The Midnight Library and its Endless Possibilities

    Over the last few years, the idea of the “alternate universe,” that is, a parallel universe (or millions of them) that exists alongside ours with changes in our lives or the people we know, sometimes small, sometimes large, has become ubiquitous. This has become the Go-To for a lot of superhero movies lately, as Hollywood has decided it is the ultimate way to reboot (codeword for “recast with younger people) a franchise. When I heard that The Midnight Library, by Matt Haig, revolved around a similar concept, I was skeptical. However, the novel is smart, thought-provoking, and has a lot of heart.

            Nora Seed, an unremarkable young woman in Bedford, England, reflects back on her life and doesn’t like the choices she has made. Reaching the breaking point, Nora attempts suicide, waking up in the Midnight Library, a mystical trove of books, all representing possible different lives had Nora made different choices, presided over by Mrs. Elm, Nora’s childhood librarian. Mrs. Elm tells Nora that she can experience any of the lives in the library and can choose to stay in whichever one she chooses. The catch? The minute Nora feels disappointment in that life, it's back to the Midnight Library she goes. All she has to do is call out a life where she made such-and-such a choie, the book starts spinning, and off she goes.

            While the scope of Noar’s journey is predictable – if you’re paying attention, many of the lives she experiences are foreshadowed in the early pages of the book- it is still a worthy one. She experiences everything from superstardom as a rockstar, international prestige as an Olympic swimmer and motivational speaker, a researcher in the Arctic, and everything in between, including, finally, the domestic happiness that has seemed to elude her all these years.

            What makes Nora’s journey work is Nora herself. While at times just a bit whiny, maybe even a trifle bit annoying, which of us, when contemplating times in our lives when we turned left when we should have turned right, can’t also be a bit of both? She’s also intelligent, funny, and her journey through possible lives is thought-provoking. Readers can’t help but be taken in by this opportunity Nora’s been given, wondering what we ourselves would do with it. While the stock answer most people give would be, "I wouldn't change a thing," would it not be interesting to see what would have happened if you pursued that far-fetched dream, ended up with the one that got away, and so on? I know I would be tempted.

        The Midnight Library is ultimately a short, poignant read in simple, witty prose.