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eejanke's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt
Minor: Chronic illness, Gaslighting, Addiction, Alcoholism, Death of parent, and Drug abuse
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
adventurebound7's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Suicide attempt and Animal death
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Drug abuse
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
kirsty_b'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
4.75
Graphic: Suicide attempt
Moderate: Drug abuse, Alcohol, Grief, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Animal death
peasandpancakes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
But… there we have Nora. Someone I could sort of relate to or at least feel for in the beginning, feeling lost and lonely and sad. Unfortunately she is also as dense as they come and needs a thousand in your face, super clear, spelled out lessons about life to get it.
Also, if you do not wish to read a self-help inspirational type book, don’t read this one!
Graphic: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Drug abuse, Mental illness, Vomit, and Death of parent
Minor: Car accident, Stalking, Alcohol, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcoholism, Infidelity, and Medical content
eefjeee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Death
Moderate: Drug abuse, Grief, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Medical content, Animal death, and Death of parent
Minor: Vomit, Animal cruelty, and Self harm
kaitkat2213's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Mental illness
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Alcoholism, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Drug use, Addiction, and Self harm
cazastrophe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Drug abuse, Suicide attempt, Death, and Vomit
camillepn's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Suicide, Death of parent, Death, and Drug abuse