I am at an age now where, in liking back on my life I see opportunities not taken, paths not taken and decisions, that although at the time seemed inconsequential, had a major impact on my life. Even though I do not regret where I am now, there are times when I wonder what life might have been like if I hadn’t moved to Washington DC, or had decided to go to graduate school, or hadn’t bought the house I currently live in. Matt Haig’s book, The Midnight Library, explores these paths not taken in a unique and wonderful way which allows us to imagine the possibilities and pitfalls of the lives we never lived.

Nora Seed is very unhappy and disappointed with her life and wonders if she might be more happy and fulfilled if she had made different choices. Suddenly she finds herself in the Midnight Library, a place where you can check out the volumes of your life where you made different choices than the life you are currently living. When she check out these volumes she begins living those lives, trying them on and seeing if she might want to change her current life for this new one.

Nora is entranced at the possibilities, but as she picks and chooses from the various volumes of her life, with the help of a helpful librarian, she discovers that each life has its own struggles and disappointments. Becoming a well known glaciologist, or not breaking up with an old boyfriend have consequences, too. As Nora experiences her various possible lives, she must decide what makes her life truly fulfilling and worth living, and is surprised by the answer.

This is not a syfy or fantasy book, which seemed to confuse and disappoint some Amazon reviewers.  Rather the idea of the Midnight Library is used to explore the existential questions on the meaning of life in a way that is both whimsical and insightful. Haig is a delightful writer whose creativity makes this heavy theme accessible and non threatening, allowing the reader to ask those same “what if” questions for their own life.

Brenda’s Rating: **** (4 Out Of 5 Stars)

Recommend this book to: Marian, Lauren, Keith and Sharon

Book Study Worthy? Yes

Read in ebook format.