Literary Fiction · Free kit
The Midnight Library
Nora Seed is in her mid-thirties, still in Bedford, and keeping a private inventory of every life she did not choose. After a cascade of ordinary losses — her cat, her job at the music shop, the people who used to need her — she reaches a breaking point and wakes in a library between life and death. The librarian is Mrs Elm, who once played chess with her on the worst afternoon of her childhood. Every green book is another Nora: the one who married Dan, the Olympian, the glaciologist, the rock star, the woman with a daughter named Molly. The Book of Regrets is heavy. The clocks are frozen at midnight. A popular, earnest novel about depression, possibility, and the quiet argument that a messy ordinary life is still a life — and that small kindnesses travel farther than we think.
“The only way to learn is to live.”
Complete free book club kit
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Plan your meeting
BookClubee take
Vibe check
Our editorial snapshot of how this book tends to land at club night — not a crowd average.
Craft
- Overall4
- Plot3
- Characters4
- World building4
- Ending3
How it feels
- Spice—
- Tears4
- Surprises2
- Humor3
- Comfort4
What’s in this kit
Everything below is free — open a section, use it at your meeting, or print what you need. No account required.
- Discussion Questions20 book-specific questions labeled warm-up, debate, and deep dive.
- Icebreakers15 fast warm-ups about the reader — not the plot.
- CharactersProfiles, dynamics map, and superlative awards.
- Trivia20 interactive questions from easy to hard.
- Would You Rather25 impossible choices inspired by the book.
- BingoPrintable book-club bingo for reading and live discussion.
- This or That40 rapid-fire choices plus a 60-second speed round.
- Speed DebatesPick a side and defend it against the clock.
- Hosting GuideShopping list, timeline, surprise touch, and wrap-up.
- PrintablesStickers, quote cards, invites, and review sheets.
How to run your meeting
1. Warm up
Start with icebreakers or a quick trivia round.
2. Discuss
Use the labeled discussion questions — warm-up to deep dive.
3. Play & wrap
Would You Rather, bingo, or a speed debate — then rate the book.
Frequently asked questions
Is this The Midnight Library book club kit free?+
Yes. Everything on this page is free — discussion questions, games, trivia, and hosting tips. No account required.
Does this kit spoil The Midnight Library?+
Yes. Discussion questions, trivia, character material, superlatives, bingo, and debates assume you know the Midnight Library, the Book of Regrets, the lives Nora tries (Dan, swimming, Svalbard, the band, Ash and Molly), and how she returns to her root life. Finish the novel first. Icebreakers are about the reader, not the plot. Content note: the book opens with a suicide attempt and includes depression, overdose, grief, the death of a pet, and addiction in some of the lives Nora visits. Give your group a content note, and skip or pause if anyone needs to.
What's in the Premium Kit?+
The Premium Kit on Etsy is the full printable pack: discussion guide, character cards, trivia, bingo, games, hosting checklist, and review sheets — ready to print for your meeting.
How long should our The Midnight Library meeting run?+
Plan 70–80 minutes. This one needs room and a little care: 10 minutes of icebreakers, 10 minutes of trivia, 30–35 minutes of discussion (which life she should have stayed in, and whether the ending is earned), 10–15 minutes of a speed debate or Would You Rather, then wrap-up. Use the Hosting Guide for a minute-by-minute outline.
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