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Quick answer: Good discussion questions for The Midnight Library by Matt Haig focus on regret, the lives we didn’t live, depression and hope, Nora’s relationships and what makes a life worth living. Below are 18 questions grouped by theme, plus a spoiler-free summary.
Quick facts
Author: Matt Haig
Published: 2020
Setting: Bedford, England, and the Midnight Library between life and death
Length: about 300 pages
Content note: suicide attempt and depression
The Midnight Library asks a question almost everyone has wondered about: what if I’d made a different choice? Matt Haig turns that question into a fast, heartfelt story that works for readers who don’t usually pick up fantasy, and it gives book clubs a natural way to talk about regret, mental health and meaning without it feeling heavy-handed. This guide includes a spoiler-free summary, the main characters and themes, and 18 discussion questions grouped by theme. The questions contain spoilers. Because the story begins with a suicide attempt, it’s worth sharing a content note with your group ahead of time.
Table of Contents
Spoiler-Free Summary
Nora Seed is 35 and feels like she has failed at everything. She quit her band, called off her wedding, stopped swimming competitively and has just lost her job and her cat. One night, overwhelmed by regret, she decides she doesn’t want to live anymore.
Instead of dying, she wakes up in the Midnight Library, a place between life and death that holds an infinite number of books. Each one is a version of her life where she made a different choice. Her old school librarian, Mrs. Elm, is there to guide her, along with the heavy Book of Regrets.
Nora can step into any of these lives and stay if she finds one she wants. She tries being a rock star, an Olympic swimmer, a glaciologist, a wife and much more. Each life teaches her something unexpected about what she really wants.
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Main Characters and Themes
| Character or Theme | What to Know |
|---|---|
| Nora Seed | A woman full of regrets who gets to try out her other lives |
| Mrs. Elm | Nora’s kind school librarian, who guides her through the library |
| Joe Seed | Nora’s brother, estranged after she left their band |
| Dan | Nora’s ex-fiancé, whose pub dream she abandoned |
| Hugo Lefèvre | Another “slider” moving between lives |
| Leo | A teenager Nora tutors on piano |
| Regret | How regrets distort the way we see our real life |
| Choice and possibility | The idea that every decision opens and closes doors |
| Mental health | Depression, hopelessness and finding reasons to stay |
| Connection | Why small kindnesses matter more than we think |
Discussion Questions (Contains Spoilers)
Regret and Choice
- Which of Nora’s regrets did you relate to most?
- The Book of Regrets is heavy at first and gets lighter. What does that change represent?
- Is there a choice in your own life you’ve imagined undoing? Would you want to see how it turned out?
- Why do you think the library takes the form of a library, and why is Mrs. Elm the guide?
Nora’s Other Lives
- Which of Nora’s alternate lives would you most want to try? Which seemed least appealing?
- Nora becomes a famous musician, a champion swimmer and a glaciologist. Why doesn’t success alone make her want to stay?
- What did the life with the polar bear in Svalbard teach Nora about wanting to live?
- In the life with her husband Ash and daughter Molly, why can’t Nora stay, even though it seems ideal?
Relationships and Connection
- How does Nora’s view of her brother Joe change through the book?
- Hugo has been sliding between lives far longer than Nora. How is his outlook different from hers?
- Nora learns that her small actions, like tutoring Leo, mattered more than she realized. Can you think of a small kindness that had a big effect on you?
Mental Health and Hope
- How does the book portray depression? Did it feel honest to you?
- When Nora finally says she wants to live, what has changed inside her?
- Back in her root life, nothing outward has changed much. Why does it feel different to her?
- How did you feel about Mrs. Elm’s role in Nora’s real life at the end?
Big Picture
- The book borrows ideas from quantum physics and the “multiverse.” Did that make the story richer or did it distract you?
- Some readers find the book’s message simple, others find it life-changing. What did you take from it?
- If you had to sum up the novel’s lesson in one sentence, what would it be?
If you or someone in your group is struggling, you can call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US).
Book Club Ideas for The Midnight Library
- Serve tea and something cozy, the kind of comforting food Mrs. Elm might share over a game of chess.
- Bring a chessboard and talk about why chess runs through the story.
- Write a “Book of Regrets” page anonymously, then turn each regret into one thing you’re grateful for.
- Share a playlist for Nora’s rock-star life and the Labyrinths’ songs.
Books Like The Midnight Library
If your group loved it, try The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab for another life-and-time story, A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman for hope found in unexpected places, or Anxious People by Backman for warmth, humor and second chances.
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How to Structure Your Meeting
Start by asking everyone which alternate life they would choose for themselves. Then work through two or three questions from each theme above, saving the “big picture” questions for the end. If your group is large, split into pairs for one theme and report back.
A simple 90-minute plan:
- 0–15 minutes: food, catch-up and the opening question.
- 15–60 minutes: the discussion questions, theme by theme.
- 60–75 minutes: one of the book club ideas above, or a quick comparison with the adaptation if there is one.
- 75–90 minutes: everyone rates the book out of five in one sentence, then you pick next month’s read.
Related: our full summary of The Midnight Library and the best feel-good books for book clubs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Midnight Library about?
Nora Seed, overwhelmed by regret, finds herself in a library between life and death where every book is a different version of her life, and she gets to try them out.
Is The Midnight Library good for book clubs?
Yes. It’s short and readable, and it sparks personal conversations about regret, choices and what makes life meaningful.
Is The Midnight Library appropriate for all book clubs?
The story begins with a suicide attempt and deals with depression, so share a content note before choosing it.
Who wrote The Midnight Library?
Matt Haig, an English author also known for the memoir Reasons to Stay Alive, wrote it. It was published in 2020.