
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet or computer—no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera, scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Midnight Library: TikTok Made Me Buy It! Paperback – 1 September 2020
Purchase options and add-ons
Between life and death there is a library.
When Nora Seed finds herself in the Midnight Library, she has a chance to make things right. Up until now, her life has been full of misery and regret. She feels she has let everyone down, including herself. But things are about to change.
The books in the Midnight Library enable Nora to live as if she had done things differently. With the help of an old friend, she can now undo every one of her regrets as she tries to work out her perfect life. But things aren't always what she imagined they'd be, and soon her choices place the library and herself in extreme danger.
Before time runs out, she must answer the ultimate question: what is the best way to live?
- Print length304 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherCANONGATE TRADE
- Publication date1 September 2020
- Dimensions19.7 x 12.9 x 1.11 cm
- ISBN-101786892723
- ISBN-13978-1786892720
Frequently bought together

What Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
- A person was like a city. You couldn’t let a few less desirable parts put you off the whole. There may be bits you don’t like, a few dodgy side streets and suburbs, but the good stuff makes it worthwhile.Highlighted by 8,913 Kindle readers
- ‘Want,’ she told her, in a measured tone, ‘is an interesting word. It means lack. Sometimes if we fill that lack with something else the original want disappears entirely. Maybe you have a lack problem rather than a want problem. Maybe there is a life that you really want to live.’Highlighted by 7,709 Kindle readers
- ‘But you will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life,’ he said, wisely.Highlighted by 6,127 Kindle readers
- ‘Never underestimate the big importance of small things,’ Mrs Elm said. ‘You must always remember that.’Highlighted by 4,744 Kindle readers
From the Publisher


Product description
About the Author
@matthaig1 | matthaig.com
Product details
- Publisher : CANONGATE TRADE; 1st edition (1 September 2020)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 304 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1786892723
- ISBN-13 : 978-1786892720
- Dimensions : 19.7 x 12.9 x 1.11 cm
- Best Sellers Rank: 52,869 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- 4 in Academic Libraries
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Matt Haig is the internationally bestselling author of the novels The Midnight Library, How to Stop Time, The Humans, The Radleys, children's novel A Boy Called Christmas, and memoir Reasons to Stay Alive. His latest novel is The Life Impossible, which will be published in summer 2024. His work has been translated into over fifty languages.
@matthaig1 | matthaig.com
Customer reviews
Customers say
Customers find the book thought-provoking and inspiring, with one review highlighting its interesting concept of reliving life. Moreover, they describe it as an amazing mind-blowing book with a beautifully told life story, and one customer mentions it's particularly helpful for those feeling lost in life. Additionally, the writing style is well-executed and easy to follow, while the pacing is well-paced and satisfying. However, the character development receives mixed reactions, with some customers finding it easy to invest in the main characters.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book thought-provoking, describing it as an inspiring life-affirming read that encourages reflection on life experiences.
"...From the pleasant to the thought provoking to the fun to the serious and enlightening to the masterful to the beautiful to the despairing and tragic...." Read more
"Uplifting read. Shows you a new perspective of life. Written nicely without the unnecessary detail...." Read more
"Beautifully written...thought provoking...a wonderful journey along the way..a must read if you love life .Diverse lives and choices to be made" Read more
"A delightful, thought-provoking story that explores life with an intriguing plot that, while a bit repetitive on occasions, is intriguing...." Read more
Customers find the book highly readable, describing it as a fantastic and amazing mind-blowing read, with one customer noting it's particularly good for those feeling lost in life.
"...If you cannot tell from my bias, this book is definitely worth the time to read and consider and contemplate...." Read more
"...thought provoking...a wonderful journey along the way..a must read if you love life .Diverse lives and choices to be made" Read more
"A good read that got you to think about life, but I would only recommend if you are in a good head space" Read more
"...Don’t take life for granted, relationships included. Definitely a powerful read and look inside the struggle of loneliness, connection and mental..." Read more
Customers love the story of this book, describing it as a beautifully told narrative with great moments that they connected with deeply.
