Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
By: Gabrielle Zevin
My Rating: FOUR out of FIVE Stars
Best For: 18 and up

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow: A Love Story about Video Games (and People)

I’m a bit torn on this one. I definitely liked it, but I was disappointed in the content and the behavior of most of the characters. HOWEVER, one of the reasons I liked it was also the characters—they were so real, and I could feel them on many levels. This book is a love-it-or-hate-it kind of story. There won’t be many in the middle. The strong content will be polarizing, as will the characters who act like real people instead of book characters. The video game stuff will also be a divisive point, though I fall in the camp that you can love this book without loving video games!

What’s it about?

This is a novel about two childhood friends, Sam Masur and Sadie Green, who are in love as friends, but are never lovers. They come together as creative partners in the world of video game design. Their legendary collaboration begins on a bitter-cold day in December, launching them to stardom with their first blockbuster game, Ichigo. Overnight, the world is theirs. The story spans thirty years, following their journey from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Venice Beach, California. As their lives unfold, they confront identity, disability, failure, and betrayal, but their one constant is their creative partnership and their need to connect. Yes, it is a love story, but it is not one you have read before.

What did I think?

This book is so well written it felt like it could be a non-fiction recounting of the history and establishment of a major video game company. The narrative jumps around in time and between Sam and Sadie’s perspectives, and it does a fantastic job of immersing you in their world. I found the characters, while flawed, were relatable. Zevin creates a dynamic that is complicated by love, jealousy, and misunderstanding, which makes them feel so real. You’ll want to shake some sense into them at times, but you’ll also find yourself rooting for them to make things right. The book’s central premise—that it’s about video games—is just a platform. What it’s really about is our human need to connect: to be loved and to love. That part is incredibly powerful.

I must also mention the significant sensitive content in this book. There are some descriptive episodes that sensitive readers should be aware of.

Sensitive Content: Language (lots of it).
Sex and sex abuse.
Drug use.
Suicide and death of loved ones.
Violence.

Some readers might want to know there are same-gender relationships in this story.

Should you read it?

If you’re prepared for the characters to act like real, complicated people, you love love in all its forms, and are okay with all the sensitive content, then yes. You are going to want to read this book. This dad says Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is best for 18 and up.

Happy Reading!