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thebiglittlelibrary's Reviews (622)
4 ⭐️ Combination of Sci-fi, Philosophy, & Self-help
The Midnight Library is about Nora Seed whose life is full of misery and regret. When she finds herself at the Midnight Library, a place between life and death, she is given the opportunity to choose a different life for herself - perhaps one where she never gave up swimming and became an Olympian or another where she stayed in the band and became an international star. Every book in the library is another life, and all Nora has to do is decide which one would make her happy.
The book will take you through the infinite possible lives of Nora Seed and her journey to understand what life is really all about.
My thoughts about The Midnight Library:
• Matt Haig is an exceptional author. His writing is clever, concise, and strong. He doesn't dally on mundane details and gets right to the point - which I personally enjoy.
• People like relating to any story's main character, so I think this book will resonate more with readers who have experience with mental health issues or have big regrets in life. I say this because many of the reviews that gave The Midnight Library under 3-stars seemed to be due to the book's topic more than anything.
• Nora's realizations are a bit predictable, and so is the ending. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it doesn't make the book that exciting. So if you like plotlines that surprise and thrill, this may not be the book for you.
• However, even with the predictability, I was still intrigued to continue reading to catch glimpses of the alternative lives of Nora Seeds. At the same time, I would imagine myself standing in Nora's place at the Midnight Library, thinking about my own stories and how my life would be if I made different decisions. That's what I love about Matt Haig's novels. He encourages the read to self-reflect and imagine themselves in the same position as the main character.
• As someone who loves sci-fi, I found the sciency elements of this book to be really interesting! I won't spoil too much but Matt Haig does an excellent job explaining how the Midnight Library and the possibility of alternative realities work. Don't worry, he doesn't get too technical so if you're not big into science, you'll be able to understand.
The Midnight Library is a wonderful book that inspires readers to engage in thoughtful contemplation regarding the meaning of life. This was my 3rd book by Matt Haig and certainly won't be my last. If you are interested in more books by this author, check out The Humans (my favorite) and How To Stop Time.
Favorite quotes:
"Sometimes the only way to learn is to live." (67)
"Never underestimate the big importance of small things." (86)
“If you aim to be something you are not, you will always fail. Aim to be you. Aim to look and act and think like you. Aim to be the truest version of you. Embrace that you-ness. Endorse it. Love it. Work hard at it. And don't give a second thought when people mock it or ridicule it. Most gossip is envy in disguise.”(93)
"Maybe that's what all lives were, though. Maybe even the most seemingly perfectly intense or worthwhile lives ultimately felt the same. Acres of disappointment and monotony and hurts and rivalries but with flashes of wonder and beauty. Maybe that was the only meaning that mattered. To be the world, witnessing itself." (138)
"She imagined, now, what it would be like to accept herself completely. Every mistake she had ever made. Every mark on her body. Ever dream she hadn't reached or pain she had felt. Every lust or longing she had suppressed. She imagined accepting it all . . . And in doing so, she imagined what it was like to be free." (143)
"There is no life where you can be in a state of sheer happiness for ever. And imagining there is just breeds more unhappiness in the life you're in." (179)
The Midnight Library is about Nora Seed whose life is full of misery and regret. When she finds herself at the Midnight Library, a place between life and death, she is given the opportunity to choose a different life for herself - perhaps one where she never gave up swimming and became an Olympian or another where she stayed in the band and became an international star. Every book in the library is another life, and all Nora has to do is decide which one would make her happy.
The book will take you through the infinite possible lives of Nora Seed and her journey to understand what life is really all about.
My thoughts about The Midnight Library:
• Matt Haig is an exceptional author. His writing is clever, concise, and strong. He doesn't dally on mundane details and gets right to the point - which I personally enjoy.
• People like relating to any story's main character, so I think this book will resonate more with readers who have experience with mental health issues or have big regrets in life. I say this because many of the reviews that gave The Midnight Library under 3-stars seemed to be due to the book's topic more than anything.
• Nora's realizations are a bit predictable, and so is the ending. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it doesn't make the book that exciting. So if you like plotlines that surprise and thrill, this may not be the book for you.
• However, even with the predictability, I was still intrigued to continue reading to catch glimpses of the alternative lives of Nora Seeds. At the same time, I would imagine myself standing in Nora's place at the Midnight Library, thinking about my own stories and how my life would be if I made different decisions. That's what I love about Matt Haig's novels. He encourages the read to self-reflect and imagine themselves in the same position as the main character.