"Beautifully written...thought provoking...a wonderful journey along the way..a must read if you love life .Diverse lives and choices to be made" Read more
"A delightful, thought-provoking story that explores life with an intriguing plot that, while a bit repetitive on occasions, is intriguing...." Read more
"I connected with the storyline so much, perhaps being in my late 30s and at a point in my own life where it’s easy wonder about life decisions, when..." Read more
"A light read with a nice if somewhat predictable ending...." Read more
Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, finding it well-written, easy to read, and simple to follow.
"...I will write with my utmost ability in describing something so accessibly written and simply said, yet so profound and significant...." Read more
"...Shows you a new perspective of life. Written nicely without the unnecessary detail...." Read more
"Beautifully written...thought provoking...a wonderful journey along the way..a must read if you love life .Diverse lives and choices to be made" Read more
"...an excellent exploration of philosophical themes in an engaging, readable style. Highly recommend." Read more
Customers find the book lovely and delightful, with one mentioning it made them smile.
"...to the fun to the serious and enlightening to the masterful to the beautiful to the despairing and tragic...." Read more
"A delightful, thought-provoking story that explores life with an intriguing plot that, while a bit repetitive on occasions, is intriguing...." Read more
"...it's a very old movie, but looks at this kind of subject in a very beautiful way. And is very motivating and inspiring...." Read more
"...Turned out to be a beautiful story and a reminder of the beauty in everyone’s life...." Read more
Customers appreciate the pacing of the book, finding it well-paced and satisfying, with one customer noting how engaging it is to follow Nora's journey.
"...The pacing is leisurely and it's an excellent exploration of philosophical themes in an engaging, readable style. Highly recommend." Read more
"This book reached me at just the right time. Easy to take in. But with lots of depth and gives you something to reflect on in your own life." Read more
"...was predictable, actually the predictable ending is comforting and satisfying...." Read more
"...is because as with some of his other books, I just found it a tad depressing. For large parts of the book I just felt a bit flat whilst reading it." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the character development in the book, with some finding it easy to invest in the main characters, while others report difficulty engaging with them.
"...work for me for a number of reasons including: an impossibly talented yet unlikely main character who was a potential Olympic Class swimmer;..." Read more
"...It was exactly what I needed to read. The way he steps into characters is almost casual, its not over the top but it's like getting to know someone..." Read more
"...For some reason I could not engage with her character at all and wasn’t bothered where she lived or if she lived...." Read more
"...Interesting characters living difficult lives with an ending that is entirely appropriate and you definitely want to keep reading to find out what..." Read more
Reviews with images

Best book I’ve read in a long time!
Top reviews from Australia
There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.
- Reviewed in Australia on 30 May 2022Verified PurchaseI find myself lately reading what I think are very good books. From the pleasant to the thought provoking to the fun to the serious and enlightening to the masterful to the beautiful to the despairing and tragic. This I tell you is a read that yet again I cannot properly articulate into language on the fundamental essence of its themes and context. To put simply, it is quite something that I totally did not expect in many ways, although I expected in some. But as I read and discovered, it is truly remarkable.
So here is what I will write with my utmost ability in describing something so accessibly written and simply said, yet so profound and significant. What comes to mind when I recall back as I turned from page to page is a question - “What Does It Mean To Be Human?”. It is apparent to me that I am yet again, reminded that what seems to be the things we want aren’t necessarily so and the things we truly need or want have been many a times right in front of us I suppose.
When I look up at the stars at night, I am acutely aware how insignificant and meaningless we all are individually. How abysmal most of our efforts are in trying to live up to Human made concepts of what is considered to be an appropriate life and how one should behave. What I have learned from this is that there is no appropriate way, there is of course being a decent human being and how we can treat each other better. But there is NO absolute way of living. There is just living and figuring it out as we go along.
