This week’s book is a short, thought provoking novel called the Midnight Library. The Midnight Library is an international bestseller by Matt Haig, published in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. When I read this book it was during an apprehensive time, the beginning of freshman year, and during that time especially, the messages in the story resonated with me, making me more excited about the opportunities ahead.

The Midnight Library follows Nora Seed, a woman drowned in regrets. She backed away from every opportunity until absolutely nobody needed her. So she overdosed, but instead of ending up in heaven or hell she found herself in a library with an old friend. In the library, Nora had the opportunity to try living the infinite lives where she made different decisions, anything she could think of, it was there. 

This novel is an intriguing mix of universal theory and philosophy. Throughout the story, Nora struggles in lives where the expectations she believed others had for her were false and the little things mattered more than ever. Linda Hill commented in a book review on her website called, Linda’s Book Bag, “It’s filled with the delicate balance between regret and potential, between life and death. And between living for ourselves or living for others – or for what we perceive to be their expectations for us. The range of emotion is so wide that any, and every, reader can find an aspect that resonates with them” (Linda Hill, Linda’s Book Bag).

The Midnight Library provides a different point of view to those struggling with regrets or mental health who can identify with Nora. The story itself was heavily based on Haig’s experience with anxiety and depression, challenging the idea of ‘the perfect life’. It’s a unique balance of guilt and relief and takes a closer look at the impact that we have on everything around us. 

Come check out the Midnight Library from our own PGHS library today!