TOMORROW, AND TOMORROW, AND TOMORROW • Gabrielle Zevin • Pub Date: July 05, 2022 • ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Abridged Goodreads Synopsis: Spanning thirty years, from Massachusetts to California, and lands in between and far beyond, this book tells the story of the brilliant collaboration between childhood friends Sam Masur and Sadie Green. With the support of a few key players, this duo creates video games while also exploring (and oftentimes challenging) themes of identity, games as an art form, technology and the human experience, disability, failure, the redemptive possibilities in play, and above all, our need to connect: to be loved and to love. Yes, it is a love story, but it is not one you have read before.

I read this 416 page book in one long weekend. Do I play video games? Yes! But do you need to be a gamer to enjoy this book? Absolutely not. This story is intricate and filled with depth. The medium used to tell their story features video games, but what these characters go through is relatable (and heart-wrenching) no matter your preferred hobbies.

Sadie Green is a woman doing what so many did not dare in the early 90s - navigating a male-dominated industry without sacrificing who she is, what she wants, and who she wants to be with. She was born into money, but she is no stranger to hardship and having to work for what she wants. Through the years we spend with Sadie, she learns how to create, how to love, how to fail, how to stand up for herself, how to escape, and how to heal.

Sam Masur is a boy who is subjected to poverty and pain that most will never have to face - all before he hits adulthood. We watch Sam tackle pain, grief, disability; and all that comes with these things. He turns to video games to escape, and eventually, to grow.

When the two meet? They begin a journey that will change their lives forever.

The only thing that kept this book from being a five-star read for me was my personal disdain for the miscommunication troupe. It worked for these characters and this story, but I would have appreciated a more creative plot device, especially as the characters aged. Regardless, this was a powerful story that got me thinking and feeling.

TL;DR: Think a less nerdy version of "Ready Player One" paired with a unique, Rebecca Serle-esque love story. Be mindful though, this is not a light read!

Thank you to the publisher for my review copy. All opinions are my own.

This particular title was not for me. The Storied Life of AJ Fickery was why I picked it up. I loved, that book. Really loved it. This one, I just could not get into. I"m not a gamer. Pretty sure that was the reason.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow... That's how long I will be thinking about this beautiful coming of age story. The book follows a friendship over the span of 30 years. It reads like an unconventional love story and combines the way the world was in the 90's as well as the way the world is today. It has everything you want in a great story: love, tragedy, failure, success. Throw in video games and nostalgia for the 90's and you have one of those books that remind you that every day we are alive is chance to start again. I loved it.

Thank you to Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group and NetGalley for this ARC.

I don’t even know how to tell you how much I enjoyed this book. Just know, I didn’t want it to end. The beautiful writing sucked me in from the first page. The book spanned almost thirty years of the characters lives and I thought it still ended too soon. I was invested in these characters, their friendships, their loves, their losses, their business, their games, their successes, their failures. I am upset that it’s not real and I can’t actually play the games that Sadie and Sam crafted.

Thank you Knopf and Netgalley for this egalley

This is a love story like no other. Sam and Sadie, at times best friends and at other times worst enemies, met when they were twelve and eleven respectively. Neither had friends growing up and so the bond they shared over gaming made their relationship both fragile and strong.

After not speaking for years, they ran into each other in the subway one cold winter day - and so began their renewed friendship, partnership, and love affair. While they were in love with one another, they were never lovers, and sometimes, that’s the hardest type of love to sustain.

Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is the story of two young people who find fame and fortune at a young age. Along the path to adulthood, they learn that life is full of pain and beauty - often at the same time and that the best parts of life happen with your best friend.

A beautiful and moving story of two people who keep finding each other when they need one another most. It’s a reminder that we weren’t meant to do life alone and that, unlike in video games, we only get to live this life once - so make it count.

This was a fascinating read! I loved the story of Sadie and Sam. The story jumps around in time so we slowly learn more and more about them and their relationship. As I read this, I found myself going through so many emotions! It's a story that will make you laugh, cry, feel angry, and happy. It had me all over the place!

This is a great story, and I highly recommend it!

Happy publication day! I finished this awhile ago and forgot to rate. This is a beautiful and moving story of creative people and friendship with a really cozy and lovely vibe, and was pleased that it felt fully accessible for people who aren't into gaming I connected with the themes of complex platonic connection, disability, random violence and forgiveness and recommended this to all my friends. Can't wait to see the movie <3

I don't think I could have loved this book more, and it's going to stay with me for a long time. I loved how complicated the dynamics were between the main characters, and how flawed and lovable they were at the same time. Yes, it's a book about video games...and work, and love over the span of thirty years. But mostly, it's a book about friendship. And, it's one of the best I've read this year.

