The Midnight Library is an insightful and poignant exploration into regret, second chances and ultimately the joys and tribulations of simply living. Next, Nora goes by Mr. Banerjees house. In this reality, she also has a cat named Voltaire, but it looks different. When she inquires about Mrs. Elm, they inform her that Louise Elm died peacefully about three weeks ago. At midnight precisely, time seems to stop and Nora is engulfed in a mist. to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Chapters 16 18 (The Chessboard, The Only Way to Learn Is to Live, Fire). This article was published more than1 year ago. Should I have just asked? The next day, nine hours before Nora decides to die, Nora is late for work. She can't imagine a day that is better with her in it. Moreover, Nora must remember what she . I was so engrossed in The Midnight Library that I stopped worrying about deadlines and small annoyances and bigger fears. Amazon.com: Customer reviews: The Midnight Library: A Novel The Midnight Library, by Matt Haig. 4 Mar. Piloting Your Life is Terri's debut book, ' an inspiring, well-researched beach read' written as a love letter to GenX women to design and live a life of their own creation'. You can opt-out of the sale or sharing of personal information anytime. While shes in the Midnight Library, Mrs. Elm tells her, shes preserved from death; this is an opportunity to decide how and if she wants to live. The Library is falling apart, but Nora needs to find the book that represents her original life and write that story. Nora discovers that she is surprisingly content in this life, and she suspects this is the one shell want to stay in. . Soon, the Library sparks and books start to catch on fire. It resembles one he used to go to. What had she done? As Mrs. Elm reminds her: Never underestimate the big importance of small things., Now that youve read The Last Thing He Told Me, lets talk about the ending. Do you think by considering the ways in which our lives might have turned out differently our regrets truly go away, or do we simply learn to live with them? The Midnight Library. Nora immediately gets up out of the interview and heads downstairs, in shock and sadness, and soon she finds herself back at the Midnight Library. " The Midnight Library ," by Matt Haig A library that contains an infinite number of books: talk about the dream. But things are about to change. What do you think your Midnight Library would be? Nora's life hasn't quite turned out the way she expected, and a series of events lead to suicide. Afterwards, Nora thinks about her parents, the disappointments and the crushed hopes in their lives. With the help of Hugo Lefvre, a man she meets who is also jumping from life to life, Nora comes to understand the Midnight Library as a convenient trick of the brain. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. After the talk, Nora is transported back to the Midnight Library, having realized that the successful life is not one she wants either. What if she had married her fiance, Dan, instead of calling off the wedding two days beforehand? A simplicity to the narrative that has to be taken as a choice on Haig's part, not an accident. The world goes black. 8. Book Companion. Meanwhile, Nora worries that shell die for real if she doesnt find a life she has the will to live. The two were close: Nora would often play chess with Mrs. Elm during breaks, and Mrs. Elm was the one who informed Nora of her fathers unexpected death in the middle of one school day. Nora is able to see this memory, and she also sees that Joe had tried to go in after her to help, but others had stopped him. Remembering what Dylan had told her in another life, Nora goes to the Oak Leaf Residential Care Home to find Mrs. Elm, but instead she runs into Mr. Banerjee there. The messy life she had tried to exit now seems full of hope. Its a perfect ending: Nora didnt need a new life. Harper Avenue, 2020. A dazzling novel about all the choices that go into a life well lived, from the internationally bestselling author of Reasons to Stay Alive and How To Stop Time. For a non-spoiler version of the plot synopsis, see The Bibliofile's review of The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. 1. He realizes that he was dismissive of her panic attacks and it wasnt until Ewan got them, too, that he realized they were serious. Nora learns that Ingrid took this research position after Per (presumably her husband) had died to get away from the memory of him. When Nora gives her talk, instead of speaking about the pursuit of success, she talks about what shes learned from the Midnight Library she says that success is a delusion, and she talks philosophically about the different paths life can take. The mystery-horror series follows a group of eight terminally ill patients at Brightcliffe Hospice, run by Dr. Stanton. 2. The Midnight Library is a 2020 novel by Matt Haig. . The Midnight Library Matt Haig 4.02 1,302,455 ratings141,780 reviews Goodreads Choice Award Winner for Best Fiction (2020) Between life and death there is a library, and within that library, the shelves go on forever. Haigs response: Of course we would. The Midnight Library Summary & Study Guide - www.BookRags.com The only question left hanging over all of it is which one she'll finally choose. So she decides to die. Hes slightly drunk, and Nora realizes that she has recently dumped him. Matt Haig's The Midnight Library tells the story of 35 year old Nora Seed, following the night she takes an overdose. Later, we learn that Huge experienced it as a video store, with a cherished uncle instead of a librarian. And a character who doesn't actively want something even when it is something so basic as to keep on living is a hard character to identify with. Nora thinks about Dan, a man who worked in PR but had a dream of running a pub in the countryside. The Quick Recap and Section-by-Section Summary for The Midnight Library by Matt Haig are below. [2] Jason Sheehan knows stuff about food, video games, books and Starblazers. However, she remembers that Mrs. Elm had told her that once she settled into a life she wanted that shed eventually forget the library, but that doesnt seem to be happening. Nora was once the songwriter in a band called Labyrinth with Ravi, Ella (Ravis girlfriend, now wife) and Joe that was on the verge of a deal with Universal, but Nora nixed her involvement in it. In the dining hall, there are about 17 other people. Her best friend, Izzy, has moved to Australia, and the two struggle to keep in touch. The Midnight Library was my introduction to Matt Haig and I thoroughly enjoy his writing. By Danni Turner. The library is her brains way of making sense of the theory of alternate universes, Hugo posits, and she is seeing Mrs. Elm as a guide because the librarian represents a comforting authority figure from her past. ), Chapters 7 12 (00:00:00, The Librarian, The Midnight Library, The Moving Shelves, The Book of Regrets, Regret Overload). Ed. Later, we learn that Huge experienced it as a video store, with a cherished uncle instead of a librarian. If you really want to live a life hard enough, you dont have to worry, Mrs. Elm tells her. This finale explores the truth behind Brightcliffe's troubled history via flashbacks, while in the present, there are emotional goodbyes and the Midnight Club members bring a . Theres nothing wrong with the life, but theres a fakeness to it, and Nora lets that life go as well. If there are three dates, the first date is the date of the original She jokingly suggests glaciology. When Nora tests out becoming an Artic researcher, she meets a man Hugo Lefvre, who is also jumping between his alternate realities and has been doing so for a long time. As a place, the Midnight Library isn't really a library (of course), but is instead a 101-level lecture in parallel universe theory, philosophy and quantum indeterminacy. Nora thinks that this may be the best version of her life. The Midnight Club ending, explained - cosmopolitan.com And then Nora wakes up. Over the past year-and-a-half, as the coronavirus pandemic drop-kicked plans and routines somewhere far, far away, Ive had a recurring daydream about what would have been. T-shirts, posters, stickers, home decor, and more, designed and sold by independent artists around the world. Nora wonders why Mr. Banerjee ended up in a elderly care facility in this life when he had been determined not to in her original life. The Midnight Library is a 2020 novel by Matt Haig. Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore (Sullivan) - Discussion Questions. Still, she wonders what would have happened if shed stuck with it. Certain that she now wants to live, Nora begs Mrs. Elm to help her get out. The Midnight Library is a 2020 work of fiction by the New York Times bestselling British author Matt Haig. After some convincing, Nora agrees to try on an alternate life. But while it's uncharted. He had been staunchly against her staying in the band. What would've happened if she'd stuck with competitive swimming, been a better cat owner, been nicer to her parents, followed her best friend to Australia or become a glaciologist? Nineteen years later, Nora is now a 35-year-old woman who is unhappy in her life. She and Ash are happily married, they have a daughter named Molly and a dog named Plato, and Nora is a Cambridge professor writing on sabbatical. But in this new version of life, hes married to a woman he met at a swim meet, whom he left Noras mother for, likely accelerating the jilted womans death. Clue #2: The Midnight Club novel's ending. Nora finds herself surrounded by mist, and she discovers The Midnight Library, where infinite rows of books represent portals into different variations of her life. Despite him being perfectly nice, Nora wasnt too enamoured with this life and she bids it farewell. Afterwards, feeling impulsive knowing that any decision is just one iteration of her life, she kisses Hugo and they sleep together. By clicking Sign Up, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to Penguin Random House's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and understand that Penguin Random House collects certain categories of personal information for the purposes listed in that policy, discloses, sells, or shares certain personal information and retains personal information in accordance with the policy. Mrs. Elm tells Nora how to exit, by finding the book representing her original life, and the Midnight Library dissolves. Afterwards, Nora wanders around town and thinks about Dan, her ex-fianc who shed left two days before their aborted wedding. When the connection appears to be weakening, the librarian cautions Nora to get serious about her choice. Every decision in life leads to different results in life, and those possible lives are reflected in these infinite volumes. The Midnight Library: A Novel - amazon.com 7. Noras dad did not have a heart attack in this life because he ended up on a health kick as Nora was training for the Olympics. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig | Book Club Discussion Questions As they talk, Nora apologies for breaking up the band, and Joe apologies for things hes done as well. Nora ends up trying out a multitude of lives and careers, ranging from becoming a single mom to running a winery or being an aid worker, but nothing sticks. Nora wonders where Izzy is and asks Jojo. His father died when he was young, he was bullied and played rugby until an injury derailed his sporting future. She tells Mrs. Elm that she wanted to stay in the previous life, but Mrs. Elm disagrees. The Midnight Club Ending Explained: Death Is Inexorable, but so Is Life Mrs. Elm explains that her desire to live out her original life is causing the destruction. Some big, some small. Everything changes because of Anya's . What do you think this says about the speed at which we decide things about our lives and ourselves? The Midnight Library, which is the place people go when they find themselves hanging precariously between life and death and not entirely sure about which way to go. 5 Highlights from The Midnight Library - One of the Most Anticipated Books of 2020 | by T.J.Parker | Books Are Our Superpower Write Sign up Sign In 500 Apologies, but something went wrong on our end. Yes, it really is that simple. Her situational grief and existing depression coalesce until she feels impossibly burdened by them, and she decides to take her own life. Where, for an hour, a day or a month, she gets to dip into and sample lives where she made different choices, with the ultimate goal of erasing those regrets and finding a life she's comfortable in. And the magnitude of that is staggering, given that a life can be determined or redirected by a single event. She explains that Nora can stay as long as she likes in each life, but she warns Nora that if she loses the will to carry on while she is between lives, then Nora will truly die with finality. But, plot twist, each is about a life that could have been, had one made. He has a bunch of dogs. She eventually finds a life she's happy in, but in the process she learns that her original life had value. Mrs. Elm implies that these are a symptom of Noras health in her root life. Nora gets out of the pool and has no clue where she lives or what she does for a living. The subsequent chapters tend to alternate between one of Nora's dream-lives and the library. The Midnight Club ending explained: Who is Dr. Stanton, really? (spoilers) Next, Nora tries something different, a life where she moves to America, marries a Mexican-American man named Eduardo Martinez and they live on a small vineyard in California. In this new life, hes at the care home he had so passionately resisted. She was the only difference between the two Mr. Banerjees, but what was that difference? Nora wonders if hell ask her out again, but instead Ash tells her that her cat, Voltaire (Volts), has been hit by a car. Unlike in the original life, here, Joe is happily married to Ewan, his husband. Caffeinated Reviewer | The Midnight Library by Matt Haig As Nora travels through different iterations of her life, she begins to see the motivations of those in her root life more clearly. Next, Nora asks to experience fame, and she is transported to a life where her band Labyrinth had made it big. Nora remembers playing chess with Mrs. Elm and getting the news that her father had died of a heart attack. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. Afterwards, Nadia is very happy to see her brother Joe and that they get along well. He takes what could've been (what has been in so many other books) a dark or sad or curvy or weird spin through the logical and philosophical possibilities of regret crossed with multiverse theory and straightens it out. Mrs. Elm recalls the games of chess that she used to play with Nora and how shed give up if she lost a few key pieces like her queen and whatnot, acting like the game was over and that her pawns and such were useless. As she passes by her elderly neighbor, Mr. Banerjee, he informs her of the good news that he no longer needs her to pick up his medicine, but it makes Nora feel superfluous as a person. Her relationships are in shambles and her cat is dead. Joe is no longer in the band. What do the stories mean? Wallowing in self-pity, she downs a bottle of wine and posts a rambling message on social media. -- Nora decides to die, and she overdoses on pills at midnight. What transpired was a magical story about Nora Seed. It was very easy going compared to some of these classics weve read. Our teacher made us read this, now writing an essay about the book and this is quite helpful for summarising all the key events of the book so thanks. Mrs. Elm tells Nora that almost all of the books on the library's seemingly infinite shelves represent lives that Nora could have lived if she had made different choices. Do you think the role books played in the Midnight Library is similar to the role they play in your own life? From there, Mrs. Elm encourages Nora to pursue less "obvious" paths. The Midnight Library opens with a teenaged Nora Seed, who is smart and a talented swimmer. The Midnight Library is different for each person who enters it. date the date you are citing the material. Mrs. Elm says that Nora has become lost because she's still trying to live for other people. One tells the story of your life as . Ultimately, it became a saga about how Kevin feels like he's let down everyone he loves. Nora is transported into a life that seems perfect. Note: this article may contain spoilers for The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. Mrs. Elm encourages Nora to try a less obvious life, saying that a more ordinary life can still lead to victory. It turns out, I didnt need a midnight library to shift my own perspective. In her life before she finds herself in the Midnight Library, Nora gave up many of the pursuits that brought her joy because she didnt feel like she could be the best at them. