Scan barcode
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
•
•
•
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
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
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
birdieex'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
4.25
Graphic: Animal death, Alcohol, Suicide attempt, Death, Grief, Suicide, Death of parent, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit
Moderate: Chronic illness, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Addiction, Alcoholism, Medical content, Cancer, and Homophobia
Minor: Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Drug abuse, Sexual content, Stalking, Sexual assault, and Infidelity
lifeofawannabee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Alcoholism, Car accident, Death of parent, Mental illness, Drug abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Alcohol, and Animal death
nat00_'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
4.5
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, and Death
ank3's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Self harm, Homophobia, Death of parent, Grief, Terminal illness, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Alcoholism, Pregnancy, Vomit, Addiction, and Stalking
Minor: Animal cruelty
julela'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
5.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, and Death
Minor: Self harm, Terminal illness, Alcohol, Vomit, Death of parent, Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Chronic illness, Drug use, and Car accident
emsavors'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
4.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Toxic relationship, Death, Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Cursing, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Grief, Animal cruelty, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Death of parent, Dementia, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Stalking, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, and Police brutality
also_micah's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Suicide and Grief
Minor: Car accident, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, Alcohol, and Alcoholism