I am a product of the 80s and child of the 90s. I grew up playing Organ Trail, Mario Bros, Duck Hunt and several of the other games mentioned early on in the book … but that is where my video game plying and knowledge ends.

Never did I think I would end up reading a book centered around best friends gaming and building games. But it was such a good addition to my pool days last weekend. I was invested in Sadie and Sam. Their bond that started out as kids, faulted on rocky ground, only to be reestablished when they were in college.

This book is like nothing I have read before. Zevin brings you into the world of creating video games and the art that it really is. She breaches lots of topics. She shows love and friendship in all forms. And even though I felt out of my league reading some of this, I was still captivated. The book was longgggg but it didn’t stop me from reading and wanting the best for these characters.

I never would have thought I would read a book about video games....but as many advance reviews have noted, it's not really about video games. The world of creating and developing video games is the backdrop, but ultimately its a story of friendship. What happens to a life-long friendship when love, ego and fame implode the friendship?

Sadie and Sam meet in a hospital activity room and bond over video games. They become fast friends and then have a falling out that prevents them from speaking for eight years.,. until a chance encounter at college. We follow them through the relentless grind of making their debut video game and meteoric rocket to fame.

Sam, Sadie and their partner/producer Marx were such interesting characters. The author was so thorough with back story and flashbacks it became clear what motivated their actions and reactions. I loved the relationships, not just between these three characters, but their families as well.

What I didn't love:
I thought it was a bit long and dragged at times. There was an abrupt shift in the narrative that took me a minute to catch up and catch on, but perhaps that was more a me issue than an author one! I did not notice this at all in her previous novels, but there was a tendency to use very obscure words, when multiple other options were more clear. I started highlighting every time I had to look up a word and I can usually infer meaning from the context.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and while I know have immense respect for what is involved in creating a vide game, I still have no desire to play one. I will stick with books.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow started off really strong for me. I loved the friendships and the story of how their video game business came to be. About half way through I lost interest. Even though it felt fresh, it just felt so long. This is a case of "this just wasn't the right book for me". I can absolutely see why others would adore this one. If Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow sound the least bit intriguing, I recommend giving it a try.

A huge “thank you” to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for the ability to devour this ARC

Sadie and Sam are besties that bond over gaming while Sam is recovering from an injury in the hospital where Sadie’s sister is being treated. Years later, they reunite on the east coast and begin spitballing ideas about games and ultimately become partners in development.

This story was rich in character development, relationship building, and the arts including literature and theatre. The vocabulary was voracious; it had me looking up words with decent regularity (which is usually not needed). Video game lore is built throughout this book and would engage even the more reluctant reader. It was nostalgic to those of us who played Oregon Trail and died of dysentery and snake bites, spoke to those of us who quested alongside Link.

This book was absolutely fantastic and will remain in my thoughts for a very long time.

The story in this novel follows the lives and/or the friendship of Sadie and Sam, who meet one day in a hospital and become friends over a video game sessions. Sam learns that Sadie was using their time together to fulfill a community volunteer requirement and he refuses to see her. Years later when the two are in college, Sam sees Sadie again. They reunite to work on creating a video game. This will lead to years of friendship, success, failure, conflict, and heartbreak. Sam's best friend and roommate, along with Sadie's professor and on/off boyfriend both are key players in Sam and Sadie's lives. Throughout all of this, Sam also deals with a disability that influences his interactions with others.

I really wasn't sure what to expect when I read the letter at the beginning of the book from the editor. The video game aspect did not interest me, but the idea of Sam and Sadie did. I decided to give it a try. There were parts of the book that I skipped over. These were those that focused heavily on gaming or programming, however, I don't think that there were many of those moments.

I think Sam was a relatable character. He had a disability, which he allowed to hinder himself in terms of his personal relationships. When he started creating the first game with Sadie, he started coming alive and once they were a success, he felt comfortable and he finally felt seen. He felt he was not just his disability. I know that throughout the book, Sadie always considered Sam to be selfish. I feel that Sadie was the most selfish character of all. I wanted Sam to see that yet the author had me hanging on until the end to see if he would.

My favorite character of all was Marx. There was no person better in the book for Sam. Sadie definitely did not deserve him. If this book was to be about love and loss, then Marx is the heart of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf DoubleDay Publishing for this advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a timeline hopping, character driven novel that focuses on the gaming world. While you do not have to have knowledge or interest in the gaming world to enjoy it is the core of the story. If you enjoy slow burn, character driven novels this is perfect.

