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challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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
this is my opinion.
things i loved:
things i loved:
- this book is legit a depression curer bro. junior year me read this and i was suffering bro. abusive family, bad home, bad neighborhood, strict rules, closeted, insecure, malnourished, etc. this gave me a shimmer of hope, so in senior year i applied for a university in the usa KNOWING i DIDN'T KNOW WHERE I'D GET THE MONEY FROM. 2 years later i'm here. reached some goals, and i have some more, but this book's lessons are so real.
- i REALLY liked how nora felt so real, yet she was so masterfully used as a symbol for transformation and healing. i FUCKED HEAVY with how miserable she was written cuz that was real asf, like. usually popular reads will write a woman struggling and it's laughably cliche like, "look at her... so sad. she was ugly and fat and she had no friends and nobody believed in her talent". we begin with her fucking HATING her job and feeling dog shit compared to her past, bright self. she also has a few people in her life she loves but never feels close enough with them to open up. she's not exaggeratingly depressed, either. it really makes you feel for her. this genuine mix of hope and sorrow was exactly what was needed in order to craft nora's character, because this book would NOT HAVE WORKED with anyone else. i actually always rooted for her and i never thought once, "wow she's a dumb fuck" because i HATE when male authors can only create struggle for fem protagonists by making them dumb as fuck.
- I LOVE HOW NORA'S LIFE IS *NOT* A SOB STORY AND *NOT* THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE STORY. no, instread, matt haig writes in a way that's devastatingly honest. nora's flawed as fuck, and seeing that in media was a big, "wait a second, i get that, too" moment. i can tell this book was written with the best intentions frfr cuz by the end of it i realized, "i can only live the life i want if i take accountability for it". and like the book demonstrated, extreme actions isn't required to get a good life or a life someone wants. just steps in the right direction.
- it's written in grounded, everyday language. this could've been a grandeur book and landed itself as something profoundly sophisticated. but this book was clearly meant to reach audiences that really could use the message in their lives. those who are marginalized, poor, lacking in astute education, and sick need this book (that was me lmao). people need more than hope, yes, but it is always the foundation.
- everything idk everything bro i owe my life to this book idc
things i hated:
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Suicide, Death of parent, Dysphoria
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Alcohol
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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
This has become a yearly reread, well so far 6 months between reads.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Había visto en varias ocasiones este libro en tiendas, y una de esas tantas, pensé «debería leerlo», solo porque sí, porque la portada me parecía llamativa al igual que el nombre.
Una vez mas, sin contexto y sin sinopsis me lance a la lectura.
Nos encontramos a la protagonista Nora Seed, cuya vida es: plana, básicamente, pero no es plana en el sentido de rutinaria o monótona. No, la vida de nuestra protagonista es plana porque así lo decidió el autor, supongo que para justificar las decisiones que toma a lo largo de la historia y que la llevan a la famosa “biblioteca de medianoche”, donde tiene la oportunidad de probar distintas versiones de su vida.
¿Te arrepientes de no haber aceptado ese café a esa persona en tal ocasión? Pues aquí tienes, vive esa vida y enterare de todo lo que te perdiste.
Interesante, ¿cierto? Sí, mucho. Es un concepto que pudo haberlo logrado de haber tenido una historia que valiera la pena leer.
Aquí quizás hayan spoilers o quizás no, en dado caso, leer con precaución.
La biblioteca de medianoche es un libro, plano, como lo es la vida de Nora. Así, sin más. Por momentos parece que lo intenta demasiado; intenta meterse en tu cabeza, intenta que sientas lo que Nora siente, te obliga a empatizar en lugar de permitirte conocerla y sacar tus propias conclusiones sobre ella. También —y esto es algo que me choco en muchas oportunidades—, trata al lector como si de un idiota se tratara, a ver, nuestra protagonista estudia filosofía y el escritor agota este hecho hasta más no poder. Citas de filósofos, explicaciones innecesarias, ser o no ser, vivir o no vivir, como Sócrates solía decir, Frost eligiendo el camino menos transitado y créeme, muchos, muchos más.
