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A review by hello_ned
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-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
5.0
Re-read this book for maybe the 5th time, ready to meet Matt Haig soon :)
I've cried many times over this book, not really this time because Ive just read it so often and also pretty recently. But it still reminded my why I love this book so much. Right now I'm in a major point of change in my life, and there's just so much in my hands that I can do or not do and it can change my life forever.
"Doing one thing differently is very often the same as doing everything differently."
I'm very much guilty of "life fright" and I love Matt Haig's idea that the only way to learn is to live, so you've got to do things even if you gotta do things scared.
After reading "The Life Impossible," I read some of his other famous books, and it really struck me how much of his books are interconnected, based on his experiences, and share ideas with "The Life Impossible."
Theres a couple lines here that resonate with that.
"I wanted to be somewhere he had never been. I wanted somewhere where I didn't have to feel his ghost. But the truth is, it only half works, you know? Places are places and memories are memories and life is fucking life."
This reminds me of Matt Haig talking about his experience in Ibiza, where he thought he could escape that place and escape his feelings. But it isn't the place that carries all the hurt, and running away from it won't fix you.
Here are some more quotes I absolutely love from this book.
"You have yourself in quite high esteem there"
"Shouldn't I? I mean, Shouldn't everyone, what's wrong with self-esteem"
"You're overthinking it."
"I have anxiety. I have no other type of thinking available"
"We spend so much of our time wishing our lives were different, comparing ourselves to other people and other versions of ourselves."
"Howl howl howl howl
(Motherfucker)"
"It seems impossible to live without hurting people."
"Well, in fairness, dying hurts people too."
" "Im all right. I'm all right. I'm all right. I'm all right." Each 'all right' got progressively closer to tears, then horse-shoed back around to calm again."
"The prison wasn't the place, but the perspective."
I've cried many times over this book, not really this time because Ive just read it so often and also pretty recently. But it still reminded my why I love this book so much. Right now I'm in a major point of change in my life, and there's just so much in my hands that I can do or not do and it can change my life forever.
"Doing one thing differently is very often the same as doing everything differently."
I'm very much guilty of "life fright" and I love Matt Haig's idea that the only way to learn is to live, so you've got to do things even if you gotta do things scared.
After reading "The Life Impossible," I read some of his other famous books, and it really struck me how much of his books are interconnected, based on his experiences, and share ideas with "The Life Impossible."
Theres a couple lines here that resonate with that.
"I wanted to be somewhere he had never been. I wanted somewhere where I didn't have to feel his ghost. But the truth is, it only half works, you know? Places are places and memories are memories and life is fucking life."
This reminds me of Matt Haig talking about his experience in Ibiza, where he thought he could escape that place and escape his feelings. But it isn't the place that carries all the hurt, and running away from it won't fix you.
Here are some more quotes I absolutely love from this book.
"You have yourself in quite high esteem there"
"Shouldn't I? I mean, Shouldn't everyone, what's wrong with self-esteem"
"You're overthinking it."
"I have anxiety. I have no other type of thinking available"
"We spend so much of our time wishing our lives were different, comparing ourselves to other people and other versions of ourselves."
"Howl howl howl howl
(Motherfucker)"
"It seems impossible to live without hurting people."
"Well, in fairness, dying hurts people too."
" "Im all right. I'm all right. I'm all right. I'm all right." Each 'all right' got progressively closer to tears, then horse-shoed back around to calm again."
"The prison wasn't the place, but the perspective."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Death, Drug use, and Mental illness
Minor: Cancer