Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

63 reviews

saliwali's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Grief, Mental illness, Self harm, and Suicide

Moderate: Homophobia

Minor: Gaslighting, Alcoholism, Death, Death of parent, Bullying, Drug use, Eating disorder, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Toxic friendship, Drug abuse, Addiction, Emotional abuse, and Medical content

I made it 30 minutes into this book last spring and stopped because, trigger warning,

it starts with suicide because someone is losing everything and I was afraid it would push me over the edge.

But the last category on my 2023 reading challenge is "a book you started but didn't finish," So I gave it a another shot this week. I wish so much that I had made it to minute 36 last spring, which is oddly the whole point of this unbelievably beautiful and hopeful book. Spoiler alert: she thrives.

ash_bees's review against another edition

reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

"Where there are books, there is always a temptation to open them."

Reminiscent of the movie "It's A Wonderful Life," except instead of only experiencing one alternative, the protagonist experiences many.  It does get a bit preachy, but so did "It's A Wonderful Life."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Cancer, Death of parent, Dementia, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Infidelity, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Cursing, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Transphobia, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Vomit, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship

redefiningrachel's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Animal death, Death of parent, Grief, and Death

Moderate: Mental illness, Alcohol, Addiction, Fire/Fire injury, Alcoholism, Self harm, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Cancer and Cursing

angelfireeast24's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Chronic illness, Grief, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Minor: Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Cursing, Ableism, and Terminal illness

connie29's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Grief, Death of parent, Suicide, Panic attacks/disorders, and Death

Moderate: Alcohol, Pregnancy, Animal death, and Cursing

kimmy0__0's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Mental illness, Death of parent, Death, Suicide attempt, and Self harm

Moderate: Abandonment, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief

Minor: Cancer, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship

stardustmelody's review against another edition

emotional reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcohol, Death of parent, Self harm, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Gun violence, Grief, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Homophobia, Gaslighting, Cancer, Car accident, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Dementia, Medical content, and Infidelity

Minor: Violence, Abandonment, Addiction, Vomit, and Stalking

sillyduckie's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Death of parent, Suicide, Animal death, Toxic relationship, Death, Alcohol, and Grief

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Cancer, Cursing, Animal cruelty, and Medical content

ayerobiin's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Car accident, Death of parent, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Animal death, Cancer, Cursing, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic relationship, Self harm, Drug abuse, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Vomit

Minor: Homophobia, Sexual content, and Pregnancy

purplehulk713's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is one of the most exquisite and compelling books I’ve ever read, and it spoke to me on such a direct, spiritual level. It felt like truth. From beginning to end, it was insightful, and so readable, too. While many books with existential themes like these can come off as dense and tedious to read, this novel was wildly engaging and incredibly uplifting. Haig was remarkably poetic in his prose, and many of his quotes will always echo in my soul. Like

”The paradox of volcanoes was that they were symbols of destruction but also life. Once the lava slows and cools, it solidifies and then breaks down over time to become soil—rich, fertile soil. She wasn't a black hole, she decided. She was a volcano. And like a volcano she couldn't run away from herself. She'd have to stay there and tend to that wasteland. She could plant a forest inside herself.”

I think it cured most of my existential anxiety (as long as I remember these quotes). “‘You don't have to understand life. You just have to live it.’” Nora’s journey, finally realizing that life gives meaning to life, as Wendy Mass says in Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life, and

realizes that perspective of your life is what matters, not the nature of it.

But the most important thing is that you are alive. Life isn’t to be lived to please others and fulfill their dreams. You will gain a much greater understanding of your regrets and how to resolve them. Nora Seed embodies so many of the things with which we find ourselves uncomfortable, so it’s all of us can empathize with her journey. Come, check out a book—there are plenty of lives to live in the Midnight Library.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Suicide attempt, Grief, Death of parent, Death, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Self harm, Medical trauma, Mental illness, and Alcoholism