This is very different than my usual reads. It was recommended as the book of the year on Bad On Paper podcast so I had to give it a try. I was nervous about the whole video game aspect but it fit so well within this book. I wish I was still teaching high school because I think it would wonderful for those students.

I received this book as an ARC and this is my review. I loved this book! The story follows several gamers who were friends and the story is amazing! I am not a gamer but that does not matter with this book that grabbed me by the throat and never let go. It travels coast to coast and the friendships are a real part of the story. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy a quirky group of characters and appreciate an unusual story.

Absolutely beautiful character-driven novel. Rich, deep and so easy to get lost in. One of my top reads of 2022.

Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow

Firstly, this is the most complicated review I’ve ever written. I have changed the star rating multiple times and had a lot of trouble finding the right words to explain the experience of reading this book.

Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow follows two friends, Sam and Sadie over decades. Sometimes friends, sometimes in love (not lovers), sometimes business partners (and other times competitors within the same business), sometimes at odds, but always bringing to light the intricate nuances of real committed friendship.

The characters of Sam and Sadie feel so real, they are flawed humans (as we all are) and we see that through their thoughts and choices, which often makes them unlikable, annoying and difficult to read.

The character of Marx is much more likeable, written more as a typical book character who we are guided to like and gives us windows of quiet amongst Sam and Sadie’s quiet chaos. Marx also offers both Sam and Sadie an opportunity to be better in their separate relationships with him.

The way that Zevin has written this book is painfully real at times, inviting an almost unwilling exploration of self as the reader brings their own story, their own experiences and their own feelings to the reading experience merging this with Sadie and Sam’s story. At every point there is something that we can latch on to from our own world.

It is this aspect of the writing which makes it hard to rate and review. Not only does it feel too close to home to see the story clearly but it also feels more like a memory, which as we know changes over time as we reflect on our experiences and draw new understandings.

My initial read had me wanting to put the book down at many points. Sometimes this was due to the gaming talk which completely went over my head but other times the focus point in the story just felt like it was lagging. Having unintentionally thought about this book for awhile now, I realise that I also found some of my feelings towards different parts of the story were confronting.

As someone whose formative years were in the 80’s and 90’s I was captivated by the details of these eras in the story. It brought me straight back into my childhood with great memories I hadn’t thought about for such a long time. It was this aspect which made the book immediately real for me, sometimes too real to simply enjoy the story.

So, would I recommend this book to others?

Yes… but only if you’re willing to go in with and open mind, willing to explore what comes up for you as you read.

It isn’t a difficult read in itself, the story moves, slowly but it moves. It is the pace that gives you time to think as you read.

But, it explores themes of friendship, partnerships, the gaming/programming world, inequity, disability, violent reactions, racism, but all from multiple perspectives layered with the reader’s own thoughts, experiences and memories. This is what makes it harder to read.

As someone who reads to escape the world, to escape my life for awhile… this book did the opposite… and I think I’m grateful for the prompt to reflect on my life and my choices so far!

“Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day, To the last syllable of recorded time; And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!“

As the title promises, we’re given small, day to day moments at a petty pace. This is a masterpiece of the slow pace genre. A look at the lives of two friends who through small life moments build something extraordinary to some, and frivolous to many. And in the end, what matters more? The moments or the accomplishments?

Highly recommended and one of my top reads in the last year.

3 stars

This is a fairly tedious book. Some parts flow wonderfully but then I’d find myself not interested. However the writing is wonderful. I was unsure how I’d like it because of the gaming aspect, but that didn’t bother me so much. Overall it is definitely worth a read but not the best book Ive ever read.

This one is worth the hype. Completely absorbed, I read Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow in essentially one sitting during a 6-hour cross-country flight. I was honestly a bit shocked by how deeply I loved this book. Scenes kept playing like a movie in my head, even a month later. Once they started to fade, I bought the hardcover to re-read in print format to experience it all over again. The New York Times called it “a love letter to the Literary Gamer”—but let me assure you, even if you don’t consider yourself a gamer or a reader of literary fiction, you will connect with this story of creativity, trauma, forgiveness, love, and, most importantly, friendship.