The Midnight Library would definitely be one of my cherished books for this time around, as it solicits perspectives, drives hard the extremes of what is possible, and forces one to contemplate infinity and the singularity of all things. For some reason, I feel hope because I feel I have a better understanding of what being present in your current situation entails. This perhaps is cliche and cringy to say, but it’s the truth. I believe we all know this, but we tend to need reminders every now and then. After all, our perfection as individuals and on the whole; Humanity, is that our perfection lies within the imperfections, the Chaos of Life.
I conclude my personal review with this; with another idea or perhaps a stipulation: everyone has their own direction of life and their own codes of philosophy to live by, yet the as we slowly step towards the vast and endless unknown, it is the potential of the indeterminate future that allows us to discover new things, try different things, and grow and break and grow and break again. I believe that is what we call progress. If you cannot tell from my bias, this book is definitely worth the time to read and consider and contemplate. I am in a situation right now where I am hesitant on certain moves and of future prospects, but this has provided some much needed clarity.
Not bad Haig. You indeed did your job.
- Reviewed in Australia on 1 March 2025Verified PurchaseUplifting read. Shows you a new perspective of life. Written nicely without the unnecessary detail. Lacks a bit of suspense, but makes up in the department of philosophy
- Reviewed in Australia on 11 February 2025Verified PurchaseBeautifully written...thought provoking...a wonderful journey along the way..a must read if you love life .Diverse lives and choices to be made
- Reviewed in Australia on 4 July 2024Verified PurchaseA good read that got you to think about life, but I would only recommend if you are in a good head space
- Reviewed in Australia on 3 May 2022Verified PurchaseA delightful, thought-provoking story that explores life with an intriguing plot that, while a bit repetitive on occasions, is intriguing. If you've ever lived with regrets or wondered if you could have a better life than the one you're living now, this book is for you. The pacing is leisurely and it's an excellent exploration of philosophical themes in an engaging, readable style. Highly recommend.
- Reviewed in Australia on 30 August 2021Verified PurchaseI connected with the storyline so much, perhaps being in my late 30s and at a point in my own life where it’s easy wonder about life decisions, when thoughts of what’s ifs, should haves or ‘who knows what might have happened’ continually linger. But it’s true - the grass isn’t always greener!
I love the premise of this story and the style of writing hooked me right in from page 1. Easy to read, and kept me guessing and wondering where the story might go.
Great lessons to learn here - key messages being, no matter what we choose to do in life, happiness isn’t a complete end state. It’s all the little things - the ups/downs of life that make up a complete life. The love we give and receive, with an open heart and change of perspective. How all of our actions will always have a reaction but there’s comfort in the fact that, where we are is okay, it will never be perfect and you have the power to make it what you want. Don’t take life for granted, relationships included. Definitely a powerful read and look inside the struggle of loneliness, connection and mental health. Something I think, the world can definitely relate to.
Can’t wait to see how they turn this one into a movie. You can see it all play out in your head. Great escape.
5 out of 5! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
5.0 out of 5 starsI connected with the storyline so much, perhaps being in my late 30s and at a point in my own life where it’s easy wonder about life decisions, when thoughts of what’s ifs, should haves or ‘who knows what might have happened’ continually linger. But it’s true - the grass isn’t always greener!Best book I’ve read in a long time!
Reviewed in Australia on 30 August 2021
I love the premise of this story and the style of writing hooked me right in from page 1. Easy to read, and kept me guessing and wondering where the story might go.
Great lessons to learn here - key messages being, no matter what we choose to do in life, happiness isn’t a complete end state. It’s all the little things - the ups/downs of life that make up a complete life. The love we give and receive, with an open heart and change of perspective. How all of our actions will always have a reaction but there’s comfort in the fact that, where we are is okay, it will never be perfect and you have the power to make it what you want. Don’t take life for granted, relationships included. Definitely a powerful read and look inside the struggle of loneliness, connection and mental health. Something I think, the world can definitely relate to.
