“You see, doing one thing differently is very often the same as doing everything differently. Actions can’t be reversed within a lifetime, however much we try . . . [t]he only way to learn is to live.”
Nora Seed is deeply depressed about both her life and the numerous regretful mistake she has made along the way. Saddened by how her choices have affected just about every relationship in her life, Nora decides that the best way to solve everything is to self-destruct and leave this world for good. Yet, she finds herself stuck between life and death in a bizarre library with infinite numbers of books, detailing a completely different version of her life. Nora must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place.
As The Midnight Library is a New York Times bestseller and winner of the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Fiction, I am almost certain you have either heard or have already read this stunning book. Yet, despite its popularity in the book community, I wasn’t all that interested in reading it at first. Thanks to a friend of mine who, too, was eager to devour this novel, persuading me to purchase my copy for our next No Name Bookclub read, and I decided to give it a try. Yes, I was secretly dreading to start this book since it’s totally out of my comfort zone, yet, I am happy to admit that this publication is so worth the hype!
This book has a philosophical tone about existence and choosing a lifestyle that’s meaningful, and provides true happiness to oneself – but with a creative twist. Matt Haig reminds us that although most of us might not be battling with severe depression, we all have a considerable amount of regrets that we wish we could change. However, the interesting question Haig poses in this novel is not whether we would correct our mistakes if we had the chance to, but instead, whether the outcome would be any different. Like many of us, Nora Seeds regrets many decisions she has made in her life. She strongly believes she is a major disappointment to both her friends and family. With an extraordinary opportunity to experience different versions of her life, Nora teaches us that we try our best to choose the right choices, but we can never choose the outcome.
In the end, Haig encourages readers that life, itself, is a gift and that instead of worrying about past mistakes or regrets, we should focus on the fact that we are all full of infinite potential. Life is worth living regardless of our flaws. We should never give up on ourselves.
Happy reading, friends!
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