitching and beautiful.

I love "Sliding Doors" stories, from Kate Atkinson's "Life After Life" to the musical "If/Then." These narratives let us explore the possibilities of a big cosmic reset button, of multiverse theory. They let us daydream of which moments we'd redo if we could. Matt Haig's "The Midnight Library" gives us a new spin on this idea. Our heroine, Nora, finds herself in this library after she tries to kill herself. In this liminal space, Nora gets a chance to reconsider: Does she want it all to end? Or does she just need a fresh start, a life exactly like her own where she made one big or small decision differently? She ends up sampling dozens of lives she could have lived under the watchful eye of a beloved childhood librarian. In the end, she'll still have to decide: Does she want to carry on in some way? The book is really well done, but some of the answers Nora finds along the way seem just the tiniest bit too easy or too trite.

2.5 stars

*Potential trigger warning: suicidal ideation

This is the first book I've read from this author, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I'd heard a lot about this book, so I was looking forward to it, though it's not my typical read.

If you're a fan of parallel universes, philosophy, and quantum physics, this is a book you may want to check out. Sadly, it didn't quite hit the mark for me.

Life is often filled with "what it" questions. This story addresses some of those thoughts. Some plot points were a bit predictable, and some were just a bit unbelievable. I had a bit of a problem reconciling how the story swung back and forth. The characters, particularly Nora, didn't seem that realistic, and it was hard for me to stay engaged and feel connected with them. Many concepts were just confusing to follow with too many random scenarios.

I did enjoy the mental health/depression angle, and I thought the author had some important messages there. However, the rest of the story just didn't live up to my expectations.

A couple of my favorite quotes:
- "If you aim to be something you are not, you will always fail. Aim to be you ... the truest version of you."
- “The only way to learn is to live.”

This book has solidified Matt Haig as my favorite author. After reading The Humans, he was already on his way but The Midnight Library has just confirmed everything I already knew: Matt Haig gets me. If you are the type that spends days, months, or even years wondering how your life might have been different if you had made a different choice at a pivotal point in your life, then this book is for you. I think most people can relate to that at least a little bit. This is one of those books that I could confidently recommend to everyone I know. And I probably will.

A thoughtful read about the lives we could have had. There exists a library between life and death, filled with an infinite number of books, each one contains a different choice made in life. If you've ever wondered, "what if?" This is the read for you.

The Midnight Library is a great book! Haven't we all wondered, "what if?" What if I had followed through with a hobby? What if I moved to a different country? As we all do, Nora lived her life with a great many regrets. She was unhappy, unloved, unemployed and attempted suicide, only to find herself in the Midnight Library, where she is given the opportunity to follow up on all her "what ifs." After living several of her alternate lives, Nora learns that not every variation of life is better than her current one. This is a book that makes you think and consider your own existence.