This book is my first read by Gabrielle Zevin and I absolutely loved it. I knew from the beginning I was going to like her writing style and the tone of the book came through instantly. Sam, Sadie, and Marx are some of the best developed characters I’ve met in my reads this year. You will like them, love them, and be frustrated by them in the best way. Yes, there is lots of talk about video games and gaming in this book but don’t let that lead you astray. This book is also about the ups and downs of lifelong friendship, college life, careers, romance, grief, misunderstandings, and so much more. It is witty, clever, emotional and I’m already looking forward to a reread. Thanks so much to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for an advance review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Sam and Sadie, childhood friends who grow apart, run into each other in college and just like in childhood seek each other out to heal the scars they carry. Beautifully written, Zevin is a master of evoking emotion and character building. She will make you root and simultaneously question why you even like all the characters. They are so tangible and you as the reader really feel immersed in this epic novel. Set in the boom of video game designing you don't have to be an avid gamer to appreciate the references, though it certainly doesn't hurt. I cannot say enough good things about this novel I was ravenous for it.

The best book I've read this year and I am already tempted to reread it. The scope and creativity is so exciting but it is the characters and the intimacy of these relationships with friendship at the center that I truly loved.

From the author of, “The Storied Life of AJ Fikry,” Gabrielle Zevin brings together two characters in Sam and Sadie that are often in love but not lovers, who meet as children and find success in creating a world in their love- through video games.

For those of us close to the same age as Sam and Sadie, who grew up in the 90s, the nostalgia around gaming brought back memories. But Zevin goes much deeper than the kids that start off bonding over a shared love of games and explores race, gender, disability and love through the years that Sam and Sadie come together and grow apart.

I love a good character driven novel and this one will stick with me for quite a while. Highly recommend you give this one a read. Thanks to #netgalley and #knopfdoubleday for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

A sweet sweet one from Netgalley. All the loves for always providing great ARCs!!

Im feeling delirious. I haven't read anything quite this good in long while. Truly a stroke of genius!! I'm crying in a corner😭. This. This deserves all the love and recognition in the world.

On the surface, this book is about a relationship between two childhood friends who grew up to make video games together. But make that relationship intricately complicated yet endearing and also terribly gut wrenching.

Two flawed people shoved hard into shitty life with shitty situations. I could defend Sadie and Sam with my life, but they're both to be blamed too. It's pain that drives them together, and pain too sends them apart.

The complexity of the characters is mind blowing. I especially had the best time trying to read Sadie. Most of the time she's nothing but supportive. Then she also is so full of ego, she's intolerable, hard headed but the way she bends for Sam melts my stone cold heart. Sam on the other hand, it's impossible not to feel sorry for his pain. He's lovable yet self damaging, ambitious yet selfish, but he never gave up on Sadie 🥺♥️.

They're both assholes to each other. But I believe people don't turn to be assholes just because they feel like it. They're assholes because they're too depressed to function. They're assholes because they're in unbearable amount of pain. They're assholes because they could feel nothing but overwhelming sadness.

What first seems to be a coming of age story, then turns into a walk of adulthood. Brilliantly touches on blinding desire to excel, search of identity, self doubt, survival, to name a few. Immensely strong plot and wonderful pacing. I thoroughly enjoyed devouring this book from beginning to end.

I am not a gamer but you don’t need to be in order to greatly appreciate this well-written and engaging novel. It is a story of growth and self-discovery, love and friendship. Sam and Sadie meet when Sam is in the hospital recovering from a terrible accident and Sadie is visiting her ill sister. They bond over video games and later, while in college, begin a successful collaboration. They are reflected, to some extent, in the games they create and that’s a fascinating part of the story. But it is their human interaction and their actions, or lack thereof, that makes this a very special read. We come to know the fascinating main characters quite well and sometimes wish we could give them a bit of sage advice but they need to learn and grow on their own. The supporting characters (parents and grandparents, friends and lovers) are interesting and human and contribute greatly to the fullness of the story. The writing is skillful, the story is special; it is a good read! Thanks to NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

what a beautiful book. the story of 2 main characters and their NPC who tames the horses.
I am not a gamer,. it is easy to get lost in some of the game creation aspects, but the main thing is learning how to love, forgive, grow and play. I enjoyed this with all my heart.