🎇 Fireworks Book Review 🎆

First of all, thank you to @netgalley and @knopfdoubleday for the eARC of Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. Secondly, I want to thank my son for taking a video of this one firework last night during my husband’s own private show at the farm. 🧨💥🎇🎆

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is the story of Sadie and Sam. Sadie’s older sister has cancer and while she is trying to pass the time in the hospital she meets Sam. Sam was involved in a horrific accident and hasn’t spoken to anyone in weeks. The two children start up a conversation over a game of Super Mario Brothers.

The nurses find out and request Sadie keep coming to the hospital long after her sister goes home, to help in Sam’s recovery. Sadie’s mother likens it to a community service for her to complete.

So begins the lifelong friendship of these two days extremely intelligent people. The two create a wildly popular video game that brings them together and tears them apart. 🎮

Sidenote: I played Commander Keen as a young child and that video game is referenced in this book!! First time I’ve ever seen it referred to ANYWHERE!!

It’s interesting how two people can be so perfectly in tune with each other, yet not. The relationship that Sam and Sadie have is so deeply intimate mentally, but the two get so angry with each other that they can go years where one refuses to talk to the other.

Their relationship is fascinating and I couldn’t stop reading to find out what happened next. I highly, highly enjoyed this one and recommend you picking it up TOMORROW, July 5.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5

QOTD: What’s your favorite holiday?

AOTD: Thanksgiving! My husband loves Christmas, but Independence Day is his true favorite because FIREWORKS! Both of my kiddos love Christmas the most.
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#tomorrowandtomorrowandtomorrow #netgalley #knopf #bookreview #bookrecommendation #fireworks #readersofinstagram #readersgonnaread

A wonderfully engrossing, coming of age story about two people who meet due to a common interest in video games. This is a chronicle of their triumphs, trials, and tribulations throughout the years as they develop games and run a game development company. Underneath it all is an enduring friendship. This is the best, most creatively told story I’ve read this year. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review an advance copy of this book.

This story touched some deep places in me. "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow" is a story about long-term friendships, the process of creativity, and the reality of living with chronic pain. All three of these topics are close to my heart, so the story meant a lot to me. I know absolutely nothing about video games, but the book isn't really about that - and I learned some cool things about a new-to-me industry! The characters and their motivations felt real and I had to keep reading to find out how their story played out. Unfortunately, language and sexual content diminished the reading experience for me, in what was an otherwise 4-5 star book. I have a feeling these characters and their story are going to stick with me for a long time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for this ARC!

Dear Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow,
You were so big and epic in your scope. I knew, being the wife of a gamer, there would be things in your story that only gamers can appreciate. Those parts were such fun. Watching the evolution of games and their design through Sadie and Sam and Marx's eyes was so interesting. You were a historical fiction of that period in history. But at your heart, you were also a character study. Discovering how these three vastly different people could come together, could love each other, and hate each other was fascinating. The simple fact that none of them ever gave up on each other and thought the best of each other (usually) was a testament to the strength of friendship. I also liked how you turned the concept of self perception on its head. We all have versions of ourselves, and it can be impossible to see outside of that. Being able to see Sam through Sadie's eyes deepened my appreciation for who he was and the pain he kept inside. Seeing Sadie through Sam's eyes showed how lovely she was, even though she found it impossible to love herself. Forgiveness is key in each of their relationships with each other.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin is a coming of age story about, friendship, love, trauma, work and video games. Sadie and Sam meet in a children’s hospital and become friends while playing video games. They run into each other at train station in Massachusetts after not seeing each other for some years. When Sadie, as an after thought passes a disc containing a game she created to Sam before they part ways to get his opinion on, he takes the opportunity to give her feed back and asks her if she would like create a game with her. This is where the story really begins.
Growing up in the eighties and nineties, I really enjoyed the nostalgia of the video games that are referenced through the book. I thought Gabrielle did an excellent job with the twists and turns the story takes. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow shows the difficulties of growing up and adulting. You don’t need to love video games to enjoy this book. At times the book felt a little long especially toward the end but over all it was an enjoyable reading experience with characters that I enjoyed being with.

WOW, this book 😍.

Things I loved:
- All the video game references. I grew up playing video games and they’ve been in my life consistently up until now (I mostly watch Marc play while I’m reading 😂) and I LOVED all of it. The Oregon Trail comments were wonderful.
- The writing was beautiful. I loved how the author used so many different formats, changed character POV’s, there’s a chapter with Marx that was fantastically written. Also, one section was written as game play and that was so cool.
- This book isn’t just about video games, so don’t be deterred if that’s not your thing. The characters and the story are amazing.

A critique:
- Some areas of this book felt a little long, and I think could have been trimmed. Like sometimes I was completely sucked in, and others I felt were dragging along and I was wondering where the story was going.

Overall, this is a recommend from me. A really enjoyable read. It’s out tomorrow, July 5! 📚

*I’d also recommend The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by this author. I read it a couple years ago and enjoyed that as well!