Tomorrow…
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin.
I honestly think the description of this book is so surface level it’s misleading. This book is (bear with me here) an engrossing tragedy of life that is hidden behind levels and layers of friendship.
Sam and Sadie’s lives are raw, complex, and messy, capturing the realities of personal growth and the evolving dynamics of friendship. Both characters are insufferable and immature at times, sometimes showing little growth, but this aligns with their history as friends since the age of 11. While I often disagreed with their decisions, I found myself fully invested in their victories. Some parts of the story felt slow and uneventful, while others captivated me with the imaginative worlds they were building in games. I started reading this in July 2023 but set it aside for over a year, which speaks to the slower pacing in certain sections. Despite occasionally wishing for a more traditional plot and faster pacing, I couldn’t help but become deeply attached to Sam and Sadie.
Note, that I said attached, and not as in “caring, dear, devoted” but moreso that I had spent their entire lives with them and I needed to know what happened. These characters are unlikeable and I think it was purposeful. A growing popular trope is making grey heroes. Characters who are bad and good, essentially characters who are PEOPLE. Look at the people around you. There are things you like about them but also hate. Look at someone you dislike. Why do their friends like them? Why do others like them? The crazy part is that while Sam and Sadie frustrate me to no end by the end of the book I began rooting for them. She also weaves back and forth in the timeline to include interesting bits of backstory into the fabric of this story, which is a unique and kind of refreshing take on redemption and betrayal tropes.
The video game aspect of the story really clicked and added a fun, quirky note to the novel without feeling forced or over-the-top. She portrays games as storytelling, a more interactive version but the analogy sticks, and it makes the concept a lot easier to grasp. I also loved how the book worked in social commentary through the characters’ lives. Sam’s struggle with his disability and Sadie’s experiences with sexism in the gaming industry and beyond; Zevin has a great way of showing these issues rather than spelling them out, so they felt real and natural instead of heavy-handed or preachy.
I’m on the fence about whether I “liked” the book, but overall the story is good and absolutely pulls the reader into the relationships. The stars need to stew.
July 9 2023- Dec 23 2024