Can’t wait to see how they turn this one into a movie. You can see it all play out in your head. Great escape.
5 out of 5! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Images in this review
- Reviewed in Australia on 11 August 2021Verified PurchaseA light read with a nice if somewhat predictable ending. Love tne concept of many parallel live depending on choices and the impact regrets can have on your life if you let them take over the process of living. Makes you look at life from a different perspective.
- Reviewed in Australia on 27 January 2025Verified PurchaseWith a world of possibilities and decisions we face every day of our lives it really makes me wonder if I did just one small thing differently that day, how would my life change. Would it change for the better or for the worse? Would I be happier, or unhappier? A bit like the butterfly effect. One tiny ripple in the sea can suddenly become a tsunami. This book certainly got me thinking and reflecting on my life so far.
Top reviews from other countries
-
SchnuffiReviewed in Germany on 20 January 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars Wahnsinn
Verified PurchaseKennt ihr das, wenn ihr das Gefühl habt, dass ein Buch für euch geschrieben wurde? Nicht, dass ich mich komplett mit Nora identifizieren könnte. Und zum Glück habe ich es nicht so schwer wie sie. Aber ich ertappe mich öfter dabei mein Leben zu hinterfragen. Ich mache mir Sorgen um die Zukunft. Ich bereue Dinge, die ich getan und die ich nicht getan habe. Ich habe mich mehr als einmal gefragt, ob ich nicht doch etwas hätte anders machen sollen. Ich sehe oft das Leben meiner Freunde und frage mich leise, ob ich das nicht auch gern hätte.
Wem geht es nicht manchmal so?
Dieses Buch hat mir geholfen, meine Einstellung zum Leben positiver zu sehen.
Zuerst war ich von der Handlung des Romans sehr begeistert. DIe Möglichkeit, in andere Versionen seines eigenen Lebens zu switchen und zu sehen, ob das nicht doch das Leben wäre, was man leben möchte.
Ich muss zugeben, dass mich die erste Hälfte des Buchs ein wenig ernüchtert hat. Manchmal habe ich mich auch über Noras Entscheidungen geärgert. Ich fand es manchmal blöd, dass sie von einem Leben schon nach wenigen Minuten oder Stunden die Nase voll hatte. Insbesondere von dem Leben, in dem sie jemanden traf, der wie sie ist, hatte ich mir mehr erhofft. Aber sei es drum.
Im letzten Viertel des Romans hatte ich ein bestimmtes Ende im Kopf. Ich wollte unbedingt, dass es so endet und zum Glück kam es auch so. Es endete, wie es enden MUSSTE.
Ein wahnsinnig tolles Buch, das einem sehr viel Kraft gibt.
Ich habe mir das Buch direkt nochmal in gebundener Form bestellt. So was Tolles soll nicht ungesehen im Kindle stecken, das gehört ins Regal!
Danke, Matt Haig :)
-
AndressaReviewed in Brazil on 9 October 2022
5.0 out of 5 stars Ótimo livro!
Verified PurchaseGostei bastante e me vi na protagonista. Não sou diagnosticada com depressão, mas sei que tenho muita ansiedade e depois de muitas mortes em minha família, o mundo se tornou ainda mais sem sentido para mim e fico me perguntando se minha vida não seria melhor se eu tivesse feito outras escolhas. Gostei de ver ela vivendo diversas vidas. Diferente dela, no entanto, agora estou terminando minha faculdade e estou pensando no que fazer da vida, porque sinto que errei feio na faculdade, estou há 10 anos e foram 10 anos sem muitos avanços em minha vida, sinto que se tivesse escolhido outra faculdade mais fácil para mim, teria terminado bem mais rápido. Mas é isso, e agora estou com pavor de escolher o caminho errado de novo, e também com pavor de, assim como na faculdade, não ter coragem de desistir e acabar em algo que não me deixa feliz de novo. Mas é isso, me vi na personagem porque tenho essa de ficar me imaginando em mil cenários diferentes, mas acabo achando que em todos serei infeliz. Mas ótima leitura, o final não foi surpreendente, mas foi de aquecer o coração.
