Amazon.com.au:Customer reviews: The Midnight Library: The No.1 Sunday Times bestseller and worldwide phenomenon

Top positive review

Loved the premise of this book so much

Reviewed in Australia on 13 September 2020

I loved the premise of this book so much and I loved reading it even more! This is the perfect book for anyone who has many (or any!) regrets in their life.

This is "Sliding Doors" on steroids - what if you could get a sneak peak of what your life would look like if you'd made just one decision differently? Maybe it would have been a thousand times better. Or maybe it wouldn't have been...

8 people found this helpful

Top critical review

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Joanne Smith

It was just OK

Reviewed in Australia on 30 November 2020

Love the premise of The Midnight Library and how well constructed the concept of it is, but I just didn’t care about Nora!

For some reason I could not engage with her character at all and wasn’t bothered where she lived or if she lived. Sorry, I probably sound like a heartless brute!

That said, I needed to know how things panned out so I finished the book and found the ending sweet. Even for a heartless brute.

18 people found this helpful

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From Australia

Joanne Smith

It was just OK

Reviewed in Australia on 30 November 2020

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18 people found this helpful

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Rebecca Bowyer

Loved the premise of this book so much

Reviewed in Australia on 13 September 2020

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8 people found this helpful

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Amanda

A book I'll read more than once

Reviewed in Australia on 23 April 2021

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This book took me a while to get into, but I persisted as I enjoy Matt Haig's writing. I am so pleased I did, as this is one of those rare books which will stay with me.
The storyline is fascinating and abstract, thought provoking and unsettling at times. However, it's brilliant insight into people's lives and the 'what could've been' in real-time, is an intriguing storyline.

5 people found this helpful

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Clyve Westerlund

Both a Memoir & Overture of Life - This is Awe-Inspiring

Reviewed in Australia on 30 May 2022

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I find myself lately reading what I think are very good books. From the pleasant to the thought provoking to the fun to the serious and enlightening to the masterful to the beautiful to the despairing and tragic. This I tell you is a read that yet again I cannot properly articulate into language on the fundamental essence of its themes and context. To put simply, it is quite something that I totally did not expect in many ways, although I expected in some. But as I read and discovered, it is truly remarkable.

So here is what I will write with my utmost ability in describing something so accessibly written and simply said, yet so profound and significant. What comes to mind when I recall back as I turned from page to page is a question - “What Does It Mean To Be Human?”. It is apparent to me that I am yet again, reminded that what seems to be the things we want aren’t necessarily so and the things we truly need or want have been many a times right in front of us I suppose.

When I look up at the stars at night, I am acutely aware how insignificant and meaningless we all are individually. How abysmal most of our efforts are in trying to live up to Human made concepts of what is considered to be an appropriate life and how one should behave. What I have learned from this is that there is no appropriate way, there is of course being a decent human being and how we can treat each other better. But there is NO absolute way of living. There is just living and figuring it out as we go along.

The Midnight Library would definitely be one of my cherished books for this time around, as it solicits perspectives, drives hard the extremes of what is possible, and forces one to contemplate infinity and the singularity of all things. For some reason, I feel hope because I feel I have a better understanding of what being present in your current situation entails. This perhaps is cliche and cringy to say, but it’s the truth. I believe we all know this, but we tend to need reminders every now and then. After all, our perfection as individuals and on the whole; Humanity, is that our perfection lies within the imperfections, the Chaos of Life.

I conclude my personal review with this; with another idea or perhaps a stipulation: everyone has their own direction of life and their own codes of philosophy to live by, yet the as we slowly step towards the vast and endless unknown, it is the potential of the indeterminate future that allows us to discover new things, try different things, and grow and break and grow and break again. I believe that is what we call progress. If you cannot tell from my bias, this book is definitely worth the time to read and consider and contemplate. I am in a situation right now where I am hesitant on certain moves and of future prospects, but this has provided some much needed clarity.

Not bad Haig. You indeed did your job.

One person found this helpful

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koala

Predictable and falls down fast

Reviewed in Australia on 15 April 2021

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Started off ok but then became so boring, repetitive and predictable. Forced myself to finish it in the hopes the ending would be something interesting but it's exactly what you think it'll be. Main character was irritating too. I had high hopes for this based on the reviews but it was a waste of my time in the end.

4 people found this helpful

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Les Stanley

Be careful what you wish for

Reviewed in Australia on 28 January 2021

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I enjoyed this book. I was prompted to read it as inspiration for a book I am writing covering a similar subject. Matt Haig's storyline convinces us that multiple lives might be possible but that they will not necessarily turn out the way we might imagine. I loved the concept of "the book of regrets" getting smaller each time Nora realised, by experiencing another life, that her real life wasn't so bad after all. Great read. I did feel that some of the concepts could have been explored more deeply.

3 people found this helpful

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Best book I’ve read in a long time!

Reviewed in Australia on 30 August 2021

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I connected with the storyline so much, perhaps being in my late 30s and at a point in my own life where it’s easy wonder about life decisions, when thoughts of what’s ifs, should haves or ‘who knows what might have happened’ continually linger. But it’s true - the grass isn’t always greener!

I love the premise of this story and the style of writing hooked me right in from page 1. Easy to read, and kept me guessing and wondering where the story might go.

Great lessons to learn here - key messages being, no matter what we choose to do in life, happiness isn’t a complete end state. It’s all the little things - the ups/downs of life that make up a complete life. The love we give and receive, with an open heart and change of perspective. How all of our actions will always have a reaction but there’s comfort in the fact that, where we are is okay, it will never be perfect and you have the power to make it what you want. Don’t take life for granted, relationships included. Definitely a powerful read and look inside the struggle of loneliness, connection and mental health. Something I think, the world can definitely relate to.

Can’t wait to see how they turn this one into a movie. You can see it all play out in your head. Great escape.

5 out of 5! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Delightful and thought-provoking

Reviewed in Australia on 3 May 2022

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A delightful, thought-provoking story that explores life with an intriguing plot that, while a bit repetitive on occasions, is intriguing. If you've ever lived with regrets or wondered if you could have a better life than the one you're living now, this book is for you. The pacing is leisurely and it's an excellent exploration of philosophical themes in an engaging, readable style. Highly recommend.

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Cas22

A far-fetched premise that gives food for thought

Reviewed in Australia on 18 July 2021

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This novel is based on the far-fetched premise that we all have a multitude of parallel lives, all happening at the same time somewhere in the universe. The protagonist, Nora, gets a chance to experience some of these alternative lives as she hovers between life and death following a suicide attempt. In the end, she learns that no life is better or worse than another, they all have their joys and despairs. She also realises that her current life, while far from perfect, offers a wide array of possibilities, if she chooses to take advantage of them. I quite enjoyed the book and its gentle lessons in letting go of regret, being true to yourself and making the most of what you are given in life. It won’t be one of my top reads for the year but it prompted some useful reflection.

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Janet

Always read the one star ratings before purchasing

Reviewed in Australia on 13 June 2021

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Note to self: ALWAYS read the one star reviews before purchasing a book. I'm not going to write a a detailed review of this book- it has all been said before. What a waste of my time. From now on , If there is a common theme running amongst the one and two star reviews , I am simply not going to waste my time and money purchasing said book. I am tired of all the hype around a lot of books these days , enthusiastically blahing on about being an international bestseller etc. etc. A must read blah blah blah. I have been let down too many times . This was another one of those let down times.

2 people found this helpful

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3 star		15%
2 star		3%
1 star		1%

The Midnight Library: The No.1 Sunday Times bestseller and worldwide...

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The Midnight Library: The No.1 Sunday Times bestseller and worldwide...

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