A bighearted saga of friendship and found family set in the world of video game designers, Zevin's latest novel is an intimate portrait of the passions and pitfalls of a creative partnership spanning decades.

Sadie and Sam meet in the hospital as kids. Sadie's visiting a family member, Sam is an all-too regular patient after a car accident left him with injuries that would become permanently disabling. From different social classes, cultures, and familial structures, Sadie and Sam share a love of puzzles and games, a stubborn nature, and a deep-seated, often buried, love and respect for each other.

Through estrangements, reconciliations, and tragedy, Sadie and Sam make ground-breaking work, grow up, and find ways to make sense of their past, honor it, and find their way through the present.

A compulsively readable book that will have you reading longer than you intended and, if you're like me, crying on Thanksgiving morning (but in a good way). If you loved The Ensemble, you'll probably love this. Also for readers who enjoy seeing characters at work in an interesting industry--particularly a female character in a male-dominated one. And for creatives and the people who love them.

I know everyone has been loving this book, but it was just too slow for me and not my style. I love video games but the teacher student relationship gave me the ick.

Fantastic! A very compelling read that focuses heavily on character development. A little on the long side that dragged in the middle, but picks up again near the end.

This book is so excellent. I am not a gamer, but I really enjoyed the plot of this book. It's one of the best character-led stories that I have read in a long while.

I finished this book last week and find the characters are still sitting with me. It's beautifully written and is a hard book to describe. Mostly, I would say that this book evoked more organic feelings than many I have read recently - you really empathize with the characters and feel what they feel.

It's at times a love story, a reflection of society, and a deep study of lifelong friendship. I am really glad I read this and would gladly recommend it to others.

Thank you to the publisher, I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is on everyone's Best of 2022 lists, and for good reason! This expertly paced book, jumping in timelines. chronicles the friendship of Sam and Sadie. The story follows the two friends who first met in a children's hospital playing Mario. Video games are a constant in this story of friendship, family, tragedy, and timeless love.

You don't need me to convince you to read this book, but add my tally to the growing list of fans of Zevin and her poignant novel.

You know how, if you're lucky, you occasionally find a book that you feel must have been written for you specifically and individually to read at this precise time? Yeah, well, that has happened to me twice now, and I feel like I've won the lottery.

Such a creative outstanding job by this author! I wasn't sure if I could stomach the video gaming but it developed alongside a friendship, so it just appeared and meshed so gently. Two souls bonded together by a friendship that even disabilities and race made it that much more unique. The book comes with a lot of heartaches, failures and misunderstandings at times.

With alternating POVs, Sadie and Sam tell their side how they met at a Children's Hospital because of Sadie's sister's hospitalization and Sam, a patient. Sam would not allow anyone into his space due to his disability and so he put up guard, but they had in common the love of gaming and a friendship bloomed against all odds.

The story spans 30 years, develops and shares as humans our need to connect..be loved and love... Although it is not a love story it defines the nature and uniqueness of it. Without giving anything away, keep reading...you may not understand it all as I did not, but this friendship was woven throughout even when their lives became separated. I can see why it would be Goodreads Choice Award!
Thank you NetGalley and Knopf for giving me an opportunity to request and read this book and write a review even though it has already been published.

This is a fantastic book. Do not wait to read it.

The book tells the tale of Sadie and Sam from the time they are children until they are young adults. As children, they bond over video games, and this bond continues into their adulthood.

I do not like video games really, but I love this book. Do not let the video games scare you. This is a gorgeous story of friendship and love. The characters are real and beautiful and the story is so moving.

You will love this book.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow foi um livro que eu sabia que ia gostar, mas não sabia o tanto que ele ia me pegar, se tornando uma das melhores leituras de 2022. E por isso eu digo que não é a toa a sua coração como melhor livro do ano.

Aqui, Gabrielle Zevin nos conduz ao longo de trinta anos na vida de Sadie e Sam, dois amigos que alcançaram o sucesso ao desenvolver um jogo eletrônico. São trinta anos de amizade, companheirismo, ambição, decepção, brigas... Você acompanha tanto dos personagens que sentem eles como sendo reais e no final fica aquele sentimento de vazio por se despedir.

