Nov 26, 2023 Staff Reads: The Midnight Library
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Reviewed by Mary Gillot, Graphic Artist
Overwhelmed by her perceived failures, a woman attempts to end her life, which instead leads her to an infinite
matrix of alternate timelines. In these timelines, she explores all of the ways her life could have gone to see if there’s a world in which she would truly be happy. In The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, we imagine what it might be like to discover how our lives could have changed had we made different choices.
It really is well-written, describing the angst and pain of facing one’s regrets and questionable choices. I think the author’s neurodivergence lends a profound emotional tone to his writing, which I found especially elegant and relatable. The target audience is probably younger adults, but perhaps not, as I have far fewer years ahead of me than behind and it inspired me more than anything I’ve read in a long time. Oddly enough, I finished reading it almost exactly at midnight on my birthday, which made it even more stunning. It could be argued that the storyline is slightly facile or even formulaic, but it would be a pity to miss the overarching message and quality of prose because of that.
This book would be well-suited for fans of John Green, as well as anyone who has ever doubted their life’s path. Get it in print, large print, eAudio, eBook, or CD audiobook.