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sarahmreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Drug abuse, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
Minor: Cancer and Vomit
koolaberg's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Addiction, Toxic relationship, and Grief
Minor: Alcoholism, Cancer, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Stalking, and Death of parent
milenaaax98's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Death of parent
showmeorion's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt
Minor: Vomit
marisa9459's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Animal death, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
kailiyahknight's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Self harm, and Death of parent
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Cancer, Cursing, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Vomit, Abandonment, and Alcohol
psliz's review against another edition
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Cancer, Drug abuse, and Terminal illness
Minor: Death, Self harm, Vomit, Car accident, and Death of parent
sgpartyhat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The Midnight Library follows Nora Seed in the moments after her suicide attempt, as she finds herself in an infinite library of all the other possible lives she could have led, with the opportunity to lead them, if only for a while. It wrestles with themes of regret, potential, and hope. It tells its story well, unafraid of short chapters interspersed with occasional song lyrics and Facebook posts.
Things The Midnight Library is: hopeful, warm, predictable
Things The Midnight Library isn't: overwhelmingly profound, overbearing
I enjoyed the character growth. I enjoyed the worldbuilding. Nothing stood out to me as particularly mind-bending or life-changing, but watching Nora learn to live made me want to do so, too. The mix of supernatural and scientific was fun for this amateur physicist. The ending was sweet and expected, but done well.
The thing I liked least, weirdly enough, was the representation of depression. Despite Haig's clear effort, and near success, in representing the nuance of mental illness, there were a couple of moments that almost felt like Nora was magically "all better," or was going to be - often an unhelpful goal when you're struggling with your brain. That said, it's clear that Haig is writing from a place of experience, and while I've my fair share of mental health issues, I'm lucky enough to not really know what I'm talking about when it comes to this one.
Overall, I did really like the book. I would recommend it to anyone who feels ready to read a whole book about a suicide attempt - a whimsical, thoughtful, not-so-depressing one, but still. It was a good book to ring in a new year, and I'm glad to have read it.
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
Moderate: Vomit
Minor: Alcoholism and Drug abuse
katiehuggss's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Cancer
rebeccaay99's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Cancer, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
Minor: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Terminal illness, and Alcohol