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cassiacow's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I personally found the writing style a bit too 'simple' - much like Coelho's The Alchemist, it is clearly written as a self-help book under a superficial story. The philosophy that was discussed also didn't resonate with my particular brand of depression - but it was still interesting to read through the lens of someone with different struggles to me.
However, this was such an easy read and one that definitely could help someone reading it at the right time - if you are paralysed by regrets about your life, for example, this book is definitely worth a read. I read it at a time when I've been feeling very unsure about my future, at the recommendation of a friend - and I can see how it would help some people in that scenario, but I don't feel I got as much out of it as some people did.
Overall, really enjoyed this book! Definitely a quick easy one that anyone feeling a bit lost can try.
Moderate: Self harm, Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Drug use
Minor: Cancer, Vomit, and Terminal illness
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: Gaslighting, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Suicide, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Terminal illness, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Car accident, Colonisation, Gore, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Cursing, Drug use, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
lex24's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Cancer, Alcoholism, Car accident, and Drug abuse
summerleighann7's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Suicide attempt and Mental illness
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Cancer, and Self harm
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
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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: Mental illness, Self harm, Death, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Addiction, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Alcoholism, and Animal death
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Cancer, Car accident, Drug abuse, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Toxic relationship, and Stalking
martian1119's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Grief and Suicide
Moderate: Cancer, Animal death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Car accident, Death, and Alcoholism
Minor: Vomit
mangofraiche'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
4.0
Graphic: Suicide and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Addiction, Cancer, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Death, Grief, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, Death of parent, and Self harm
paula357's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Addiction, and Animal death
Minor: Cancer
beckerdoodle9's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Mental illness, Vomit, Addiction, Death, Drug use, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Car accident, Dementia, Cancer, and Death of parent
meaganb914's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Mental illness and Suicide attempt
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Terminal illness, Self harm, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Death of parent, Car accident, Cancer, and Animal death