Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

1043 reviews

kat1105's review

adventurous 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: Death, Alcohol, Cancer, Addiction, Drug abuse, Grief, Self harm, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Vomit, Alcoholism, Animal death, and Abandonment

maddyredfield_'s review

emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Suicide attempt, and Mental illness

Moderate: Animal death, Vomit, Death, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, and Drug use

Minor: Alcoholism, Self harm, Panic attacks/disorders, Cancer, Addiction, and Alcohol

knkoch's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful mysterious slow-paced

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

4.25

This book surprised me. I think I've been searching for more experimental, less realistic fiction lately, and this plays with reality in an intriguing way. Haig does a good job writing Nora as miserable and wounded but not pitiful or hateful. I identified with her struggles and regrets a bit more than I wished, though not in as extreme a fashion as she expressed. Her

Spoiler

redemptive

arc was really meaningful and earned, and reminded me of some of my favorite story arcs, along the lines of

Spoiler

A Christmas Carol and movies like It's a Wonderful Life.

 

Some of Nora's discoveries felt a little too pat, but others were unexpected, and I liked both the way she learned from them and reflected more on her previous assumptions. Memory is not infallible, and as she revealed more of her past, she located hidden biases. I guessed the ending far ahead of time, but it still felt satisfying. This felt like one of those books I read at just the right time, and I'm glad I found it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts

Mental health:

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The main character is suffering from depression and attempts suicide. The story is very centered in her thoughts and mindset, which could be challenging for some to sit in.

manonschuur's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful inspiring 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: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts

sduran06's review

funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Death, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Death of parent

soytube's review

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, and Suicide

blackheart's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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? Yes

3.0

I thought this book was fine. A bit predictable and a touch preachy. Otherwise, it was a fun perspective on live and the constant wonder of "what if". 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Suicide, Death of parent, Grief, Addiction, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Cancer, Car accident, Death, Stalking, Alcoholism, Bullying, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

firuz's review

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Death of parent and Alcoholism

phantomgecko's review

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

4.75

The premise of this novel was v attractive to me, and Matt Haig delivered. Honestly, there's not a bit I would change. A few in depth life dives followed by a life montage followed by the ending. Chef's kiss.

Lotta profanity tho.

Oh, jk, I guess one thing I'd change. When Nora enters a new life, she should've had at least a subconscious knowledge of what was happening. Of course every life would suck if you knew nobody and nothing about what was going on.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide, Animal death, and Mental illness

amaliewebs's review

5.0

This was such an inspiring book!! The concept was so fascinating with the 'book of regrets' and the idea of getting to experience your parallel lives, v thought-provoking. I loved the message behind the story of basically the importance and value of every single little action, and how seemingly small things can make such an impact. It especially emphasised this in a positive way which I liked :) the quote of "you don't have to understand life, you just have to live it" resonated with me a lot too, and the whole story just left me which such a feeling of inspiration, awe at the universe, gratitude for being alive, everything like that. Its hard to put into words, but this book is just such a beautiful one about the human experience, and I think everybody should read it!
Even though it may have been a tad predictable, and the beginning was very hard to read with the heavy content, and the characters weren't absolutely amazing, I still loved the story and the message behind it :)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Death