I received an advance reading copy of this book from NetGalley. I recommend this book for gamers and non gamers alike. I have no experience with video games but I became fascinated with virtual worlds and games as I was introduced to several from initial concept, through technical development, challenges and the eventual success or failure in the market. The development of the gaming industry over decades occurs alongside the more predominant story of the two game developers Sam and Sadie. Over many years, they too develop as individuals as they create virtual gaming worlds both together and on their own. It is the connection between these two imperfect beings that is ever present and deeply resonated for me.
I found both the characters and the virtual worlds they created interesting and even magical at times. This is overall a story of love, friendship and a search for what people seek and value in the physical as well as their virtual life experiences.

It's taken me a few days to process my feelings about this book. Let's be clear, here - This may be my favourite book of all time, so had I written this review immediately after finishing it, it would have just been a transcript of me incoherently babbling.

Sam and Sadie haven't spoken to each other since they were kids. When they chance upon each other in Boston as college students, they find that what brought them together as children (their love of video games) could change their lives forever.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Wow, y'all, I'm so sorry - synopses are not my forte.

REGARDLESS. Gabrielle Zevin has created characters that are beautifully complicated and real. There are points where I loved them, and there are points that I flat out couldn't stand them. But my feelings on their life decisions aside, the things they did and said made perfect sense - the character development was done so thoroughly that there weren't any points where I felt that any moments were out of character.

I loved the flow of the story as well - it bounced between different points in time so smoothly! It also explored multiple points of view, and I loved getting into everyone's heads.

I can't recommend this enough, even if you have no real affinity for video games. It's a beautiful story, and I haven't stopped thinking about it since finishing.

I really enjoyed this book a lot. The writing was great! When I saw that the book was about video games I wasn't so sure, but you really don't have to be interested in or know anything about them to enjoy the story. It really is more of a story about love, friendship, multiple chances in life, starting over, forgiveness and communication. It has the most real characters that I've read in a while and the relationships between them were so sweet.

There was one section towards the end where it starts telling the story through the video game characters point of view and I understand why this section was added in, but I didn't really enjoy it much. I think this section maybe could have been a bit shorter.

Definitely recommend this book to anyone out there who likes good character based books about friendship.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book!
I didn't immediately request it because I didn't think I'd be very engaged by the story of two game designers when I'm not a gamer myself. However, I heard some of the hype about it and decided to give it a try. I'm so glad I did! Within pages I was completely drawn in by the rich characters and the complex relationships between them. I'll be recommending it widely, and I very much hope it receives the attention it deserves.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

The premise of this book wasn't what initially hooked me--I was leery of the video game concept because I find tech-related stories aren't for me. Luckily, I requested it anyway after seeing all the hype it was getting, and I was glad I did! This book is much more about the nuance of relationships than it is about anything else. A deep, carefully-crafted character study, Zevin's prose carries the reader across long spans of time with ease. I've been a fan of Zevin's writing since I was a teenager, and this book brought back all the elements I love: gorgeous prose, heavy details, an exploration of what it is to be alive. This book is a truly unusual one, in a good way, and I anticipate it being a BIG hit.

2022 Book 15: Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by @gabriellezevin
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I struggle to begin with how much I loved this book.
Fantastic, complex, characters, with equally complex and deep relationships. Friends who care deeply for, yet somehow manage to completely misunderstand each other.
I loved the setting in the gaming world, and the parallels to real life.
There is tragedy and sadness, but also celebration and fun.
Very much loved, and wholeheartedly recommend it.

Releases 5 July 2022.

Beautifully complex story about friends, love, grief, work and how they intertwine to create this thing we call life. I found the characters relatable and comforting, this is how I grew up, this is how I fell in love.

This was my first time reading a novel of Zevin's and I believe I will be seeking out any others in the future. This story was many things for me - nostalgic, charming, heartbreaking, and a breath of fresh air. For the first time in a while, I felt I knew these characters and, at times, I felt for these characters. These are not perfect people, it's not a perfect world, and that's somehow exactly as it should be. It felt real and I enjoyed following them on their journey.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the ARC to read and review. All opinions are my own.

You don't have to be a gamer to enjoy this book!

I'm not a gamer in the slightest, but I apparently enjoy reading about gamers (Ready Player One being an all time fave)!

