The Midnight Library: A GMA Book Club Pick (A Novel)

Matt Haig

Sep 2020 · Penguin Random House Audio · Narrated by Carey Mulligan

About this audiobook

The #1 New York Times bestselling WORLDWIDE phenomenon

Winner of the Goodreads Choice Award for Fiction | A Good Morning America Book Club Pick | Independent (London) Ten Best Books of the Year

"A feel-good book guaranteed to lift your spirits."—The Washington Post

The dazzling reader-favorite about the choices that go into a life well lived, from the acclaimed author of How To Stop Time and The Comfort Book.

Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. While we all wonder how our lives might have been, what if you had the chance to go to the library and see for yourself? Would any of these other lives truly be better?

In The Midnight Library, Matt Haig's enchanting blockbuster novel, Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision. Faced with the possibility of changing her life for a new one, following a different career, undoing old breakups, realizing her dreams of becoming a glaciologist; she must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place.

Ratings and reviews

Cool concept, relatable and I loved the narrator. Pretty corny a lot of times and predictable as anything. As someone who struggles with depression, the language was quite triggering throughout. And I dunno why but I definitely feel worse after reading it even though it should be inspiring and uplifting haha. That's my own problem though. I liked this book and kept coming back to it. It felt like a real "page turner" (I had the audiobook) but I think more could have been done with it. [[Spoilers: I was bothered that so much of the story hinged on Nora feeling awkward and not knowing how to navigate each life simply because of the logistics of experiencing different lives. it seemed like the author could have gotten so much more out of the story had he left out the "omg so awkward I don't know anyone's name" in every. single. life. for me, it was a significant distraction to the message of finding meaning in life and I didn't feel like it should have been part of every life she tried.]]

absolutely loved the book... so portions of it really hit home so I'd advise starting and stopping taking a break and coming back. all in all a solid story, also our heroine is pretty likeable!

Fantastic book, and incredible narration. What life would you chose? What do you regret? The big question of What If? All in one fascinating book. I actually will get the paper version too, as there is so much I want to pick up on.

About the author

Matt Haig is the author of the instant New York Times Bestseller The Comfort Book; two memoirs, Notes on a Nervous Planet and the internationally bestselling Reasons to Stay Alive; along with six novels, including How to Stop Time, and several award-winning children’s books. The Midnight Library, a number one New York Times Bestseller, is his latest novel and has sold more than six million copies world-wide. His work has been translated into more than forty languages.