Scan barcode
josbookcorner's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The concept of the book is so cool. It made me really think about my life and the decisions I've made. The message of overcoming regrets shines throughout the entire story. It was beautiful reading about Nora discovering herself and her will to live.
Something I didn't like about this book was the language. I know it is an adult novel, but I found the swearing to be excessive and usually unnecessary. There were also various parts of the book that made me uncomfortable. So if you're a sensitive reader, this book isn't for you.
Overall, I give this book a 4.5/5 stars.
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Cancer, Drug use, Self harm, Stalking, and Death of parent
cas09106'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
3.5
Graphic: Animal death, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Stalking, and Death of parent
emmehooks'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: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Animal death and Stalking
kastix's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Cancer, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Stalking, and Sexual harassment
agathajanemaud1908'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
Graphic: Animal death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Suicide attempt, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Infidelity, Stalking, Car accident, and Death of parent
riverofhorton's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
coleanne'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
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Alcoholism, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Car accident, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
noodlesny'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
4.75
Graphic: Animal death, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Self harm, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Vomit, Medical content, Stalking, Car accident, and Fire/Fire injury
zerkleoflife's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Animal death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcoholism and Drug abuse
Minor: Stalking
haileyhardcover's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
•
•
•
Oooh we’re gonna get honest and dark with this review, folks… buckle up or back out now!
I’ve been suicidal (always passively, and sometimes actively) since I was 6-years-old. That’s not a typo. I can very clearly remember sitting in my childhood bedroom, legs dangling off of the edge of my red bunk bed, and thinking “I’m going to kill myself.” I’ve managed to trick myself into staying alive for the last 30 years, but I can’t say it’s been easy and I’ve made a lot of choices I wish I could take back - closed a lot of doors I wish I had walked through, run through others that I should have slammed shut. In the really dark moments the thing I regret most is not just ending things when I was 6 or 16 or 26. A whole book of regrets.
The concept of The Midnight Library really appealed to me. On the edge of death, Nora is given the opportunity to address her greatest regrets and sample the lives she could have had if she’d made different choices, in the hopes of find one where she could be happy - one where she would want to keep living. Spoiler Alert:
Maybe it’s wrong for me to hate the optimistic ending, but I do. If an anti-suicide message was the goal (and of course it was, because who is out here writing pro-suicide novels?) I truly would’ve preferred the gut punch ending of Nora realizing her root life was the best one for her and still dying anyway. A “learn from this character’s mistake” kind of approach. You made your death bed, now die in it.
Disappointing ending aside, it’s not a bad book, but it’s not great either. I can’t say I particularly liked any of the characters, it’s difficult to stay grounded in a story that’s primarily spent jumping between different lives, and there were plot points that were just fully abandoned (like Hugo and the other “sliders”… why even bother with that?) but it’s an enjoyable enough concept, easy to binge, and most of the chapters are very short, which I love. I doubt I would pick this book up again, but it was a decent way to occupy my brain for a couple of days.
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Terminal illness, and Death of parent
Minor: Cancer, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, and Fire/Fire injury