• The Midnight Library by Matt Haig •
It’s official, Matt Haig can do no wrong 🙌🏻 In fact, he does things very right.
Nora Seed is adamant that she no longer wants to live, until she finds herself in the Midnight Library. Here, she’s given the chance to live through the multiple possible lives ahead of her.
Nora is able to see versions of herself in both joy and misery, from career highs to broken relationships, from having a child to losing loved ones. Haig certainly doesn’t sugarcoat life. Nora is guided towards understanding that the good times wouldn’t feel so good if there were no comparative bad times.
I’m a huge fan of Haig’s non-fiction, especially Reasons to Stay Alive, so I was curious as to whether The Midnight Library would move me in the same way, and it definitely did.
The story is endearing, exciting and fun, but it’s also handled with care. Haig beautifully captures the importance of being patient with yourself, being kind, altering your perspective and, ultimately, holding on to hope.
I’m finding it quite hard to articulate how impactful this book is because the importance of this story goes beyond a piece of fictional entertainment. Haig is making waves when it comes to the stigmatisation of mental health; he is so in tune with what people need to hear that his books literally save lives. It really does come from the heart.
I’ll always recommend his books because of this, because they feel like an embrace from an understanding friend. But, more than that, the writing in TML is so captivating and cosy that it seems effortless.
I chose to listen to the audiobook as I knew it would be emotional and that Carey Mulligan’s narration would do it justice. Every scene of worry, anxiety, fear and joy was perfectly portrayed. I felt as though I was right on Nora’s heels as she was walking through her different lives.
Overall, the success of Haig’s work is very well deserved. His social media presence and his books feel like a glowing light in the darkness of 2020.
I truly believe everyone would benefit from reading this book, one way or another. Whether you want to take a step back and view the bigger picture, take a step forward out of your comfort zone or simply stand still and breathe, this book explores it all.
- Katie S x
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