Gabrielle Zevin's fifth novel, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow came out in 2022 and was chosen as the New York Times Notable Book of the Year, a Must Read book by Time Magazine, and was chosen for the Goodreads Choice Award. My sister (shoutout!) told me I needed to read this just after she'd finished it and I put it on my list right away. It seems like I waited for ages and, let me say, it was well worth it. This book deals with a serious car accident, the death of a parent and a friend, gun violence, a mass shooting, injury detail, mentions of abortion, mental illness (particularly depression), homophobia, a toxic relationship with some sexual violence, grief, cancer, murder, and pregnancy, so take care.
Sam Masur and Sadie Green meet at a children's hospital when they are about eleven years old and bond over their delight in video games. After a childhood falling out, they run into each other while in college (Harvard and MIT) and their friendship is reignited. When they spend the summer making a video game together that becomes a national icon and propels them to stardom in the gaming world, they have to figure out how to balance all their new notoriety and the pressures to constantly come out with something new, exciting, and innovative. This novel spans thirty years and their travels across the country, as two people navigate running a company together, finding love, wading through the grief that comes with losing those you care about, and the sorrow of missed chances.
On the surface, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a book about two gamers building something that they love and, as a gamer, I really enjoyed that aspect. Zevin had a wonderful way of noting the passage of time by which games were becoming popular, and it was wonderful to see Sam and Sadie love the games that I also enjoy. But you do not need to be a gamer to love this story because deep down, this is a story of two people trying to figure out their relationship as it changes through the years. This book was beautifully written, I can't say enough about Zevin's style of writing. She had a way of instilling humor where it was least expected, through the voices of characters who were unsentimental and analytical. I found myself taken by surprise and laughing out loud several times. Her description of death was lovely, and heartbreaking, and I'm tearing up a little right now just thinking about it. I just finished reading the book yesterday, so the wounds are still fresh. The characters were loveable, and terrible, and hard to deal with, and amazing. Just like the characters I have in my own life. I love that Sadie and Sam both use games as a way to escape their own lives when they need to, the way I have done in the past. I could really identify with that, especially with Sadie while she played her simple phone games just to keep herself from drowning. I could go on for so long about this book, so I'll finish with this. My very favorite part of this book was the end. It was the most incredible example of a full circle that I've ever read, Gabrielle Zevin's attention to detail should be commended.
I can't say enough about this book. 5 stars! The best book I've read all year and I can't wait to read more by the author. Thanks to my sister for recommending it. It was a lovely story and beautifully written. Go out and read Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin.
Check out the author at their website https://gabriellezevin.com/ where you can play a version of Sadie's game Emilyblaster.
Pairs well with a game of Donkey Kong and some mandu.
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