FOLIO | BOOK REVIEW: THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY BY MATT HAIG

Review by Letitia Fitzpatrick

How many of us have wondered what would have happened if we had made different choices in our lives?  From the author of How to Stop Time, Reasons to Stay Alive and The Humans comes this unique, poignant novel about regret, hope and forgiveness, and a library which keeps second chances on its shelves. Matt Haig blurs the lines between genres, blending fantasy and myth with science fiction to create inventive and popular contemporary fiction.

Shortlisted for the British Book Awards Fiction Book of the Year 2021, The Midnight Library weaves magic from the first page. When Nora Seed finds herself in the library of the title, she has a chance to make things right by following different careers, undoing old break-ups, pursuing her passions, or travelling the globe.

Up until now, her life has been full of misery and regret.  She feels she has let down everyone, including herself, but things are about to change.  The books in the Midnight Library allow Nora to live as if she had done things differently.  With the help of an old teacher, she can now undo every one of her regrets, as she tries to work out her perfect life. But would any of these other lives truly have been better?   

Nora finds that things aren’t always what she imagined they would be if she had chosen a different road.  Before time runs out, she must search within herself for fulfilment, and find the best way she can to live her one precious life as well as discover what makes it worth living in the first place.

Matt Haig was born in Sheffield in 1975.  He writes books for adults and children, often blending the worlds of domestic reality and outright fantasy, with a quirky twist.  His bestselling novels are translated into 28 languages.

The Midnight Library is a warm, funny and uplifting read which is full of enchantment and food for thought.

FOLIO | BOOK REVIEW | AMERICAN DIRT BY JEANINE CUMMINS

One of the most eagerly anticipated and controversial novels of 2020, American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins describes the ordeal of Lydia, a Mexican woman, with a comfortable life, who suddenly has to flee her home, along with her young son, and take the treacherous trip from Latin America to the United States as an undocumented immigrant.

Oprah Winfrey chose American Dirt for her book club saying the author “accomplished a remarkable feat, literally putting us in the shoes of migrants and making us feel their anguish and desperation to live in freedom.” However, some Latin American critics slated the book for its inaccurate portrayal of Mexico and Mexicans.

One called it harmful, appropriating, inaccurate melodrama. Another said it was an insult to Latin- American writers who have toiled - some for decades - to little notice of major publishers and book reviewers, while building a vast collection of breathtaking, authentic literature on shoestring budgets.

Due to widespread criticism, several bookstores cancelled appearances with Cummins, Flatiron Books called off her book tour, and 142 writers signed an open letter to Oprah asking her to reconsider her endorsement.

Oprah acknowledged the criticisms but posted two one-hour Apple TV plus episodes focussing on American Dirt. “If one author, one artist is silenced, we’re all in danger of the same. I believe that we can do this without having to cancel, to dismiss or to silence everyone,” she said.

Members of the She Said Book Club took two completely opposite viewpoints on the novel. The angry nest of people scoring 0-1 stars were full of anguish, exasperation and rage, while the positive pond of die-hards said it was the best book of 2020.

Those in favour found it to be riveting, informative, suspenseful, heartbreaking and hard to put down. They felt the book compelled you to turn the pages while balancing on the edge of your seat, and sat up all night to read more, learn more and ache more, with clenched fists and tears in their eyes. They found the characters very realistically developed with heart-wrenching stories.

Others found the story over the top, melodramatic and implausible. Some of the negative judgements stem from criticising Cummins for not having the right to tackle Latin issues because she isn’t Latin American. However, positive reviewers emphasis that this is a work of FICTION and the author owes you nada. Any book that shines light on a dark subject is a good thing.

Cummins spent four years researching the book and the epilogue left some with even more respect for her. Don’t we need as many voices as possible telling the story? Let the book open hearts and minds and start a civil discussion of the issues.

While some of the criticisms of American Dirt are valid, they didn’t diminish the importance of the story. If nothing else, hopefully productive conversations and awareness of immigration issues will be generated. Our advice is: don’t pre-judge the book from the mixture of reviews. Pick it up for yourself and make your own judgement.