A really great read, not only are you going on the journey through life with the character but it makes you really think about your life too. Makes you consider the paths you are taking and if you will end up regretting not doing something in the future.

A really lovely, eye opening read!

I love Matt Haig's writing, which is honest and at times heartbreaking. The Midnight Library is no exception. As always with Matt, the concept is strong. Imagine you could visit the Midnight Library (which I read as limbo) and do things in your life differently? I really enjoyed this book and felt it would also be a great read for a YA audience.

This book was so well written, it stirs something inside you. Impossible to put down as the magical story pulls you in. I’ve not read such a beautiful book in a while.

Matt Haig's latest novel is a thoughtful story about wanting to kill yourself; live choices; regrets; and reasons to live. The idea is a simple one. Nora Seed is trying to kill herself but is not dead yet. Instead she find herself in a place in between life and death - The Midnight Library. In this library are books full of alternative versions of her life. By opening the book she experiences that version of her life. She can see if those other versions of her life would have made her happier, more content with life, or not. If she does she can stay in that version of her life. If not, she returns to the library to start again.

It is no surprise given that Haig has gone through the experience of trying to end his life that this book is smart, compassionate, insightful and funny. As a result it is neither trite or preachy. What it is, is a lovely book about wanting to live.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC to read and review

It’s been a long time since I finished a book and immediately wanted to go back to the beginning so I could start again. This was my first Matt Haig book, and it did not disappoint. It perfectly encapsulates the feeling of hopelessness that can come from feeling sad or low all. of. the. time., and the journey that this sadness can take you on.

The premise of this book intrigued me but in the end it felt like a series of ideas that had been shoehorned into a novel format. Some good ideas to explore but ultimately I felt it became a little trite and insubstantial.

Do you ever wish you could undo your previous regrets? That’s the premise of Matt Haig’s latest novel, The Midnight Library.
Nora feels empty, lost and alone. Living in the town where she grew up with all friends and family moved away, gone or not speaking to, nothing seems worth it. Soon she decides the easiest thing would be if she didn’t live but when she commits the deed, she gets transported to a mysterious library-like purgatory where she can try out lives like outfits in a clothes shop.
The premise harks back to A Christmas Carol with its viewing of different lives however Haig’s writing keeps the tone effervescent and breezy. That’s not to say that there aren’t emotional pulls to the book - the prevalent theme of exploring depression and anxiety that run through Haig’s work are present here.
There are certain aspects of the book where you’re simply waiting for Nora to return to the library having learned a lesson however these are few and far between - with enough wit and personality in the writing to see you through.
Given the current situation, The Midnight Library provides a fantastic balm and positive message without lingering too long on getting you down. Matt Haig has a truly deft touch of balancing tonality throughout his books and ensuring the messages of positivity and love ooze through every chapter.

Haig’s done it again. Achieving the perfect balance of making you drift off into a literary dream whilst making you have a good think. And just like his previous corkers of books, I’d fully recommend the Midnight Library to all fellow readers.

‘Between life and death there is a library,’ she said. ‘And within that library, the shelves go on for ever. Every book provides a chance to try another life you could have lived. To see how things would be if you had made other choices . . . Would you have done anything different, if you had the chance to undo your regrets?’

Nora Seed gets the chance as we follow her journey into the elusive Midnight Library. Coming from a pretty miserable existence, the future looks filled with possibilities. But what is it that makes life a good one? And what makes us truly content?

If you’re partial to highlighting your books, this one will look like a GCSE textbook by the end as it’s filled with gorgeous ‘Haigisms’, like this little nugget: “...it is not the lives we regret not living that are the real problem. It is the regret itself. It’s the regret that makes us shrivel and wither and feel like our own and other people’s worst enemy.”

This is one of those rare books that leaves you feeling like you’ve just taken in a huge breath of air and you’re ready to accomplish anything! And guess what? You are!

Matt Haig’s novels always feel like a gift to me - a second chance - perspective-shifting stories where he bestows his wisdom on us all ❤️

The Midnight Library is Nora’s version of Limbo, a unique place existing somewhere between life and death. On the shelves of her library are the many lives she could have lived, lives full of surprising, scary and character-building opportunities. All she has to do is open a book to try a new life on for size. Once she closes a book, she can never return. Would she be happier in another life?

Matt Haig has a talent of ironing out even the most complex issues with his words. Every week I see more and more of my friends share his posts and for good reason, he writes in a way that makes you physically shout “Yes! That!” at your screen. Each novel I’ve read takes that a step further, you can feel the story opening your mind in ways you’d have otherwise never discovered. This one is no different. It’s like life therapy. In one chapter, in particular, Nora reflects on what she’s learned through living multiple lives. It’s just beautiful. Haig is clearly light-years ahead of me on his journey to self discovery. I’m so glad he shares this wisdom.