De primeira, a premissa parece algo simples e sem muita emoção. Realmente a história não tem reviravoltas, nem vilões, nem heróis; é só a história de duas pessoas que decidiram lançar um jogo juntos, mas que a partir daí muita coisa se desenrola.

Sadie e Sam são de personalidades bem parecidas e por isso eles vivem entrando em conflito, porém sua amizade é mais forte. Por mais que briguem e passem muito tempo sem conversar, eles acabam voltando para a vida um do outro. Vamos ver os dois navegando pelos altos e baixos da fama e sucesso, assim como estando presentes e apoiando um ao outro nos momentos difíceis, mesmo de forma indireta e à distância.

Lado a lado, temos o foco no ramo dos jogos eletrônicos e mulheres na tecnologia. Como alguém da área, super me identifiquei com Sadie e seus momentos onde ela ficava triste, revoltada, com raiva de como sempre diminuiam sua participação na criação dos jogos. Como uma criança dos anos 90, também gostei das referências da época. A autora também trata de outros assuntos importantes, como depressão e saúde mental. Assim como temos uma baita representatividade de várias nuances.

Sobre os secundários, eu destaco demais Marx, que de início é amigo de Sam e depois vira empresário dos dois. Ele era o equilíbrio entre Sam e Sadie, praticamente sendo a voz da razão entre os dois. Sua participação é intrínseca na vida dos protagonistas, que eu o considero como um terceiro de tão grande que ele foi na história.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow foi um livro que fechou meu 2022 em grande estilo. É aquele tipo de leitura que você começa não dando nada e acaba sendo levado pela onda de sentimentos que é a história e no final só fica o vazio e a saudade dos personagens.

I waited to read this book for so long, then finally tackled it. I had heard rave reviews about it, but was leary because I am not a gamer. I will say that the book it very fluid and beautifully written. It flowed and kept me engaged. I enjoyed the storyline and the character development. I wasn't as wowed as I thought I would be with the ending though. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

I very nearly didn’t read this book as the cover didn’t appeal to me at all, nor the blurb….a book about gamers and gaming at my age! . I had been given a hard copy proof to read and ended up giving it to someone else without reading it. Soon however i began to see it on all the best of lists for the year and so many people who have similar tastes as me loved it. So to be one of the pack I requested a copy from NetGalley and was approved. So so pleased that I was.
Sam and Sadie bump into each other at the train station, they haven’t spoken since childhood when Sadie was in hospital because her sister was having treatment for cancer and Sam was recovering from a car accident that killed his mother and left him a severely damaged foot…..broken in 27 places. So again begins their friendship, their love of gaming and writing programs for games keeps them close and they form a business.
Through ups and downs loves won and lost the two remain friends and when tragedy strikes Sadie, Sam helps her through it in a remarkable way.
The premise of the story reminded me a bit of Normal People in the fact that the two main characters came together and drifted apart over and over. The title of the story comes from a line in a Shakespeare play and for this story speaks of the infinite possibilities of rebirths and redemptions.
It’s going to be on everyone’s top 10 books for a while I think.

#TomorrowAndTomorrowAndTomorrow. #NetGalley

If you are involved in any book spheres you’d have heard the hype for this book. It is sold out everywhere, it’s so many peoples top read of 2022, and you should 100% believe the hype.

What a PHENOMENAL novel, absolutely brilliant. It contain a unique premise, with honest and real character, and raw relationships. This is definitely one of my favourite reads or 2023, I’d even go as far to say top three. I loved it so much I went to purchase the physical novel as soon as I finished to reread it and annotate it properly.

I don’t just recommend this to gamers, though all gamers should read this as it is riddled with fantastic Easter eggs and references to popular video games that were so fun to hear, I recommend this to everyone. It’s super engaging and accessible so if you are interesting in venturing into literary fiction this is a fantastic gateway.

One of the best examples of the found family trope I have ever read, it was incredible. I adore these character so so much.

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow was one of my most anticipated books of 2022. And it certainly didn’t disappoint. Having grown up in Boston, i was immediately charmed by descriptions of Cambridge and the T. I didn’t find myself liking the characters until a good part of the way through the book but once they won me over, I was so invested in their story I literally couldn’t stop reading. Overall, this is my favorite read of 2022. I will be recommending it repeatedly.