The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

The book blurb: “Nora’s life has been going from bad to worse. Then at the stroke of midnight on her last day on earth, she finds herself transported to a library. There she is given a chance to undo her regrets and try out each of the other lives she might have lived.

Which raises the ultimate question: with infinite choices, what is the best way to live?”

We were a small group (5 people) who met to talk about this book and the discussions were interesting, open and even sometimes animated.

So, what were our thoughts on this book?

First of all, it was mentioned that the theme of the book was not new and had already been seen in films such as “Bedazzled” with Liz Hurley and “Sliding Doors” with Gwyneth Paltrow.

Furthermore, Matt Haig is a busy author, has produced a series of self-help material and his particular book titled “Humans” (recommended read) contains similar themes as in “The Midnight Library”.

So, what were our thoughts on this particular work?

It was agreed that the book is an easy read, overall well-written and quirky BUT not a book which can be discussed in 5 minutes! Yes, the pages flow easily but they certainly make you think and raise the fundamental question: does a perfect life exist?

Nobody leads a perfect life despite the impressions that some people may give and post on social media, and leading from this, the pressure some people may put themselves under as they aspire to that impossible perfect goal.

The book was also found frustrating: it proposes all sorts of different lives, but none of which are developed properly and are given any depth. This lack of continuity was found annoying. Also, the tone of the book is sometimes preachy and the author may sometimes engage in too much navel-gazing. To top this, the different bubbles of life Nora is given to live, are fundamentally flawed: Nora is only introduced to material worlds where she has no human connections. In all these different lives, Nora is merely plonked into new situations without any personal connections, meaning that she has to Google her own name in order to find out about herself and she feels a total stranger with the people surrounding her. Strange and artificial lives, really… Furthermore, Nora’s choice of a “best” life appears disappointing; it is too obvious and too predictable (married with a child in a comfortable home in Cambridge suburbia where she feels slightly bored). Is this really the most exciting life Nora can strive for at the age of 30?

Matt Haig’s book is in the top 10 most popular books at the moment. The general press has given it mixed and in general “Marmite”- like reviews: either you love it or you hate it…As for our own book group, the reviews given by our absent members were in general positive and it seemed that people had enjoyed this read.

So, what would be the answer to a reader’s ultimate test question: would we want to read this book twice? Probably not was our answer, but despite its flaws, we enjoyed the read, its quirkiness and we were excited by certain topics and themes the book develops.

We were compelled by the theme of chess and its symbolism; a person in our group remarked how important every single pawn is, because “all these pawns on a chessboard are all queens in waiting!"  

Then our discussions led to the theme of resilience, and how one can learn from famous people’s failures such as Einstein and Edison. In fact, it is good to be sometimes unhappy as it makes you appreciate the good things; the stress, the questioning makes one evolve and progress. Could it actually be one of the flaws of today’s generation as some demand instant gratification?

Certain other themes dealt with in the book such as “you live and then you learn” were found helpful and struck a chord. The theme of “how to deal with regrets” was also found thought-provoking. And in fact, this book gave us the ideal platform to talk more openly about mental health issues and strategies.

Did we think the book might be helpful to others? Overall, we felt it definitely would despite its occasional preachy tone.

Would we recommend this book? Yes, we would.

We learned some valuable things and there’s no harm in wishing to be a rock star… in another life!

For September/October we have chosen to read 'Where the Crawdads Sing' by Delia Owens and we will meet to discuss this book on Thursday, November 4th, 8pm at The Hundred of Ashendon. 

Autumn Reads 2021

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

For years, rumours of the "Marsh Girl" have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say.

Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life - until the unthinkable happens.

Perfect for fans of Barbara Kingsolver and Celeste Ng, Where the Crawdads Sing is at once an exquisite ode to the natural world, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of possible murder. Owens reminds us that we are forever shaped by the children we once were and that we are all subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo

Tracking the lives and loves of a dozen British women through generations and social classes, Girl, Woman, Other weaves a distinctive, illuminating tapestry of modern British life. Teeming with life and crackling with energy - a love song to modern Britain and black womanhood.

Girl, Woman, Other follows the lives and struggles of twelve very different characters. Mostly women, black and British, they tell the stories of their families, friends and lovers, across the country and through the years.

Joyfully polyphonic and vibrantly contemporary, this is a gloriously new kind of history, a novel of our times: celebratory, ever-dynamic and utterly irresistible.

The Gun Room by Georgina Harding

Dawn, mist clearing over the rice fields, a burning Vietnamese village, and a young war photographer gets the shot that might make his career. The image, of a staring soldier in the midst of mayhem, will become one of the great photographs of the war. But what he has seen in that village is more than he can bear, and he flees.

We will meet on Thursday 2nd September at 8pm to discuss our current read The Midnight Library by Matt Haig and to choose our next book.