• As someone who loves sci-fi, I found the sciency elements of this book to be really interesting! I won't spoil too much but Matt Haig does an excellent job explaining how the Midnight Library and the possibility of alternative realities work. Don't worry, he doesn't get too technical so if you're not big into science, you'll be able to understand.
The Midnight Library is a wonderful book that inspires readers to engage in thoughtful contemplation regarding the meaning of life. This was my 3rd book by Matt Haig and certainly won't be my last. If you are interested in more books by this author, check out The Humans (my favorite) and How To Stop Time.
Favorite quotes:
"Sometimes the only way to learn is to live." (67)
"Never underestimate the big importance of small things." (86)
“If you aim to be something you are not, you will always fail. Aim to be you. Aim to look and act and think like you. Aim to be the truest version of you. Embrace that you-ness. Endorse it. Love it. Work hard at it. And don't give a second thought when people mock it or ridicule it. Most gossip is envy in disguise.”(93)
"Maybe that's what all lives were, though. Maybe even the most seemingly perfectly intense or worthwhile lives ultimately felt the same. Acres of disappointment and monotony and hurts and rivalries but with flashes of wonder and beauty. Maybe that was the only meaning that mattered. To be the world, witnessing itself." (138)
"She imagined, now, what it would be like to accept herself completely. Every mistake she had ever made. Every mark on her body. Ever dream she hadn't reached or pain she had felt. Every lust or longing she had suppressed. She imagined accepting it all . . . And in doing so, she imagined what it was like to be free." (143)
"There is no life where you can be in a state of sheer happiness for ever. And imagining there is just breeds more unhappiness in the life you're in." (179)
4 ⭐️ Original and thought-provoking!
"There is only the present. Just as every object on earth contains similar and interchanging atoms, so every fragment of time contains aspects of every other. . . I understand that the way you stop time is by stopping being ruled by it. I am no longer drowning in my past, or fearful of my future. How can I be? The future is you." (325)
If you enjoy sci-fi and historical fiction, you definitely should read this book - as well as Matt Haig's The Humans and The Midnight Library.
How To Stop Time is about Tom Hazard, a man who appears to be in his 40s but has actually been alive for over 400 years due to a condition called anageria, which causes him to age slowly. Tom has survived the witch trials, performed with Shakespeare, sailed the seas with Captain Cook, and enjoyed cocktails with Fitzgerald. He has fallen in love but also watched that love die. He had a child but lost her too. While many would consider Time a blessing, Tom often considers it a curse.
Tom is also part of a group, the Albatross Society, that shelters others with the same condition and will kill to keep their existence a secret. They offer money and protection to these individuals in exchange for their 'services' once every few years. And the one rule is to never fall in love.
After wanting something ordinary and normal, Tom decides to start a new life in London as a history teacher. On his first day, he meets an intriguing French teacher who seems to recognize him. While Tom is afraid she might know his secret, he's also intrigued and can't seem to stay away. Remember, he must not fall in love. But what's the point of living if you've got no one left to live for?
I love books that make me contemplate my reality and understanding of this world. In How To Stop Time, Matt Haig does an excellent job creating a unique story and captivating/relatable characters.
In a way, Tom reminds me of me. He's gone through bouts of depression and feels lost - like there isn't much keeping him tethered to this world. However, he's stubborn and forces himself to carry on. I've often felt I would be able to relax and enjoy life if I knew I had an endless amount of time, but after reading this book, I've realized that more time isn't the solution - it's about letting the concept of time go. We can choose to be a slave to time or free ourselves of the construct and just live.
So if you want to read a book that's entertaining and thought-provoking. Definitely consider How To Stop Time and other Matt Haig novels.
Favorite quotes:
"History isn't something you bring to life. History already is alive. We are history. (17)"
"It may seem strange, falling in love with someone because of a single gesture, but sometimes you can read an entire person in a single moment. The way you can study a grain of sand and understand the universe. Love at first sight might or might not be a thing, but love in a single moment is. (239)"
"I don't like flying. . . Maybe it is because I still remember the size of things. No one understands that anymore. People didn't feel the enormity of the world or their own smallness within it. When I first traveled around the globe, it took over a year, on a boat full of men, who were lucky if they made it. Now, the world is just there. All of it. In an hour I will be on a flight to Sydney, and by lunchtime, I will have arrived. It makes me feel claustrophobic as if the world is literally shrinking, like a balloon losing air." (271) (As a person who loves to travel, I just relate to this so much. The more you see of the world, the smaller it feels.)