- imaloserdudeReviewed in the United States on 19 February 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars Full of philosophical aphorisms & lots of Easter eggs & ideas about happiness and choices and life
Verified PurchaseSo many options can be pursued when evaluating a book. Did the author create believable and consistent characters? Did the author manufacture vivid scenes and detailed locations? Did the author include Easter eggs for the reader to find, anagrams of names (like in the Series of Unfortunate Events) or a play on words or an alliteration or metaphors or similes or puns? Did the author include references to real world events or people or places that the reader can connect to? Did the author explore a familiar concept in a new way? Did the author give the characters words to say that connect with the reader and their view of life? Did the author overuse actual dialogue or internal monologue to explain the story instead of relying upon actual action.
There are so many options for the reviewer, just as there are so many options for the main character in this book. Nora Seed finds herself in a library at the stroke of midnight, with lots of books around her and a librarian from her childhood, Mrs. Elm. Each book represents a different version of Nora’s life, a life of joys and sorrows, people and places, events and tragedies that spawned from a single choice, a decision, or in the case of this girl so full of regrets, something that didn’t happen because she didn’t make that choice.
Of course, there is the root life, the life that Nora remembers living, a life full of disappointments and settling, that led to her attempted suicide and her visits to the Midnight Library. A moment in between, where she isn’t alive and in her body yet she isn’t dead (with the finality that means for self and others). And there are all of those other lives that she now gets to explore, lives where she doesn’t remember any of that Nora’s life, but finds herself plopped there with a kid yet no memory of this child, or as a wife with no memory of sleeping with her husband, or as a glaciologist with no memory of what such a scientist knows, or as a pop star with no memory of the words to popular songs, or as a pub owner with no memory of what to do when closing. Lives, but without the memories that led her there.
An interesting thread running throughout the book is that of Hugo, another slider who explores his own lives. Hugo and Nora meet up several times, though find that the other isn’t what they want and each chooses to go back to their own terminal, hers a library and his a video store. I expected them to meet up at the end, as they had such a powerful connection through their sliding, both aware of themselves and of others, but no. it wasn’t to be. I’m not disappointed, just wondering if such a possibility exists, and if I will get this chance one day. And I wonder how Hugo arrived at this point, if his was also a suicide, and if it only happened to suicides or lives so filled with regrets.
A question I still have is about the character of Mrs. Elm (for Nora) or the uncle (for Hugo) and the place where these shamans or guides or facilitators resided. Both sliders found themselves in an in-between place with a familiar character as the trusted one, not someone who used them but someone who in real life helped them find their own way. A good person. An older person who helped at a pivotal time in their life. I find it cool that the author (Matt Haig) crafted a god-like character, not one who superimposes her/his will on you but one who is limited in what they can do by the physics of the world (a library or a video store) they are trapped in. Not all-powerful. Not desiring worship. Not governed by human impulses (power and sex). But a personal god whose sole interest was in the needs and wants of a single person, a much better concept (to me) than the invented gods of the modern world that seem interested in humanity as a whole (and worship and knee-bending and blind obedience and all of that stupidity). If we could wipe away all of the old gods and create a new god for each person today, this would be the kind of god I would like to think about. Though there is that question about universality, and whether everything we think and feel isn’t just arising from our own experiences, including all of this god-talk.
I enjoyed finding things in this book. Like the title, on page 31. And the name of the band, a variation of the Kurt Vonnegut classic, Slaughterhouse Five. And the name of the music shop that sounds like the idea behind all of the lived lives in this book, String Theory. And the references to Bedford and Pottersville, connecting readers to the classic movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life”. And life-fright being similar to stage-fright. And the role of chess in the book, from its beginning to its end, something that used to be a major part of my own life as an educator. And glitches in the library that stemmed from Nora thinking differently about death than she did in her root life. And I had to look up “grasshopper suicide”, because the character told me to, and how many forms of life there are (almost nine million), and Frank Ocean (“Moon River” was awesome).
