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challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
At the end of this book, there is one major takeaway you get from it- You can do anything as long as you try hard and don't give up. As a book that was set up to be about depression and help people dealing it, it missed the mark MAJORLY. People with depression can't just "try harder" or not give up. Making this claim and writing a whole book about how Nora overcomes depression by those values is destructive. If someone isn't familiar with depression before they read this book, they're gonna get the idea that people can just get over it. It only feeds into the idea that some people in our society have that depression shouldn't be taken as seriously as it should be. I feel bad for anyone that read this book thinking it may help with their own mental issues. It's like telling a depressing person to just stop being sad. Doesn't work.
Not only is the major takeaway that you were supposed to get out of the book wrong- it was poorly written. There is tons of expository dialogue at the beginning of the book. If this book was amazing in every other aspect, the highest it would've gotten is a 4 because of how horrible it was to listen to all that explaining about the library. There are some good parts and some nice quotes but they're rare and far between.
The two things that redeem this are- I like the characters and if you don't have depression or don't expect this book to help with it, it can be inspiring.
I think Nora is a good character with good qualities- she just wasn't executed well. I wish Mrs. Elm was my librarian and taught me to play chess which I'm horrible at (as long as I don't talk about the properties of magical libraries to her). Ash and Molly are my favorite though. I was laughing when they interacted with all three because of how I imagined it all.
The message of you can literally do anything and your life is never over until it's over is a really nice message. It's DEFINITELY not right for people with depression but for people without it, it may be inspiring. I think everyone needs a reminder every now and again that life is full of opportunities and possibilities. You can do anything if you try hard. Just don't tell that to someone with depression because it won't help.
TLDR- If you want a book to help with depression- skip this one. If you don't have depression or don't need a book to help with it and just want to be inspired and know you can do anything- then this is an alright book to read if you can deal with some bad writing.
Not only is the major takeaway that you were supposed to get out of the book wrong- it was poorly written. There is tons of expository dialogue at the beginning of the book. If this book was amazing in every other aspect, the highest it would've gotten is a 4 because of how horrible it was to listen to all that explaining about the library. There are some good parts and some nice quotes but they're rare and far between.
The two things that redeem this are- I like the characters and if you don't have depression or don't expect this book to help with it, it can be inspiring.
I think Nora is a good character with good qualities- she just wasn't executed well. I wish Mrs. Elm was my librarian and taught me to play chess which I'm horrible at (as long as I don't talk about the properties of magical libraries to her). Ash and Molly are my favorite though. I was laughing when they interacted with all three because of how I imagined it all.
The message of you can literally do anything and your life is never over until it's over is a really nice message. It's DEFINITELY not right for people with depression but for people without it, it may be inspiring. I think everyone needs a reminder every now and again that life is full of opportunities and possibilities. You can do anything if you try hard. Just don't tell that to someone with depression because it won't help.
TLDR- If you want a book to help with depression- skip this one. If you don't have depression or don't need a book to help with it and just want to be inspired and know you can do anything- then this is an alright book to read if you can deal with some bad writing.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death of parent
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I relatively short book with an important message. A meaningful takeaway but the overall plot got a bit boring
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Animal death, Death of parent
reflective
medium-paced
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
Brilliant
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Cancer, Death, Mental illness, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury
emotional
inspiring
reflective
Strong character development:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death of parent
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Vomit
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
January 23, 2022 update:
The more I think about this one, the more I'm not happy with its depiction of depression. It felt very flippant, and along the lines of terrible self-help that thinks that if you make different choices, you'll be happier. Which isn't how you manage depression. It is so much more complex than that. It gets two stars because Matt Haig is a good writer, but this just doesn't sit right with me as a whole.
.....
Original review: January 21, 2022
I'm honestly uncertain how to rate this book, so for now I'm leaving it star-less.
The book itself is well-written with an interesting concept. But its the storyline for Nora that bothers me. We know she has depression, yet I feel like that is glossed over and the events that lead her to the library are more painted as "she had a bad day". And anyone with any familiarity with depression, or any other mental illness knows that's not the case.
Also, the end was very predictable me and felt like a "just choose to be happy" type conclussion, which, again, isn't how depression works.
The more I think about this one, the more I'm not happy with its depiction of depression. It felt very flippant, and along the lines of terrible self-help that thinks that if you make different choices, you'll be happier. Which isn't how you manage depression. It is so much more complex than that. It gets two stars because Matt Haig is a good writer, but this just doesn't sit right with me as a whole.
.....
Original review: January 21, 2022
I'm honestly uncertain how to rate this book, so for now I'm leaving it star-less.
The book itself is well-written with an interesting concept. But its the storyline for Nora that bothers me. We know she has depression, yet I feel like that is glossed over and the events that lead her to the library are more painted as "she had a bad day". And anyone with any familiarity with depression, or any other mental illness knows that's not the case.
Also, the end was very predictable me and felt like a "just choose to be happy" type conclussion, which, again, isn't how depression works.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Suicide attempt
Minor: Death of parent
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Alcoholism, Cancer, Drug abuse
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Animal death
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Animal death, Death of parent
Minor: Alcoholism
dark
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Suicide, Death of parent