"And, just as it only takes a moment to die, it only takes a moment to live. You just close your eyes and let every futile fear slip away. And then, in this new state, free from fear, you ask yourself: who am I? If I could live without doubt what would I do? If I could be kind without the fear of being fucked over? If I could love without fear of being hurt? If I could taste the sweetness of today without thinking of how I will miss that taste tomorrow. If I could not fear the passing of time and the people it will steal? Yes. What would I do? Who would I care for? What battle would I fight? Which paths would I step down? What joys would I allow myself? What internal mysteries would I solve? How, in short, would I live?" (314)
"Everything is going to be all right. Or, if not, everything is going to be, so let's not worry." (325)
"There is only the present. Just as every object on earth contains similar and interchanging atoms, so every fragment of time contains aspects of every other. . . I understand that the way you stop time is by stopping being ruled by it. I am no longer drowning in my past, or fearful of my future. How can I be? The future is you." (325)
If you enjoy sci-fi and historical fiction, you definitely should read this book - as well as Matt Haig's The Humans and The Midnight Library.
How To Stop Time is about Tom Hazard, a man who appears to be in his 40s but has actually been alive for over 400 years due to a condition called anageria, which causes him to age slowly. Tom has survived the witch trials, performed with Shakespeare, sailed the seas with Captain Cook, and enjoyed cocktails with Fitzgerald. He has fallen in love but also watched that love die. He had a child but lost her too. While many would consider Time a blessing, Tom often considers it a curse.
Tom is also part of a group, the Albatross Society, that shelters others with the same condition and will kill to keep their existence a secret. They offer money and protection to these individuals in exchange for their 'services' once every few years. And the one rule is to never fall in love.
After wanting something ordinary and normal, Tom decides to start a new life in London as a history teacher. On his first day, he meets an intriguing French teacher who seems to recognize him. While Tom is afraid she might know his secret, he's also intrigued and can't seem to stay away. Remember, he must not fall in love. But what's the point of living if you've got no one left to live for?
I love books that make me contemplate my reality and understanding of this world. In How To Stop Time, Matt Haig does an excellent job creating a unique story and captivating/relatable characters.
In a way, Tom reminds me of me. He's gone through bouts of depression and feels lost - like there isn't much keeping him tethered to this world. However, he's stubborn and forces himself to carry on. I've often felt I would be able to relax and enjoy life if I knew I had an endless amount of time, but after reading this book, I've realized that more time isn't the solution - it's about letting the concept of time go. We can choose to be a slave to time or free ourselves of the construct and just live.
So if you want to read a book that's entertaining and thought-provoking. Definitely consider How To Stop Time and other Matt Haig novels.
Favorite quotes:
"History isn't something you bring to life. History already is alive. We are history. (17)"
"It may seem strange, falling in love with someone because of a single gesture, but sometimes you can read an entire person in a single moment. The way you can study a grain of sand and understand the universe. Love at first sight might or might not be a thing, but love in a single moment is. (239)"
"I don't like flying. . . Maybe it is because I still remember the size of things. No one understands that anymore. People didn't feel the enormity of the world or their own smallness within it. When I first traveled around the globe, it took over a year, on a boat full of men, who were lucky if they made it. Now, the world is just there. All of it. In an hour I will be on a flight to Sydney, and by lunchtime, I will have arrived. It makes me feel claustrophobic as if the world is literally shrinking, like a balloon losing air." (271) (As a person who loves to travel, I just relate to this so much. The more you see of the world, the smaller it feels.)
"And, just as it only takes a moment to die, it only takes a moment to live. You just close your eyes and let every futile fear slip away. And then, in this new state, free from fear, you ask yourself: who am I? If I could live without doubt what would I do? If I could be kind without the fear of being fucked over? If I could love without fear of being hurt? If I could taste the sweetness of today without thinking of how I will miss that taste tomorrow. If I could not fear the passing of time and the people it will steal? Yes. What would I do? Who would I care for? What battle would I fight? Which paths would I step down? What joys would I allow myself? What internal mysteries would I solve? How, in short, would I live?" (314)
"Everything is going to be all right. Or, if not, everything is going to be, so let's not worry." (325)
