Book Review: The Midnight Library

"I want a do-over!" How often I've wished for a second chance to remedy some wrong I've committed, some individual I've let down, some guilt I can't bear. To be human is to regret. We can't always avoid missteps in relationships. We're bound to look back on some decision and question whether it would have made a difference if we had taken the road less travelled. So, what if you could go back and have a do-over? What if there were as many variations to your life as tiny decisions you've made - parallel universes where you could right your wrongs? In normal process, a leads to b leads to c, but if you remove a, then b and c must shift as well. The Midnight Library, by Matt Haig, presents a world with infinite chances, infinite variations on a life. It is the background music of It's a Wonderful Life blended with lyrics from Blake Crouch's Dark Matter. 

Nora Seed is having a tragic day. She feels guilty for backing out of a wedding. Her brother is avoiding her and her best friend is distant. But soon, the universe piles on even more. She loses both of her jobs and a car kills her cat. Nora is tired of letting others and herself down. Like George Bailey, she's ready to bail. But instead of peaceful nothingness, she lands in the Midnight Library. Instead of an angel to prove her value, she has her school librarian to offer endless books full of different versions of her life. Each book allows her to counter some regret. Imagine the potential of such an experience with an endless variety of options and outcomes! As the librarian notes, "Every move you make opens a whole new world of possibilities, in chess as in life." But what seems a gift can easily turn to a purgatory. Will Nora find a life that isn't disappointing? Is there such a thing as a perfect life?

Most of my favorite books begin with an author's well-crafted "what if?" question. Haig's premise is intriguing. The story swept me in so much, I willingly overlooked unsavory aspects. The book contains plenty of foul language. Such language presents a genuine struggle for my audio book time. I don't wish to field questions from my teens on why I don't want them to swear, yet listen to books full of filth. (I should note, I loved Carey Mulligan's narration.) But the ideas were so worth the contemplation! I'm still pondering how our lives shape us and how we shape our lives.

The writing was outstanding. What a perfect name for the protagonist. She was, indeed, a small seed, ready to grow into who knows what. I especially appreciated his similes and metaphors. They were fresh and fitting and added depth to the story. The premise was well-executed, and the plot kept me hooked. I hit a minor speed bump when the author cataloged variations of her life ("In one life, she..., in another life she...") about fifty times. Groan. Plus, it seemed far too many of the lives were extraordinary - glaciologist, olympic swimmer, rock star, etc. - a bit unbelievable. But, still, its life-affirming message rang true. 

I will ponder this book for a good long while. I will no longer assume that my regrets are absolutely regrettable. It was a reminder of that old saying, "When God closes a door, He opens a window." Perhaps what I consider a terrible outcome truly saved me from an even worse outcome. Plus, I may consider even tiny decisions with more care, given this book's message that even small actions can lead to big alterations. It wouldn't surprise me to catch myself daydreaming about the alternate existences I might have lived, ha! Then again, thinking about how Nora arrived there, the Midnight Library may be the only library I never wish to visit.