Another interesting concept is that of time. Time doesn’t pass for Nora in the real world as she pulls out numerous books from the library shelves, some exploring for a few minutes, others for hours or days or months. Yet the clock never moves past 12:00 in slide after slide, life after life, universe after universe, until her thinking changes in such a way that she no longer regrets the choices she made in her root life. And then the clock starts ticking and Mrs. Elm warns her that she must do just one thing in order to survive, pick that one book, and, wait, I don’t want to spoil it for you, but it gets to 00:03:48.
If you want to know what happens to Nora, then read this book. It is really good and worth your time. And if you are the philosophical type (as I am), then keep a notepad and pen nearby so that you can write down the interesting thoughts and ideas that flow from the mind of Nora Seed, the questions she ponders, the truths she shares with the world. And I will end on a final thought, one found on page 137, about life and what it is: “…acres of disappointment and monotony and hurts and rivalries but with flashes of wonder and beauty.” Something to think about.
- HarshaliReviewed in India on 10 January 2025
5.0 out of 5 stars Living the Life Meant for You: The Midnight Library
Verified Purchase"The Midnight Library" by Matt Haig is a truly enlightening read, brimming with wisdom and hope. To some, it may feel over the top, and to others, it might just be another story. But for a select few, it arrives exactly when they're ready to grasp the profound truths it holds. I got this book in March 2024, but picked up in January 2025, to me it arrived exactly when I was ready for it.
The book is beautifully written, blending philosophy and fiction with delicacy and simplicity. It doesn't preach or deliver long-winded lectures; instead, it weaves its message seamlessly into a poignant, relatable story. At its core lies a universal truth: every choice we make, every path we take, leads us to where we're meant to be. There’s no room for regret because this life, with all its ups and downs, is uniquely ours to live and cherish.
Matt Haig's storytelling resonates deeply, encouraging us to embrace life as it is, rather than dwelling on "what-ifs." It's a book that lingers in your mind long after you’ve turned the final page, offering comfort, perspective, and a gentle reminder to find meaning in the present. For anyone seeking solace, understanding, or simply a fresh perspective on life, The Midnight Library is a must-read.
HarshaliLiving the Life Meant for You: The Midnight Library
Reviewed in India on 10 January 2025
The book is beautifully written, blending philosophy and fiction with delicacy and simplicity. It doesn't preach or deliver long-winded lectures; instead, it weaves its message seamlessly into a poignant, relatable story. At its core lies a universal truth: every choice we make, every path we take, leads us to where we're meant to be. There’s no room for regret because this life, with all its ups and downs, is uniquely ours to live and cherish.
Matt Haig's storytelling resonates deeply, encouraging us to embrace life as it is, rather than dwelling on "what-ifs." It's a book that lingers in your mind long after you’ve turned the final page, offering comfort, perspective, and a gentle reminder to find meaning in the present. For anyone seeking solace, understanding, or simply a fresh perspective on life, The Midnight Library is a must-read.
Images in this review
- Yoann LemboumbaReviewed in France on 24 October 2022
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely incredible.
Verified PurchaseI find this book incredible. The subject itself is extremely interesting, and, dare I say, relatable. Who hasn't felt that deep regret, one that tugs at your heart, because you felt like you're not enough? Height, age, relationship, career, all are things we obsess over. "I should have done things differently" becomes a leitmotiv of despair, one that blinds us to the beauty of our present. Of our life.
I recommend this read to everyone, but particularly to those who may be going through a rough patch.
Interestingly enough, this is the first book I've read in years. I'm extremely grateful for the message of the book.
To you reading this message, you who are alive: please live. Live as yourself, without a care about "what ifs" and "buts".