The Midnight Library

"...But it is not the lives we regret not living that are the real problem. It is the regret itself. It's the regret that makes us shrivel and wither and feel like our own and other people's worst enemy.
We can't tell if any of those other versions would have been better or worse. Those lives are happening, it is true, but you are happening as well, and that is the happening we have to focus on. "

The Midnight Library, for me, was a perfect segue from "Man's search for Meaning". At the risk of sounding absurd, I might go so far as to say that my choice of reading these two books, in that order, felt like a preordained plan by destiny. This book speaks of life at length - the choices we make, the regrets that follow from the choices we do not make and the vicious cycle that sets into motion because of all the could-haves, the should-haves and the would-haves! 

'The Midnight Library' revolves around the concept of parallel lives or multiverses, a subject that I've always found captivating! I often wonder about my other parallel lives where the decisions I didn't take in this life led me to some other journey. Yes, I believe in parallel lives! How I wish I could peek into those lives somehow! For now, I'll have to make peace reading books and watching movies on the parallel lives of these fictional characters. 

Here the character is Nora Seed, who is driven to the point of suicide due to the way her life turned out for her. She's filled with regrets for the decisions she took in her life and the opportunities she let go of, which altered the path of her destiny irrevocably. She nurtures these regrets and plunges into a state of despair and depression. With a stroke of magic, she enters The Midnight Library where she gets to experience the lives she could have lived, had she taken different decisions in her actual life. What ensues after that changes her reality forever. But for better or for worse? That's for your to find out!

Of the many things that I took away from this book, the one that stood out for me was "never underestimate the big importance of small things". Wearing the disguised armour of self-growth, almost all of us tend to be too self-critical (I know I do). In our pursuit for the bigger things in life, we often overlook the importance of the smaller, everyday things - a gesture of kindness or goodness, which might have a life-changing impact on the lives of the people around us or even on us! Those small things hold bigger power and we need only realise that to truly value our life and our purpose. 

The author, Matt Haig, has his heart in the right place with this one. It's a simple, pleasant and a thought-provoking read. Although the book tends to lose its rhythm at some places, it gets back up on its feet in no time. I'd give one extra star for the beautiful philosophy that almost every chapter was laced with. And with that, I bid adieu to this beauty of a book and give it 5 shimmering stars! Matt Haig has definitely earned himself a new fan, one who is going to devour all his books one by one!

My next read is called "The Girl with the Louding Voice". It has rave reviews on the internet and sounds ultra-promising. I'd be back with a review soon on this one.

Before I go, I'll leave you with this short poem (from The Midnight Library) that I absolutely loved:

The sky grows dark
The black over blue
Yet the stars still dare
To shine for you

Until next time, happy reading! :)

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