Book Review: Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow seemed to be EVERYWHERE last year, I’d read so many positive reviews about it, I was beginning to think I was the last person to read it.
I bought it not long after I saw that first review after it’s release but didn’t feel the need to pick it up straight away, to be honest I was a bit put off by a few things, mainly the sheer number of five-star reviews, the hype around it made me cautious.
I also wasn’t entirely sure how I’d get on with the gaming element of Tomorrow. It’s safe to say I am not a gamer, unless you count the summer, I briefly became obsessed with Super Mario Brothers 3 in 1995 or my even briefer flirtation with Tomb Raider that lasted a week a few years later.
Having now finished Tomorrow, what I can tell you is that it is deserving of the hype and the gaming side of this book didn’t leave me completely confused, instead it gave me a bit of insight into gaming development in a way that I could more or less understand and I don’t think fully understanding that world is essential because this book is actually about a more universal topic…..
Tomorrow is a tale about platonic love.
Sam and Sadie meet when they’re kids. Sam’s having treatment on his foot after a car crash in hospital. Sadie’s spending a lot of time there visiting her sister who has leukaemia.
Playing video games allows them both to escape everyday life and the two quickly bond.
That comes to an abrupt end when they fall out with Sam refusing to speak to Sadie.
Fate steps in eight years later when Sam bumps into Sadie in a subway station at college, she attempts to ignore him and pretends not to have seen him until Sam shouts a line that changes the course of their lives….
“SADIE MIRANDA GREEN, YOU HAVE DIED OF DYSENTERY.” Gabrielle Zevin
More than just a private joke between two old friends, it is an invitation to play, and Sadie can’t resist it.
That chance encounter brings the two of them back together. That old spark is still there and soon they’re working together to create what they love, virtual worlds!
They set out to create a game that others will love, that will others to do what they did as kids….escape into another perfect world.
Their collaboration turns them into tech superstars, but success brings its own set of problems.
This is the story of the perfect worlds Sadie and Sam build, the imperfect world they live in, and of everything that comes after success: Money. Fame. Duplicity. Tragedy.
This is book was so much better than I anticipated, I did have some doubts in the early chapters, I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy it. What I would say to anyone who feels the same at the start of this book is stick with it because it is worth it.
It spans 30 years of friendship between Sam and Sadie, there’s times where they’re inseparable, others where they can’t stand the sight of each other their friendship is pushed to the limit but despite that, their love for each other is always there….even if they don’t always recognise that.
“It is to acknowledge that love is both a constant and a variable at the same time.” Gabriella Zevin
The characters are realistic, they are flawed and at points, aren’t entirely likeable. They can be petty, bitter, competitive and resentful, like us all, yet they’re incredibly considerate of each other, there’s kindness and hope there too.
Zevin slowly builds up a picture of Sam and Sadie – what their quirks are, what makes them tick and why they behave in certain ways, she adds other people into their world as their company takes off and their success grows.
As reader, you grow up with them as their lives change. You never completely side with one or the other as their friendship goes through ups and downs, I didn’t anyway, I could see both points of view.
It is an emotional read and there are some dark moments that I wasn’t expecting – there was one moment in particular that stunned me.
It is incredibly well written; I enjoyed the different techniques Zevin uses to move the story forward, she uses games to add different perspectives and references to interviews and articles about Sam and Sadie. It helped keep the story fresh, original and compelling.
Tomorrow is unlike anything I’ve ever read before. I can’t pin it to a particular genre, it isn’t a romance, but it is about love and friendship.
It’s wonderful and will definitely stay with me….I should have read it sooner.
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radiosarahc View All
Journalist, writer, traveller, music lover, collector of hats, news addict, bookworm
Sarah Collins Bookworm 
Great review. I had missed ‘Tomorrow’ completely until very recently. Like you, I wasn’t sure but took the plunge. It’s on the to read list, but your review has pushed it a bit closer to the top!
Thanks for sharing!
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I’m always wary of the hype, I think the read time may have put me off a bit too but it’s definitely worth it. Thanks for reading
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I’ve also seen this around absolutely everywhere lately but had no idea what it was about! Love your review – I’m also usually quite sceptical about books that are really hyped up but this sounds like a great read. I’ll definitely be adding it to my TBR radar!
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I enjoyed it more than I expected to, loved the relationships in it x
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Tomorrow & Tomorrow & Tomorrow ~the tile sounds so interesting. And so does the storyline. Reading your review makes me interested to read this book. Thank you for sharing.
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I am looking forward to reading or listening to this one. I am glad the gaming aspect is not overwhelming as that is not my cup of tea either. Nice review, Sarah.
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Thank you – I think that’s what I was worried about too 😂
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