¿Es este un libro de autoayuda disfrazado de historia? Muy probablemente.
Es una lectura fácil, se lee en pocos días y desde un inicio te imaginas como acabará. Sirve para pasar el rato, aunque no es tan entretenido, pero hay que leer de todo en esta vida. De que otra manera sabrás que te gusta y que no te gusta, parafraseando un poco lo que escribió Camus en algún momento.
¿Lo recomendaría? No.
Una vez mas, sin contexto y sin sinopsis me lance a la lectura.
Nos encontramos a la protagonista Nora Seed, cuya vida es: plana, básicamente, pero no es plana en el sentido de rutinaria o monótona. No, la vida de nuestra protagonista es plana porque así lo decidió el autor, supongo que para justificar las decisiones que toma a lo largo de la historia y que la llevan a la famosa “biblioteca de medianoche”, donde tiene la oportunidad de probar distintas versiones de su vida.
¿Te arrepientes de no haber aceptado ese café a esa persona en tal ocasión? Pues aquí tienes, vive esa vida y enterare de todo lo que te perdiste.
Interesante, ¿cierto? Sí, mucho. Es un concepto que pudo haberlo logrado de haber tenido una historia que valiera la pena leer.
Aquí quizás hayan spoilers o quizás no, en dado caso, leer con precaución.
La biblioteca de medianoche es un libro, plano, como lo es la vida de Nora. Así, sin más. Por momentos parece que lo intenta demasiado; intenta meterse en tu cabeza, intenta que sientas lo que Nora siente, te obliga a empatizar en lugar de permitirte conocerla y sacar tus propias conclusiones sobre ella. También —y esto es algo que me choco en muchas oportunidades—, trata al lector como si de un idiota se tratara, a ver, nuestra protagonista estudia filosofía y el escritor agota este hecho hasta más no poder. Citas de filósofos, explicaciones innecesarias, ser o no ser, vivir o no vivir, como Sócrates solía decir, Frost eligiendo el camino menos transitado y créeme, muchos, muchos más.
¿Es este un libro de autoayuda disfrazado de historia? Muy probablemente.
Es una lectura fácil, se lee en pocos días y desde un inicio te imaginas como acabará. Sirve para pasar el rato, aunque no es tan entretenido, pero hay que leer de todo en esta vida. De que otra manera sabrás que te gusta y que no te gusta, parafraseando un poco lo que escribió Camus en algún momento.
¿Lo recomendaría? No.
Content Warnings
Minor: Drug abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
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: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Suicide attempt
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Vomit
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It can be called corny but also damn. I needed to hear that shit 🤘😩
Content Warnings
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury
adventurous
emotional
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Plot : A woman who has lost everything attempts suicide and finds herself in a limbo in which she can experience the lives she didn't choose.
Impressions : I really liked the concept, but the execution is a little simplistic and the end is predictable.
There also are some massive plot holes.
1. The main Nora enters the lives of alternative Noras, who stay dormant. But what happens to the alternative Noras should she choose to stay? She is stealing someone else's life. Even though this is hinted at towards the end through a sense of guilt, the alternative Nora's fate isn't mentionned.
2. If in every life trajectory she is unhappy, needs anti-depressants, and drinks too much, then what pushes her to continue exploring after the third life?
Even though I love the idea, the development quickly feels like clutching at straws.
Impressions : I really liked the concept, but the execution is a little simplistic and the end is predictable.
1. The main Nora enters the lives of alternative Noras, who stay dormant. But what happens to the alternative Noras should she choose to stay? She is stealing someone else's life. Even though this is hinted at towards the end through a sense of guilt, the alternative Nora's fate isn't mentionned.
2. If in every life trajectory she is unhappy, needs anti-depressants, and drinks too much, then what pushes her to continue exploring after the third life?
Even though I love the idea, the development quickly feels like clutching at straws.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Alcohol
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Vomit
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-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: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt