The Book of Regrets

Nora Seed has a lot of regrets. She regrets letting down her father when she decided not to continue her athletic career. She regrets becoming estranged from her brother and leaving the band they had formed together. She regrets breaking off her engagement, just days before the wedding. She regrets not travelling to Australia with her friend Izzy. 

The weight of these regrets are too much for Nora and she is genuinely unhappy with her life. When she loses her uninspiring job at a local music shop, and her beloved cat dies, she decides she has had enough and the world would be better off without her. Nora tries to kill herself, thus beginning her journey to the Midnight Library. 

The Library exists in the place between life and death. Here she meets the librarian who hands her a personalised book of regrets. Nora can chose any regret and go back to see what life would be like should she have made a different choice. Would she have been happier in any of these lives? Is there a life worth living for?

Matt Haig's The Midnight Library (2020) ponders 'what-could-have-been' like so many books and films before. Nora has many sliding doors moments where the choice she has made has led her on a certain path, thereby letting the many alternative paths fall by the wayside. Some of Nora's alternative life choices lead to fame and fortune, but most are pretty ordinary. 

For the most part, I enjoyed The Midnight Library but I didn't love it. The concept of the library was great and I liked the opportunity to explore the road less travelled. While exploring depressing topics like suicide and addiction, the book is ultimately uplifting with the hopeful message of finding happiness in the little things. However, after several journeys to Nora's alternative lives, it became quite tedious and predictable. Nora was a frustrating character, continually not knowing what she wants and always thinking the grass is greener elsewhere. I could not connect with her and didn't really care what path she chose, I just wanted her to pick something to stop the cycle of returning to the library.

Having finished the book I have read reviews online and so many people loved this novel in a way that I did not. While reading the novel, I also listened to the audiobook narrated by Carey Mulligan. Mulligan did a great job of personifying Nora and I think without her compelling narration I may have given up on the book without regret.