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig is a 2020 novel about a woman on the threshold between life and death who visits parallel versions of her life. In it, each book represents a portal into another variation of what her life could have been. How Does The Midnight Library End - Great Choice For Bookworms! The Midnight Library by Matt Haig ended up being a preachy, fictionalized self-help book that I didn't ask for and that wouldn't have helped anyway. The book weaves elements of science fiction and fantasy with philosophical contemplations on human mortality, happiness, and personal choice.. A thousand. All 120 characters in The Midnight Library are listed by chapter with character descriptions included. The Midnight Sky's Heartbreaking Ending, Explained Nineteen years later, its now 27 hours before Nora will decide to die. In the book "Games at Twilight", what details do you notice that show this story is not taking place in the United States? 7. Marvel Midnight Suns Ending Explained - Midnight Suns Wiki Guide - IGN Chapters 44 50 (Love and Pain, Equidistance, Someone Elses Dream, The Gentle Life, Why Want Another Universe If This One Has Dogs?, Dinner with Dylan, Last Chance Saloon). Another prominent theme that I loved in the Midnight Library was that of regrets. It turns out she would have made it to the Olympics, and her dad would still be alive (in her root life, he died young). Nora plays chess with Mrs. Elm, the librarian. She works on patching things up with her brother, starts soliciting more students for music lessons in order to make a living and starts volunteering weekly at a homeless shelter. Overdose. The NY Times. . T.J.Parker 212 Followers My not so random reviews and thoughts Book Review and bookclub questions for Matt Haig's The Midnight Library And finally she wakes, gasping, at home, summoning all her energy to ask her neighbor (Mr. The Midnight Club will tug at your heartstrings and have you piecing together its mysteries all at the same time. Where, for an hour, a day or a month, she gets to dip into and sample lives where she made different choices, with the ultimate goal. 1. But every time one decision is taken over another, the outcomes differ. She is playing chess with the school librarian, Mrs. Elm, when she gets the news about her father's death. Log in here. 'The Midnight Club' Ending Explained: Breaking Down That Final Twist The Midnight Library is the place where Nora gets to find out. Ask Amy: I wanted flowers after my miscarriage. Through these alternate realities, she learns that the paths she'd regretted giving up weren't what she'd thought they would be. will be fine without her, she returns to the Midnight Library. Both men blame her for dropping out right when they had a chance at a major record deal. On a few occasions, the library experiences system issues that complicate Noras transfers in and out of lives. During the interview, they podcasters reference a restraining order that Nora had against her ex-husband Dan Lord. Mrs. Elm: The librarian. Matt Haig is the number one bestselling author of Reasons to Stay Alive, Notes on a Nervous Planet and six highly acclaimed novels for adults, including How to Stop Time, The Humans and The Radleys. And it is filled with nothing but books, shelves and, curiously, Nora's school librarian, Mrs. Elm. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig - Reading Guide: 9780525559474 - PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books The #1 New York Times bestselling WORLDWIDE phenomenon Winner of the Goodreads Choice Award for Fiction | A Good Morning America Book Club Pick | Independent. She thinks about the plants she helped water for him when he was in surgery. eNotes Editorial. Even as a rock star, Joe had stuck with her because she was making him money, not because theyd sorted out their issues. Hugo has seen hundreds of lives and plans to continue to do so. The book follows Nora, a dejected 35 year old who, after overdosing, finds herself transported to a library. Nora explores a series of these other possible realities, returning to the library each time she feels dissatisfied. She finds herself in an upscale hotel room, feeling very healthy. Nora sees the cat and feels sadness, but also a bit of envy at seeing him lying there peacefully. Netflix canceled The Midnight Club (co-created with Leah Fong) after season 1, so that tantalizing cliffhanger concerning a certain doctor won't be resolved -- well, you might have thought so,. Nora tries a life where she stayed in her band and became a famous rock star, but she learns that becoming famous lead to Joe dying from substance abuse. Voltaire wasnt hit by a car. The Midnight Club Ending Explained. The Midnight Library Quotes and Analysis | GradeSaver In this gentle life, Nora works at an animal rescue center and is seeing a man named Dylan, who had been two years below her in secondary school, though they didnt know each other then. Online, she learns that she is a 2-time Olympian, having won a gold and two silver medals before retiring at 28. This moment occurs at the end of Nora's first adventure in a parallel life. She was an aspiring glaciologist and a highly-rated competitive swimmer in her youth, as well as an accomplished musician in her twenties, but she allowed fear and anxiety to prevent any of these pursuits from coming to fruition. What if she had never given up swimming, the sport her father was desperate for her to continue?
