What would you do if you were thrown into a situation where you were neither dead nor alive? Surprisingly, you'd have the opportunity to try out different lives, lives different from your own, and many others you'd never even considered.
Nora Seed will tell you through the Midnight Library…
Let's get it!
Nora Seed had a difficult life. After her father died, she constantly felt overthinking, and the constant stream of problems made her reluctant to live. Especially when her beloved cat, Voltaire, died, she lost the will to live, so she did. That night, she was thrown into a library guarded by Librarian Mrs. Elm. She thought she was dead, but she was actually hovering between life and death. Not dead, but also not alive.
Mrs. Elm not only guarded the library, but also taught Nora, who had initially wanted to die, what life is all about. Mrs. Elm offered her an exciting journey, where she could move from one life to another. These lives might be related to her root life, or they might not be at all. Among those lives—which she had probably tried thousands of times with thousands of different life experiences—there was one life that Nora turned to. It was there that she understood that she wanted to live.
Matt Haig is a completely new author to me. His book, Midnight Library, has been translated into various languages, including Indonesian. But reading translated books can sometimes make a piece of writing lose its feel, so this was my first attempt at reading an adult fiction novel in its original language. Deciding to read Midnight Library in English was certainly a challenge—especially since the book costs as much as two Indonesian versions, but I wanted to get out of my comfort zone, so I read the original version. The last book I read in English was a children's book, Alfie and Peterpan, so I thought this would be a new challenge. But I got what I felt when I read it, a feel!
I never thought reading a book in a different language could be this enjoyable. Indeed, it took me about 2 months to completely finish Midnight Library, a long journey to finish a book. But I really enjoyed how Nora moved from one life to another. I felt related to Mrs. Elm's advice about life. I felt scared when Nora faced a polar bear, and confused when she had to explain about 'her newly transmigrated self'. It was truly an amazing experience that made me think or contemplate—maybe there is a certain reason why God didn't make my life like this and like that. Yeah, this is a fiction novel that can make anyone stop and wonder why their life is like this, why not like that? 'Wow!' was the sentence that came to my lips when I read the plot twists. And of course, Matt Haig's storytelling style impressed me and made me admire him. I loved how Matt Haig made per chapter too short so it does not bore.
I really enjoyed my time reading Midnight Library, did you know that I read this book mostly on the way. Yup, I rarely get to read a book at home, maybe once I read it before bed. Sometimes in the cafe, as a break from writing posts on the hive, when in the cinema waiting room, but mostly, I read on the Transjakarta bus and the last page while I was on my way to the office from home.
Anyway... I rate this book with 4,5 from 5 start; Challenging!
Have you read this book? What do you think?
Thanks in advance, to read my blog and hope you like my post!
See you on the next post...
Vivie Hardika
Hi, Halo, Annyeong! Welcome to my galaxy.
I have so much imagination in my head. Something that I can't achieve as a human and as a girl. So writing is very challenging. Since Junior High School, I have written whatever I want to write. Without skill, I just write what I want to read. Now I have 12th published novels and all of those are romance.
Yeah, I proudly say that I am a passionate author, traveler wannabe, and blogger.
