The Midnight Library

 Book 3 of my 2026 Reading Challenge

read on January 3

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

published 2020

4 stars

'Between life and death there is a library,' she said. 'And within that library, the shelves go on for ever. Every book provides a chance to try another life you could have lived. To see how things would be if you had made other choices...Would you have done anything different, if you had the chance to undo your regrets?

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The Midnight Library combines 2 of my favorite things to think about, libraries and death.  I love the concept of a transitionary period where someone can reflect (and in this case, redo).

I read this easily in a day.  It's a high 4 for me but there were some pacing issues; I'd tighten up the list of lives she tried but didn't dedicate chapters to, either by expanding more chapters or by lessening the list, and the ending made sense but didn't land exactly right for me.

I would still recommend this book with little hesitation and now that I see there's a second book, The Midnight Train, I would definitely read it.

Quote from the Book

"'While the Midnight Library stands, Nora, you will be preserved from death. Now, you had to decide how you want to live.'"

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Ways This Book Met my 2026 Reading Goals:

- 3rd book read in 2026 (my goal is 100)

- Title starting with 'M' (I'm doing an A-Z title challenge)