Book Review: The Midnight Library

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

This book is a perfect read for anyone who has struggled through a big life decision. If you made a huge, life-altering choice and wondered if your life would have turned out differently, if you would have been happier, if it was the right choice, then this is your book. It comforted me personally because I have always wondered how different my life would be if I chose to go to a different college, a different career path, a different sweater... I mean, the butterfly effect is real. One small act, one small choice can alter your entire life. It can affect everything in ways we cannot even fathom. This book helped me wrap my head around the fact that I don't need the "perfect" life to be happy.

This book has a sad start. It begins with a woman who wants to end her life; her name is Nora. She has a lot of regrets in life, and she does not think that life is worth living. One night, Nora wakes up in a library. Each book reflects a different life that she could have had if she made a different choice. So, there are an infinite number of books in this library, the Midnight Library. The librarian explains to Nora that she can look inside each book and see which life she would be happiest in. When she opens a book, she is transported to that life at the age she is now, to see how it would have turned out.

I think this book meant a lot to me because of the internal battles that I have been having about what I need to do to be happy. The Midnight Library helped me find the right answer.

Happy Reading,

Jo