Nora Seed has painted herself into a corner. In high school, she was a good student, a talented swimmer, an excellent musician. A life of choices and exciting possibilities lay before her. Her parents taught her that she was never good enough for their unconditional love, but Nora strove to earn it anyway by being the best and making choices that would please them. Until, that is, she got sick of making choices to please them. She quit swimming, giving up her father’s dream for her. She also tried to earn her brother Joe’s love through her choices, but gave up performing in his band, The Labyrinths, too. She never learned how to make choices for herself. She chose not to take the opportunity of a Master’s degree in philosophy, something she loved. Nora became increasingly overwhelmed by her depression, got fired from her job at the local music store, her cat died, she forgot an appointment for teaching piano to her only student and lost that student as a result. As her life felt like it crashed around her, Nora decided to overdose and end her miserable existence.

This is when Nora walks into an amazing place, the Midnight Library. Midnight, the time Nora hangs between life and death, is when she meets her old high school librarian, Mrs. Louise Elm, who instructs her in the rules of the Library, and tries to guide her through the process of getting back to life, a life she can move forward in, and want to stay in. Nora confronts the Book of Regrets, all the choices Nora made in life, to do some things and not do others, which proves to be a soul-shattering experience. Mrs. Elm explains that each book in the immense library is another life Nora could have lived if she made a different choice, and her task is to find the life that is worth living to her. If a life is not right, she will be transported back to the Library, to try yet another life. And so it goes, Nora choosing life upon life, learning how to choose for herself, and what life really means.

Filled with gentle humor and many interesting quotes from philosophers Nora studied at university, especially her favorite, Henry David Thoreau, Nora gradually grows to understand more about her choices, even the seemingly smallest ones, and the impacts they have on her and those around her. While this can be a quick and easy read, I recommend savoring it, enjoy the story, take your time with it. Haig creates a wonderful story filled with sage and worthwhile observations. One to truly enjoy—highly recommend.