The Moving Shelves

Summary

• The chapter begins with Nora observing moving shelves around her, loaded with books. The books slide horizontally at different speeds, creating a strange, unpredictable motion. Nora is confused about what's happening.
• Mrs. Elm, present with Nora, explains that the movement is part of a bigger event about to begin. She explains that every life is filled with countless decisions. Each decision made leads to a different outcome and creates a massive web of potential lives. The books represent all possible variations of her life.
• Mrs. Elm goes on to tell Nora that the books are portals to all the possible lives she could lead. These parallel - and sometimes perpendicular - lives exist in the Midnight Library.
• Mrs. Elm further conveys to Nora that many of the possible outcomes might be a result of everyday decisions. The process isn't reversible. Technically, she is not in a lifetime but has stepped outside, and the library is her chance to see the lives she could've had.
• The shelves stop moving, and Nora notices a lone book unlike the others. It is grey and presented to her by Mrs. Elm, who considers it a significant piece.
• However, Nora is stopped from opening the book by Mrs. Elm, who explains that every book in this library except for one - the grey one, represents a possible version of her life. These versions diverge from the present moment, which is midnight. These versions of Nora's life, these "midnight possibilities," differ from each other in various ways.
• Mrs. Elm then leads Nora's attention to the grey book, which is unlike the others. This book, titled 'The Book of Regrets', according to Mrs. Elm, is the source of all Nora's problems and their solution.