Title: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
Author: Gabrielle Zevin
Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, Knopf
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

My Assessment:

The story was wonderfully delivered to the reader about how this starting gaming process as it started for the three friends... Sadie, Sam, and Marx. The read is long but will keep your interest as you turn the pages to the end. The author did an excellent job at keeping the story and timelines as the reader understood the compelling narration of what was going on between the characters. The story will not be all happy, and there will be 'complexities, love, relationships, death, stress, growing up, friendship, and grief' along with some exciting video games presented in this story. It was interesting to look behind the scenes that go into coming up with how these gamers work hard to develop these games. The story will keep one captivated. This was my first time reading about gaming, and I was indeed impressed by this reading.

Thanks to Knopf Publishing Group and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my review.

In Gabrielle Zevin’s ending “Notes and Acknowledgments,” she writes “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a novel about work…Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is equally about love.” Those may be the bookends, but between them is a sweeping masterpiece of the lives of young friends over three decades. It spans not just time of those tomorrows and tomorrows and tomorrows, but also the vibrant world of gaming and gamers, to diverse geographic anchors from coast to coast. Sadie Green and Sam Mazer meet in their teens at a time of tragedy and suffering for Sam, opening a door to a life-altering friendship through their affinity and life-saving outlet of gaming. Marx Watanabe enters in their college years as Sam’s roommate, and the three meld into a solid friendship. They start their own gaming business “Unfair Games” after their creation of blockbuster game Ichigo. What follows are the years of the company’s successes and failures with the interplay of lives and love of the three friends.

The writer brilliantly takes us into the world of worldbuilding and gaming even for the totally ignorant, enticing us to long to play Ichigo, Mapletown, and famous games. We sit with them as they devise, walk and talk through the creation process -- right onto the business aspects. Woven in are the three’s complex relationships, at times fractured, healed, or maturing. No aspect of the book seems extraneous. Family relationships, hopes and fears, sacrifices and ambition, forgiveness and longing, disabilities and diversity, identity and culture, societal risks and geographic differences, literary and drama references, loyalty and betrayal, the past and the future—and always gaming—layered, blended, or transposed seamlessly. The gaming world, the stages of the characters’ lives, and the immersed reading experience are intertwined so the reader may feel one, not three, worlds. Near the end, without prefatory explanation, we are dropped into a game at a time that is risky for the writer, unforgettable and alluring for the reader, and perfect for this story, these characters, and the magical experience of gaming. About three-quarters of the way through the book, a tragic event happens, to which I had to put the book aside for a day before I could continue.

Writing a review for Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow has been difficult because of the sweeping artistry, talent, and imagination of this writer, as well as the immense and inedible effect it left. I had read and treasured Gabrille Zevin’s The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry in 2014 and without question was eager to read Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow (especially with this title, and how Macbeth or that poor player on the stage is connected). This goes beyond any expectations I had. This is best book I have read in 2022 and I will never forget it.

For the early access to this book, I am grateful to NetGalley, Knopf Doubleday Publishing, and Gabrielle Zevin for the opportunity to read this splendid book. My opinion is all my own.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
Gabrielle Zevin
Knopf
Publication: July 5, 2022

Zevin has created a whip-smart novel of love, work, and video games. The story centers on two main characters: Sam Masur and Sadie Green. They meet in a hospital hospitality room where they take turns playing Nintendo. Sam is recovering from a car crash that killed his mother and that mangled his foot. Sadie is visiting her sister who is in the hospital for Leukemia. Sadie continues to visit Sam to play games even after her sister is discharged. (They are children at this point.)

Years later, they meet in the subway in Boston where Sam is attending Harvard and Sadie is attending MIT. They re-connect and collaborate on a complicated game, Ichigo, about a young child who gets swept away in a storm and returns home years later as a ten-year-old. Sam’s roommate, Marx, helps them as they work hard to finish the game. They have great success with the game and soon, with Marx as producer, the three have their own gaming company, Unfair Games.

