Lorenza Punzo/ Staff Reporter
Matt Haig’s unique novel The Library at Midnight questions life endless possibilities.This is a young girl named Nora Seed who is living a monotonous and ordinary life and feels unwanted and unfulfilled. One night her despair reached its peak and she committed suicide. But the story doesn’t end there; Nora is lucky enough to experience the many different ways her life could have come true if she had made slightly different choices.
She ends up in a place called the Midnight Library which exists between life and death and is filled with books in which endless parallel lives she could have lived; she has the ability to undo her regrets starting where her other self ends her life. While in the Library at midnight Nora goes through hundreds of lives and becomes hundreds of different versions of herself that she never even imagine.
She must decide what she is willing to sacrifice in order to live forever in one of those “ideal” lives where they seem perfect for a while but as she realizes the challenges are waiting. Noras self-discovery is captivating as she tries to realize whats really important in life.
This novel is beautifully written and thought provoking. Noras emotions are deeply portrayed and they captivated with the depth of Haig’s storytelling. Although the concept is simple it appeals and covers a lot of the different emotional experiences that come with life. Imagining spending time in the Library in the middle of the night reflecting on life and the decisions one can make and look ahead imagining endless possibilities its a sign of a talented author.
Although it is a great novel it sometimes took on a repetitive almost semantic tone when an important idea was clear. This often happens when life lessons arise. There are also efforts to make Noras life seem scientifically possible based on quantum physics and I don’t think thats necessary as Noras focus is on life and personal growth. The character development setting and plot are engaging and discuss important topics like sanity. This novel might be interesting for teenagers and adults. Its a fun short read that will get you thinking and put you in the corner of your seat.