I absolutely loved the complicated friendship between Sadie, Sam, and Marx. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey the author took me on through the decades, technological advances, and life events. Beautiful writing, excellent character development, and I loved all the game ideas! This book might make a gamer out of me yet!

It even came full circle in the end, that moment was particularly beautiful and satisfying!

I recieved this arc from Netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book! I found it hard to put down. I highly recommend reading it! You won’t be disappointed.

This book is about the friendship between two game designers, Sadie and Sam, and their game producer Marx. Originally the beautiful cover drew me to the book, and then the description of the plot intrigued me. I'm happy to report that the book exceeded my expectations. The characters felt authentic and the the author's prose was straightforward and yet still engaging. Thank you Netgalley and Penguin for letting me read this book in advance of its release date.

What a roller coaster ride this book was. I feel like I lived out an entire life, with all the pleasures and griefs that come with it, in a single book. I cried, I laughed.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin is essentially a love story. A love story of friendship, to games. The protagonists, Sam Masur and Sadie Green, first meet in hospital. They play games together, and start a life of games. They stop being friends, become friends again through games, make a game together, stop being friends...and on life goes.
What originally drew me to this book was the emphasis on life. Like A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara, it's a character study. What kept me interested was the characters. We do not learn about them in a linear way, instead it jumps around in time. We learn about their past, their present, and their future, and how each inform the other. Even if the characters themselves are not aware that an event in their past informed a choice in the present, we the reader are aware. I also think this nonlinear way of storytelling is more interesting than it would be otherwise. It causes a 3D effect.
As a book about video games, there are naturally a great deal of pop culture references. I think this actually enhances the story, and the characters. We learn what games they like, what they absorbed into their personality, what makes them, them. This is another important way of learning about the characters. It is not as direct as straight up telling us everything, but by having the reader interpret their choices and thoughts in games, the characters feel more real.
Both of the main characters are equally infuriating and amazing. A large portion of the plot is progressed by miscommunication and misunderstandings, but isn't that what life is? They are jealous, petty, ridiculous, and otherwise flawed. But they are also smart, ambitious, and incredibly self aware. They know their strengths, and we know their flaws. We watch them destroy their relationships, and put them back together. I think it is impossible to not see yourself in the characters. They are painfully human. Real.
Zevin drew on a few books to help her with this. I have read one of the books, Blood, Sweat, and Pixels by Jason Schreier, and l can definitely see the inspiration. Zevin outlines the potholes in the game industry. The worry about money, the confines of their technology. This adds an entire new level to the story, because it adds more reality. Of course a real independent video game designer would have to worry about how light and water works. What do you sacrifice when it comes to a game? Is it possible to make a perfect game? At what point do you give up?
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves video games, and has thought about involving themselves in the industry. I would also recommend this to someone who cares more about character development than a clear plotline. If you have trouble with darker subjects, such as death and depression, than beware. I look forwards to whatever Gabrielle Zevin writes next.
Thank you to the author and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for the ARC from NetGalley.

Like many, I enjoyed The Storied Life of A.J Fikry and I thought Young Jane Young was very interesting. But Zevin's latest is leaving me torn.

What I liked:
I enjoyed going back the 80 and 90's and the deep dive in the world of video game development. I thought the use of a variety of styles of writing throughout was very well done. Parts read like an oral history and the games were interestingly written. I also appreciated the arc of the characters and how the characters back story wove through the rest. And I really like the ending.

What didn't work for me:
I found the middle dragged. I was really invested the first 30% or so and I loved the last 30%, but I felt pretty bogged down in the middle. I also have really hard time with teacher/student romantic relationships, even if they were in university. And there was a lot of casual drug use and sex, neither of which I enjoy reading about. I also found Sadie hard to relate too in that she always seemed to see the worst in people, instead of assuming everyone is doing their best. Some of the grudges she held and things she assumed seemed very unreasonable to me.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

I'm quitting this at 16%. I requested it because I loved 'The Storied Life of AJ Fikry' so much, but I am not the right reader for this book. It reads young adult to me and it is about gaming, a genre and activity I have no interest in. I am also finding it rather slow. I know Zevin to be a good writer and so I hope other readers enjoy this one.

I absolutely loved Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. This is a story about love and friendship, set against what, for me, is a particularly nostalgic backdrop of the mid/late 90s. Beautifully written and utterly un-put-down-able. I didn't want it to end but also couldn't tear myself away.