The Midnight Library

The real-world Mrs. Elm was a high school librarian at Hazeldene School. She encouraged Nora to travel the world and often played chess with Nora. Mrs. Elm represents kindness, especially because she comforted Nora when Nora’s father died while Nora was still in high school. By the end of the narrative, Mrs. Elm lives in a nursing home. Nora visits Mrs. Elm and plays chess with her, promising to continue the small act of kindness by regularly visiting Mrs. Elm. Mrs. Elm informs Nora that she was always more than a pawn in the game of life. She ends the novel with more sage advice, telling Nora that one never knows how things will end.

Mrs. Elm is also the guide in the Midnight Library. She explains to Nora that she exists in this state because Nora perceives her as a kind, guiding person. This version of Mrs. Elm is far stricter as she guides Nora in choosing different lives to live. This Mrs. Elm also prompts Nora gently at times by using examples and philosophical concepts from Nora’s own mind to help Nora learn a lesson. She disappears along with the Midnight Library once Nora determines to survive her suicide attempt and live life to its fullest.

Joe is Nora’s estranged brother. Nora has always tried making Joe like her, but when they form a band, The Labyrinths, and Nora quits, their relationship suffers. Nora doesn’t think Joe likes her, and it’s only when she survives her suicide attempt that Joe mentions he can’t live without her. Joe has had a tough life due: He initially had to hide his same-sex attraction from his father, and once the band ends, he can’t keep a job or find a good match in a partner. In some of Nora’s other lives, Joe is successful. Though she loves him in these lives, she prefers the root-life Joe because she can work at repairing their relationship.

Ash is a doctor in Bedford. He once asked Nora out on a coffee date, but she declined (she was dating Dan). Ash represents the concept of kindness in action. Ash tells Nora that her cat died and helps her bury the cat. He also comforted Nora when Nora’s mother was in the hospital with cancer. In one life, Nora and Ash marry and live what Nora considers a perfect life. Despite this perfection, Nora’s concept of kindness, a concept she embraces fully due to her time with Ash, causes her to reject the so-called perfect life in favor of her own root life. In her root life, she determines to go out on a date with Ash.

Dan is Nora’s ex-fiancé. She broke off their engagement a few days before the wedding, and Dan hasn’t recovered. He frequently texts Nora, and she feels bad for hurting him. They were supposed to open a pub in the countryside, though Nora later realizes that this was Dan’s dream and not hers. Dan has several character flaws that Nora knew about when they were together but ignored. She doesn’t see the gravity of these flaws until she experiences different lives with Dan. In her root life, Dan was rude to waiters; Nora believes that being rude to the waitstaff is an indication of bad character. Moreover, Dan belittled Nora’s dreams of performing in a rock band and even hinted that he wouldn’t stay with her if she continued with the band. By experiencing different versions of Dan, Nora realizes that root-life Dan isn’t the man for her; he is selfish, petulant, and needy.