Sam and Sadie have love for each other but they have arguments and don’t speak at times. This causes friction at the company and things become complicated. I don’t want to spoil the story so I’ll leave it at that.

Other characters I loved are Sam’s grandparents Dong Hyun (Grandfather) Bong Cha (Grandmother). They provide much needed wisdom and love to Sam and play vital roles in his life. A side note: They have a Donkey Kong game in their pizza shop.

I love how Zevin honestly portrays how women functioned in the gaming business. It reminds me of Brenda Romero (yes, wife to John) who is one of the few women pioneer female game designers. Was there a nod to her game Train when Sadie’s first MIT game dealt with Nazi’s? She wasn’t mentioned in the notes, but in my world, it is a nod to Brenda.

This novel is about love and work and video games. It is a fantastic book and I’ll be reading Zevin’s other works to see if they hold up to this ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #Knopf for this electronic arc in exchange for my honest review.

Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow is the story of Sadie and Sam - two childhood friends who bond over video games. Their lives continue to intersect until they create their own video game. Overnight they are hugely successful but their trauma continues to follow them.

This book! I laughed. I cried. I was so mad I had to put the book down and walk away. I haven’t felt this many emotions in a book for a long time. The character development and growth is fantastic. This is heavy on the video games and I can see how it could be a bit tedious for some readers. In the end though it’s a story of love - how to love and be loved. How to accept love when you aren’t sure you love yourself. Truly one of the best things I’ve read all year.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Loved this book. Rich and deep with meaning. Characters were realistic and the video games enriched the stories in compelling ways. Would highly recommend to our customers.

*This* is now my favorite book I’ve read this year, if not longer. It’s epic, in the literary sense, but also in the “spanning years and continents, lives ruined, blood shed, EPIC” sense. I laughed, I cried, I screamed out loud in protest when a character made a decision that broke my heart. My husband and I got into an actual fight because he interrupted me during a pivotal moment. I couldn’t read any other book for a week after I finished it - I just started this one over again.

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow is ostensibly about video games, but it’s also a meditation on the creative process, or maybe more accurately the creation process. The labor and logistics and compromise and collaboration that go into turning an idea into something tangible. It’s about love and family and friendship and the types of deeply impactful partnerships that defy labels. It’s about the joy and intimacy of play, and about the pain of living in a body or a brain that can’t do what you want it to. It’s about art and genius, and about the people and structures without whom geniuses couldn’t happen.

It has the beautifully fleshed out cast of characters and unique perspectives of an Emily St John Mandel. It weaves in the reflections on the fallibility of human memory and the stories we tell ourselves of Kazuo Ishiguro. This book is infuriatingly good, and I love it so much.

I received a digital ARC from Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group via NetGalley.

This story will stay with me. At it’s core it is a story about family, friendship, and life. We watch the characters grow up, and change. Do not be intimidated by this book if you feel you do not like or understand video games. It isn’t. So much about the technical side of making games, it’s about the experience of playing them, and the reader is brought into that.experience.

This book tells of the lives and lifelong friendship of Sam and Sadie, people who dearly love and care for each other even though they don't always understand each other. The story spans thirty years, although the shift in time periods is easily made and placed in areas of the book that make sense and add dimension. The friends welcome another friend, Marx, to make a trio, who go on to start a successful business creating video games. The video games reflect what they experience in life and demonstrate their hopes, fears, values, losses and longings. This books is intricately detailed, emotionally moving and meaningful. I need to read more of this author's work! Highly recommend this read!

Oh goodness, this one is a stunner. I've heard from so many early readers of Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin that they liked or loved this book *in spite of* the fact that it is about video games, with assurances that you don't have to care about video games in order to enjoy it. I wasn't worried about video games being involved, because I have enjoyed playing them occasionally (mostly just Stardew Valley, to be honest, but I've played others) and my husband and kids love them so I'm used to seeing them and understand how great they can be. What I didn't expect, however, was how much even my limited knowledge of video games enhanced my appreciation for this novel. There is actually a LOT about video games in it, with explanations of the storylines of the games they create, all of which sound absolutely amazing and wildly creative. I loved this book so much more because of the video games, and that truly surprised me. Add to that the references to Shakespeare (I figured the title was referring to MacBeth, but didn't expect to encounter Shakespeare otherwise) and the unique sections in the middle of the book that told the story in creative ways, and I'm in love. The book is primarily about the central friendship between Sam and Sadie, but I absolutely adored Marx and I was fascinated by Sam's mother Anna. Such beautiful characters and relationships. I think I'm going to have a book hangover for a while.

