Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

116 reviews

theespressoedition's review against another edition

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5.0

In high school, during what I believed to be the height of my depression, I read It's Kind of a Funny Story. I had never felt so seen. It made what I was going through feel less bizarre and more normalized and it also gave me hope for what was to come. Little did I know that depression would follow me into adulthood and suicide would be something I wouldn't just contemplate but would also attempt more than once.  

I'm nearing 30, crazy in love with a woman who makes my waking hours better than my dreams, and the founder of my own business. I could continue to list all the good in my life, but what I'm working towards saying is that, despite all of the incredible things that I get to experience daily, I still struggle with depression. It hangs like a cloud above me and sometimes the littlest things gather up and begin to feel like the worst things. I promise... this is leading up to something great!  

I sobbed my way through The Midnight Library because it was like I was seen all over again but from a new perspective. I had read a few negative reviews of this book before getting it for myself, but after reading it, I began to feel as though the negative reviewers must have never experienced a lick of depression in their life, because this book hit all of it right on the nose. It depicted the hopeless feelings and general lack of desire to continue on that many depressed individuals experience.  

However, it also did a phenomenal job walking the reader through just why it's so important to continue actively working to live! My gosh, the redemption alone made me grateful that I read this book. I've never been so thankful for the way a book highlighted WHY and HOW living is the best choice.  

This book can be incredibly triggering, especially if you're currently in a low state or have walked through similar circumstances. Please approach this with caution and be gentle with yourself. At the same time, I also want to shove it in the face of every person who has experienced these things because it truly made me cherish my life all over again and I think it can do the same for so many others.  

This isn't a self-help book, but it will help. It will help those who have walked under this dark cloud and it will help those who need to know how to walk through it with others 

Thank you, Matt Haig, for writing this book.

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wanderingtales's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

5.0


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itsmeyseniab's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

We only need to be one person.
We only need to feel one existence.
We don't have to do everything in order to be everything, because we are already infinite.

First things first, I don't think I would have ever picked up this novel had it not been a pick for my book club The Top Shelf Society... but I'm so glad I did because this book is INCREDIBLE!

I really enjoyed how the more intense, deep topics such as depression, parallel universes, death and the afterlife were presented  in such a fantastical way (ie. our main character Nora experiencing all of her lives by reading books in a library with her childhood librarian Mrs. Elm). I personally enjoyed how real and raw Matt Haig was in these discussions, but I will say that I strongly suggest researching the content warnings attached to this story (I've done my best to list them all down below!) as I would not recommend this to anyone who struggles with thoughts of suicide or depression - these topics are at the forefront of the story and were presented in a blunt way at times. Although the discussions were very blunt, I believe that this novel is very hopeful and inspiring as well!

I could relate to our main character Nora a lot throughout the novel, and it was great to see her development over the course of her story/stories. I do wish I got more of Mrs. Elm though, as she was an impactful presence throughout Nora's life.

Overall, I thought this story was very thought-provoking; it will definitely stick with me for a long time!

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ameliabedelia22's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75

This book reminds me of The Five People You Meet in Heaven and It’s a Wonderful Life. It’s ok, but not really my kind of book. I knew how it was going to end from pretty much the second chapter, and I found the plot to be really predictable. I also feel like it in some ways downplays the impact of mental illness, suicide, and depression, in that
Nora decides after experimenting with a lot of different lives that she really does want to live after all, is able to wake herself up from her overdose, and suddenly just gets over her depression, and everyone reconciles with her, and she just decides to be happy. I don’t think real life is ever that simple, and I don’t think depression suddenly becomes manageable just because you choose to be happy. I don’t like when books use suicide as a plot device.
Overall, it just wasn’t the right book for me. It wasn’t what I was looking for. 

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pogue's review against another edition

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challenging reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0


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dulcinea's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

That just really fucked me up. ❤️
And hit a little too close to home.

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