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A review by selfiegrandpa
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
adventurous
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
3.75
I have seen some pretty divisive opinions about this book, but nothing I've researched further. I did really think I wasn't going to like this and yet I was pleasantly surprised. I do think that I benefited from reading this at the right time in my life. That's why I'm not against revisiting a book I reviewed badly or why I sometimes don't give up on finishing a book.
I enjoyed the characters, the story, and the message. I do feel that it was mad cheesy at times, but, come on, that's not necessarily a bad thing. This just felt like a one of those feel good movies, much like The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (a personal favorite), where you leave just feeling a tiny bit more hopeful about your own life. A classic exploration of "what ifs" and "why nots" that can come across as fake deep, but also easy enough to navigate that the message is never lost. I do think think that it could have benefitted from being slightly shorter, as it does feel somewhat repetitive halfway through.
Bottom line, I really enjoyed my time with this. I've been in a bit of a reading slump and in all honesty ... a life slump this year. It's hard to not fall down that hole of "maybe if I had ..." because what if I had! I can spend days imagining my life as it could have been and that has hindered me from making my life what it should be now. I really loved the line,
"'I think your problem was life fright.'"
And it makes me think of the line from Dune that I love as well,
"'I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.'"
Life is truly too beautiful to spend it all in fear.
I enjoyed the characters, the story, and the message. I do feel that it was mad cheesy at times, but, come on, that's not necessarily a bad thing. This just felt like a one of those feel good movies, much like The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (a personal favorite), where you leave just feeling a tiny bit more hopeful about your own life. A classic exploration of "what ifs" and "why nots" that can come across as fake deep, but also easy enough to navigate that the message is never lost. I do think think that it could have benefitted from being slightly shorter, as it does feel somewhat repetitive halfway through.
Bottom line, I really enjoyed my time with this. I've been in a bit of a reading slump and in all honesty ... a life slump this year. It's hard to not fall down that hole of "maybe if I had ..." because what if I had! I can spend days imagining my life as it could have been and that has hindered me from making my life what it should be now. I really loved the line,
"'I think your problem was life fright.'"
And it makes me think of the line from Dune that I love as well,
"'I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.'"
Life is truly too beautiful to spend it all in fear.