If you ever wonder “what if?” then this book’s definitely one to add to your wish list.

Favourite quote: “We don’t have to play every game to know what winning feels like.”

I certainly feel like my eyes and heart are more open after reading it. The Midnight Library is out in August 🎉

The midnight library
Nora Seed is depressed and done with life. But she is about to encounter the midnight library where you get to try out all the lives you could have chosen by swapping the book of regrets for books containing infinite possibilities.
Should Nora go back to the swimming she enjoyed but gave up, with the promise of an Olympic career? Should she continue as the singer in her long-ago band? Or move to Australia with her friend Issy?
This sweet novel sounds downbeat but it’s actually uplifting and inspiring.
It feels a little like a fable - we’re learning lessons about how to live our lives, and cope with the sorrows, while reading Nora’s story.
But it’s too charming to feel didactic and you’re soon rooting for Nora in her quest for the perfect life.
Thoroughly recommended.

i read this lovely book in one sitting this week, and I loved it. It was like a sledgehammer to the frontal cortex, if the sledgehammer was made of fresh air, good food, and a stretch. I will be recommending this book widely when it arrives into my shop - I can't wait to see what my customers think of it.

Being a realist, I do not normally like fantasy books. The description piqued my interest and once I got into the story I really enjoyed it. Nora has depression and this book begins with a day in her life where everything that can go wrong has gone wrong . She decides that enough is enough and takes an overdose. The next part of the book explores lives that could have happened if she had made different decisions at different times in het life. Very thought provoking and it gets you thinking about crossroads and what-ifs in your own life. No spoilers here, but what does emerge is why we choose to follow a particular path, is it for ourself or for others ?
I loved the descriptions of the surroundings and Nora's feelings about being almost an outsider looking into an alternative existence . This is a fantasy book for a realist ! Although the idea is a bit far-fetched, it is written in a totally believable way
Thank you to Net Galley for an interesting read in exchange for an honest review and To the publisher and Matt Haig for an interesting read

Warning: This book will make you think! About your life, about your life choices and everything in-between. Matt Haig, an author who openly admits to struggling with mental health issues himself and advocating awareness of depression and other mental illnesses, has created a masterpiece that is deep, philosophical and utterly moving. 

It is a tough time for Nora: she has lost her job, her cat just died, nobody seems to need her, years of depression have worn her down, ... and so she decides to die. However, instead of achieving oblivion she wakes up in the Midnight Library, a place between life and death where all your possible, alternative lives are stored. Nora is given the chance to try out different versions of her life with the promise that she may eventually stay in one that she finds 100% desirable. 

You can already guess where this is going. Everyone who has ever asked themselves the famous "What if?" question - and, honestly, who hasn't? - will find themselves in this beautiful novel. Even when the grass at first seems to be greener on the other side of the fence, it hardly ever is. And this is something that Nora has to learn as she explores the books on the shelves. By and by, she moves through her own Book of Regrets, and realises that things are not as easily mended as she maybe initially assumed.

It is clear that this book was written by someone who knows what he is talking about. The Midnight Library is compassionate and emphatic. Haig's inspiring observations are wonderfully nuanced, touching the reader deep in the core of their souls. (Yes, I'm aware that this sounds cheesy but it's the truth, so deal with it. ;o)) This is a book that starts of as a sad story but ultimately turns into a narrative of the joys of life, however small they may be or how insignificant they may appear. 

I very much loved the many references to philosophy, and particularly to Thoreau's Walden, as they gave the story even more depth. For me, it put a lot of things into perspective, and I had to contemplate the book for several days before being able to put my thoughts into this review. “Sometimes the only way to learn is to live.” - I guess, that is the main message of The Midnight Library and I highly recommend it (both the life motto and the novel)!

We all have regrets. We all wish at some point in our lives we did something different, or took advantage of an opportunity we had turned down. We all wonder 'what if' at some point....

This is the story of Nora. Suffering with depression, she becomes suicidal and decides she doesn't want to live anymore after the loss of her beloved cat, being made redundant from her job and no longer feeling needed or loved by anyone. Deciding her life isn't worth living she takes an overdose, however, she ends up in 'The Midnight Library'.

Confronted by her old friend and school librarian Mrs Elm, she is given the choice to undo her regrets and live one of her parallel lives. To see what might be different if she had made alternative choices at the major crossroads in her life. Her perfect life must be in this library somewhere... right?

I absolutely loved this book. I found the concept and underlining message thought provoking and powerful.

Life is always worth living, the possibilities are endless and even the smallest, most insignificant act can make a massive difference to someone else's life without you even realising. No life is worthless and there is no point regretting the past, leave it where is is and concentrate on what's in front of you. There is always hope and a way out of the darkest of places if you look hard enough.

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free book!*

CW: suicide, depression, death etc.

