Would you go to your Library?

Nora Seed decided that she wanted to die, but what she found on her way was far beyond anything she ever could have imagined. After living with depression for years, Nora finds herself in the Midnight Library, a place that is between life and death, where she is confronted with all the regrets she carried for thirty-five years.

**While I will not spoil anything about the plot of the book, I do want to discuss one theme, as I feel like it is important to understand that Matt Haig does not suggest that he knows the cure for depression. I was a little worried that that was where the book would end up, because depression is a heavy, complicated subject. However, Haig handles the subject extremely well, acknowledging the difficulties while telling the complicated story of Nora Seed.**

Nora's Many Lives

The Midnight Library asks a very serious question of its readers: Would you face all of your regrets, if given the opportunity? Would you do things differently? Nora has an extremely difficult time experiencing her many lives, because she had chosen to die, but when meeting her old high school librarian Mrs Elm in the Midnight Library, she decides to venture into her many lives, and experience the answers to all her “what if’s”.

This is the first book I’ve read by Matt Haig, and it was by far one of the best books I have read in a while. Haig captured my attention with his writing, and held it by helping me empathize with Nora and her difficult journey(s). 5 stars, undoubtedly!

And now I pose the question to you: Would you choose to experience the infinite possibilities of your life? To comment, or request a review, please comment below, email me (theopinionatedbookworm@gmail.com) or follow me on Instagram (@theopinionatedbookworm1).

Comments

The House of the Spirits

A good friend of mine once told me, "if a book has a rating of 4 or more stars on Goodreads, it is probably a safe bet that you will like it." This is why I almost always choose my books by their Goodreads rating, a strategy I am currently rethinking after reading The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende. With an average rating of 4.23/5 on Goodreads, I thought I was going to love this book, and for the first four chapters, I did. However, as the story progressed I started to struggle, which has led me to believe that when choosing books I might need to employ tactics that do not solely rely on Goodreads ratings. The Patriarch Isabel Allende's novel takes place in early to mid twentieth century Chile, and tells the story of landowner Esteban Trueba, a man who went from rags to riches using nothing but his mother's honourable last name. Esteban is a classic example of an upperclass patriarch; he believed that by going back to the land of his mother's fami...

The Kings and Queens of Old

For as long as I can remember, I have had a deep, nearly obsessive, fascination with the past. The stories I was drawn to were ones of kings and queens, knights and wizards, myths and legends. Regardless of the truth behind these stories, the language and the heroic characters that populated the tales created a romantic attachment that lasts to this day. Even now, I prefer stories of fantasy and adventure to those of real life, and in admitting this I feel like I have failed in my duty as a bookworm, as I only just finished reading The Lost Queen by Signe Pike, even though it was published in 2018. The Lost Queen I have to sincerely thank Netgalley and Atria Books for giving me access to this ebook, because it was truly a wonderful adventure. The story begins when Languoreth, daughter of a King who still follows the Old Ways of their ancestors, is a child who just lost her mother and must learn to navigate womanhood in a changing world. As the years pass, Languoreth ex...

Arc of a Scythe

The end of a trilogy can either be a very frustrating event, or a very melancholy feeling. If the ending is not what you hoped, it can feel disappointing to have invested so much time. However, if the ending is satisfying, as was the case for The Toll by Neal Shusterman, then leaving a series behind can be a concoction of emotions. The Toll The Arc of a Scythe trilogy came to a dramatic, thrilling, wonderful close in the final installment, and while I can say that I enjoyed it, I find it interesting how my interests seemed to change from the story of Citra and Rowan, to Greyson's story. I loved how complex the world got, and the ending was perfectly written, even though I still wanted more. 4 stars from this Bookworm! The only reason it was not a five is because I loved the second one. Second books are great because there is still a build up of tension, fantastic characters, and an ending that does not conclude the whole series and make me wish I could start all over again... Oh w...

The Literary Adventures of an Opinionated Bookworm

Search This Blog