Back Cover Blurb:
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 blockbuster 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.
“A person was like a city. You couldn’t let a few less desirable parts put you off the whole. There may be bits you don’t like, a few dodgy side streets and suburbs, but the good stuff makes it worthwhile.”
Matt Haig, The Midnight Library
I can see why this book is popular. It was quite easy to read. I haven’t heard of pop philosophy as its own category, but that is how I would characterize The Midnight Library. It has little gems of insight like saying the only way to learn is to live, which makes some reviewers think that this novel veers toward reading like a self-help book. While I acknowledge the fluff, it still had really beautiful moments and was fun. Sometimes warm fuzzies are what you are looking for. As such, I wish the author could have come to a similar premise without a suicide attempt.
Without access to my own magical Midnight Library, I already feel like I have tumbled through multiple lives in my time. It does not stop me from occasionally feeling stuck in a sub-optimal life sometimes, but I have learned that regardless of how I feel about a certain phase or season, it will pass. The idea that the loss of any greatness you might have seemed destined for in your youth is probably for the best is probably broadly appealing. Kind of interesting to have this message be delivered by what seems to me to be an internationally famous author.
One small detail that struck me as odd is how much Nora loves Henry David Thoreau. I still enjoy Thoreau’s quotes and appreciate his civil disobedience and awe of nature. Now that I am older, it is harder to take a man’s advice on self-reliance written when he lived in a friend’s cabin and had women attending to much of his cooking, cleaning, and laundry. I’d like to be that kind of “self-reliant” too. I have not met any women with deeper knowledge of philosophy that are Thoreau fans. If you are, please tell me why.
One reply on “The Midnight Library: Book Review”
> it is harder to take a man’s advice on self-reliance written when he lived in a friend’s cabin and had women attending to much of his cooking, cleaning, and laundry. I’d like to be that kind of “self-reliant” too.
Ouch! That stings!
I would venture to say that there are few people who are truly self-reliant, who also have time to write books about being self-reliant. Being 100% self-reliant is probably a ton of work just to stay fed and clothed. From that perspective, I think that it is probably not a worthy goal. A better goal is probably to realize that by working together, we can all live more happy, healthy, and fulfilling lives than if we all work separately.
I haven’t read much Thoreau, but now I am a bit intrigued. Maybe there are some tidbits which are worthwhile.