I wasn't a huge Matt Haig fan before, so this review is not biased, rather this book had to work really hard to convince me. It's about Nora, whose cat just died, who has just lost her job, who is estranged from her brother and who is depressed, full of regrets for missed opportunities and suicidal. When she overdoses, she does not die though. She comes to "The Midnight Library", where the former librarian from her school days, Mrs Elm, informs her that she is currently in limbo & can try out different lives in order to decide whether she'd like to keep on living. So she tries out different lives: as a rockstar, as a glaciologist, as a mother, as a former Olympic swimmer...

As you can see, the outline of the novel is fairly simple and albeit well crafted, the construction of it shows. A lot. This annoyed me at first, because I thought I'd be be able to predict the outcome of the novel (I was right) and that I wouldn't fall for the narrative (I did). The nice thing about this book isn't really the content (and Nora is very privileged to have been able to achieve everything in these infinite parallel universes), but about the message: Life is always worth living and there are always ways to make it better for you and others. Also: constant happiness is a myth, nobody is happy all the time, nobody. And we shouldn't strive to reach other people's dreams. (And that was also one outcome I had anticipated, but the novel really made me feel it!)

Wholesome, interesting, philosophical (as a person with a Master's degree in Philosophy I loved how philosophers were used in the narrative and, random but fun fact, I always wanted to name my future potential dog Plato, what are the odds?) and fast paced, a nice thought experiment which didn't surprise me at all though. But it's nice to be taken back to square one and declutter your ideas concerning life.

4,5 Stars

Thanks to Canongate and NetGalley for the Advance Review Copy in exchange for an honest review.

What if you could change the past? Take all those nasty regrets and make a different choice? Nora, the main character of this novel is given that chance to remake some of her past decisions.

I really like Matt Haig. He seems like an all round top bloke. Up till now I hadn't read any of his books but I'd heard about this one some months ago and the premise sounded intriguing.

I felt like this book read like one of those eastern philosophical tales where characters exist to make some kind of profound point. It felt like lots of key messages from a self help book were couched within the story which considering self help books are basically kryptonite to me didn't really endear me to it.

One of the consequences of this approach was that the characters didn't really have much depth. They just existed to make some kind of point and then buggered off. It was also completely obvious what the ultimate outcome of Nora's story was going to be.

It was just a bit fat meh for me. Rather than feeling uplifted, I just felt irritated and a little bit patronised.

The Midnight Library is another compelling, addictive novel by esteemed writer, Matt Haig. I was obsessed with this book, I couldn't possibly put it down.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Matt Haig always has comforting insights on depression and the anxiety generated by our modern lives and disregard for the planet, and after enjoying his novel The Humans I was really looking forward to The Midnight Library, which comes out this August. This too is a very heartwarming novel carrying a message of kindness and self-love, but I was sadly left a bit disappointed 🌙
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Here is a one line synopsis: After attempting suicide, Nora Seed lands in the midnight library, a place between life and death where each book represents one of the alternative lives she could have had ✨
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Someone on Goodreads described this book as a "fictionalised self help" and there is no better way to put it. I'm glad some people find pure self-help books comforting, but they personally make me cringe. Thankfully Matt Haig's novels don't. There is no patronising tone, no silly list to remember. It's well written, it's entertaining and reading it feels like being hugged by a dear friend. That said, in the case of The Midnight Library the whole thing felt a bit too simple. The Humans has a similar style and plot structure, with short snappy chapters, but offered surprisingly sharp insights into the troubled human mind. I didn't find that in this one. I would still recommend it if you're in need of something uplifting but that doesn't shy away from tackling real life issues such as mental health and suicide - 3.5🌟
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Thank you to the publisher for granting me early access through @netgalley

“Would you have done anything different, if you had the chance to undo your regrets?”

The Midnight Library is a poignant reminder of how fragile human life can be. A story that makes you question what you wish you’d done differently and think about how your life might have turned out if you had. Would you be happy? Fulfilled? Would things have turned out better?

Nora’s journey was painful but beautiful. A journey that I believe a lot of people will relate to and I certainly did. Matt Haig showed us all of the dark but also, the light that can be experienced in one’s life.
Human life is beautiful and something to be cherished. This book just made me appreciate that a whole lot more.

I don’t believe my words will ever be able to do this book any justice. It’s something everyone should experience for themselves.

Thank you so much to Canongate, NetGalley and most importantly, Matt Haig for the pleasure of receiving this e-ARC.

I loved this. The concept of a library between life and death where you can explore your unfulfilled lives had already thrown this onto my must read list for 2020 hard so my expectations were high. And yet it still lived up to them.
Haig's writing, even in fiction, cuts to the chase of what it means to be human; to struggle with expectations, disappointments and regret, and yet find hope in kindness, compassion and acceptance and The Midnight Library encapsulates all of this and inspires hope and gratitude. Think A Wonderful Life with more books.