The Midnight Train

Read Time: 2 Minutes

I thought Matt Haig’s “Midnight” universe was a one-and-done type of deal, so was pleasantly surprised to find out this new addition. Unlike the first one where we follow the various possible lives of the protagonist and exploring what could have been, in this we are taken on a much more reflective look at a single life.

This time we follow Wilbur Budd, who boards the mysterious midnight train after his death and is given the chance to revisit the defining moments of his life. It’s almost like listening to a fictional autobiography (side note: is fauxtobiography a word? If not, it should be) unfold, moving from childhood through old age, stopping at the moments that shaped the person he became.

The pace is incredibly gentle. In fact, I’d probably say it borders on slow for much of its running time. That’s not necessarily a criticism of the story itself, because I actually enjoyed spending time with Wilbur, but James Norton’s narration didn’t help. His delivery was at the slow end of what I prefer, and found I needed to bump up the playback a few extra notches before it felt natural.

One thing Matt Haig consistently does well is create characters who feel remarkably human. By the end of the book, Wilbur felt less like someone I’d been introduced to and more like an old friend who I had just spent a whole lot of time with. It’s a type of storytelling that doesn’t rely on huge twists or constant drama. It simply asks you to spend time with someone and reflect on the choices that shaped them.

You don’t need have read The Midnight Library to get into this one (though I highly recommend giving that a listen). Nora Seed makes an appearance to give a small connection and let us know we’re in the same universe. A simple way to make the world feel lived in without becoming distracting.

Like The Midnight Library, this is a story that leaves you thinking long after it finishes. Not necessarily about wishing you’d made different choices, but whether you’d actually know which choices to change if someone gave you the chance. Hindsight makes everything look obvious. Maybe the better lesson is to stop dwelling on the roads already travelled and pay more attention to the one still ahead.

This isn’t a fast-moving story, but it was a warm, thoughtful listen that worked its way under my skin. I can easily see myself returning to it in a few years, just as I’ve revisited The Midnight Library. Sometimes it’s nice to spend a few hours being reminded that an ordinary life can still be an extraordinary story.

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