Review of The Midnight Library by Matt Haig.

Happy New Year! Hope you have been able to have a great start to 2021, it hasn’t been great really, has it? But, it can only get better, right?

This year, I have set myself a read two books a month challenge. I am one of those people who buys and buys and buys books, and they end up sitting on my bookshelf for months, years until I finally read them. However, in 2020, I read more than I have in previous years, so I wanted to continue that into 2021. Hence the challenge. Two books a month I thought was doable and the first book I read in the ‘read 2 books a month in 2021’ challenge was The Midnight Library by Matt Haig.

And what a book to start the year with! Admittedly, this is the first book I’ve read by the author and it’s magical (will definitely be reading more). ! I’m not planning on posting a review of every book in the challenge, but this was special and very timely. Especially in a time when everyone is increasingly suffering from mental health issues and questioning their existence.

When disappointed-with-life Nora Seed is stuck between life and death after trying to take her own life, she ends up in a library and sees how her life would have been if she made different decisions with the help of someone in her past. What life would have been like if she had pursued her dreams or followed the passions she had as her younger self. What would her world be like in the life she perceived as a ‘better life?’

The Midnight Library makes you stop and think. You are where you’re meant to be, and every page is unwritten. Life is for living, without wondering what would have happened if you had moved to London earlier or not quit your job or married that guy in your 20s or never got dumped. You are where you’re supposed to be, and life is beautiful. Anxiety is normal. Depression is normal. Wondering what your life would be like if you didn’t suffer is normal. You just have to get through that day.

‘You don’t have to understand life, you just have to live it,’ and that’s something that will always stay with me after reading this magical book.

Thank you, Matt Haig, for unleashing this wonderful story onto the world. The heart-wrenching, sad, happy, bittersweet, funny, emotional story deserves every single piece of success and accolade it’s getting. I have suggested and gifted it to friends who I know will savour each and every word of it.

A huge 5/5 from me. A must-read book that needs to be on everyone’s bookshelves. It’s going to be hard to beat this book for the rest of the year.

Ps. I absolutely love the artwork and the name Nora.

Here is the Amazon link for anyone wanting to purchase a copy.

Priya Mulji x