I’ll be the first to admit that this book wasn’t at ALL what I was expecting, but I enjoyed it all the same. When reading the blurb the first time, I thought “cool, a sci-fi novel that lets you slide through different dimensions and times.” I think I was expecting something along the lines of Doctor Who, but that was my interpretation and based on nothing but the blurb and some reviews I read. Y’all, it is nothing like that! The Midnight Library by Matt Haig is an exploration of one woman’s life, her deepest regrets, and how one choice can set your life on a different path. Dealing with topics of depression, suicide, grief, and death, it isn’t for the faint of heart. However, Haig delivers a beautiful, messy story that is as relatable as it is entertaining.

We first meet Nora Seed on the day she decides to die. Nora is a deeply depressed character, struggling with her grief and regrets. Her life isn’t what she thought it would be. She’s still living in her hometown, having never left. She chose to dump her fiancé before their wedding, and while to the reader it’s clear it was the right choice, Nora regrets it and even misses him on occasion. Then her cat dies, her brother doesn’t want to see her, and she loses her job all in one day. She’s done and with a bunch of pills on hand, Nora decides to die and wakes up in the Midnight Library.

The Midnight Library is like an in-between place. You aren’t dead, but you also aren’t alive. Time stands still. Every book on the shelf is a different life Nora could have lived had she made a different choice. Rock star, Olympian, dead mother, dead father, both alive, married with a kid, living in Australia, fighting a polar bear….all of these are different lives Nora could have, and through the library is able to experience. There is only one book in the library that she isn’t allowed to touch and that is her book of regrets. Each life choice that she has made is written there. The library is infinite, and Nora has the chance to slide into each life and experience it. This concept is interesting because it gives Nora the chance to right her wrongs and see what her life could have been. But will she be happy in any of those lives is the real question. And if she is happy, will she stay?

I devoured The Midnight Library. Nora’s constant “sliding” into new lives is captivating as well as her own self-discovery through the process. The only constant character besides Nora is the library’s caretaker who appears to Nora as her grade school librarian and friend. It’s an interesting dynamic to see. While this is definitely a sci-fi read, I believe it would appeal to anyone who enjoys contemporary or women’s literature. I personally highly recommend it!