84 pages 2 hours read

Matt Haig

The Midnight Library

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2020

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Book Club Questions

The Midnight Library

1. General Impressions 

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

  • What were your overall impressions of the Midnight Library as both a setting and place that is a limbo between life and death? 
  • Did you enjoy Nora’s journeys into other life paths that she did not take? Were these stories within stories successful as a literary technique?
  • Compare The Midnight Library with the film It’s a Wonderful Life. How do Nora Seed and George Bailey overlap as characters, and how do they differ?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

  • Have you ever reimagined your life or reconsidered a road you almost took? How does it make you feel to reflect on other potential versions of your life, as Nora does in the novel?
  • Do you think this story could be helpful to someone who is going through a hard time? If so, why and in what way?
  • The Midnight Library suggests that we all have things to be grateful for in life. What are you grateful for in your life and why?

3. Societal and Cultural Context 

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

  • Self-harm and suicidal ideation are often discussed cautiously in cultural and social contexts.