I devoured this book. The characters are wonderful and it didn't hurt that they are close to me in age, and came of age in the same era I did. I wouldn't call myself a "gamer" but I do enjoy and appreciate video games. Though I don't think you have to, to enjoy this book. It's about friendship, success, failure, finding yourself (losing yourself and finding yourself again), creativity, love, art, relationships, grief, growing...and so much more. For me, it read like a cross between Meg Wolitzer's "The Interestings" and the TV show Mythic Quest—particularly its fantastic flashback episodes. Highly recommended.

An epic, sweeping, timeless tale of love and friendship and all the intricacies of life, spanning over thirty years.

𝘛𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸 begins when Sadie Green and Sam Masur strike an unlikely match in the hospital where Sam's recovering from an accident and Sadie is present to accompany her sister. After a minor betrayal, however, they lose contact.
Fast forward fifteen years, they reconcile over their shared love of videogames, and Sam presents Sadie with an opportunity to to build games with him. Thus begins the start of a striking and remarkable friendship.

As I'm writing this review, my heart is heavy and I'm overwhelmed, whether it's over the grief of finishing this book or the honour of having read this masterpiece? I don't know.

I'm also confused as to how to make sense of this review so we'll start with the beginning and work our way towards the end.

1) As I mentioned, Sadie and Sam meet at the hospital and connect over videogames. Now, videogames are a major emphasis of the plot. Personally, I've never played a single game discussed in the book or a console game ever but miraculously I could follow their programming lingo easily (I guess years of watching youtubers playing videogames payed off eh?).
I'd recommend watching atleast one gaming competition finale for reference and if you're a gamer then this'll definitely be your comfort book.

2) A few aspects of the book that may be an issue to some are the timelines and the alternating povs which don't have an order. Not necessarily frustrating but you never know when the plot changes into the past or the future and which character's perspective you'll get next as the povs aren't limited to only the MCs.

3) The writing was above my paygrade.
The vocabulary felt way too advanced but new words are always welcomed so I didn't mind. Though, I will say, the dialogue writing especially for the first half of the book felt a lot like reading historical fiction for some reason? Probably because of how proper it read and sounded.

4) I still haven't gotten over Marx. He's the bestest friend one could ever be blessed with.

5) I would also like to mention that the love Sam had for Sadie and Sadie had for Sam exceeded the limits of platonic love but they never were lovers. And that, I found was a beautiful emphasis. They've always loved each and always will, even or especially in the worst of circumstances.

Another aspect that I found intriguing was the generational difference. As someone who wasn't even alive in the 90s, it was rather interesting to note all the wildly different social constructs.
It's probably the most Gen Z thing I've ever said but how did people get by without constant access to each other? The thought is wild to me.

I'll conclude by saying that this story was exceptional and I hope I'll come back to it one day to reread and take away even more than I'm doing now.

Ps. I'm deducting one star because I'm still grieving and I will 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 get over him (iykyk).

- ~ -

4.32 / 5✩

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘒𝘯𝘰𝘱𝘧 𝘋𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 & 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘥. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

I can’t believe that I am just now experiencing this author, what a clear, beautiful voice they have. I loved every bit of this immersive, intensely human story. The multiple viewpoints all coming together to share this story provided a very well rounded and comprehensive tale of love, life, and friendship in a very real and honest way.
As someone that is wholly unfamiliar with the world of gaming, I was a little nervous at first about being able to relate. Thankfully, that turned out to be completely misguided . It was a fun peek into a world yet unknown to me, but was very much just a backdrop for the real center, the relationships we find and nurture. Be that with family, or chosen family.
Lovingly written, and a pure joy to read, this one will stay with me for a while.

" 'Isn't it obvious?' Marx said.
It was not obvious to Same or to Sadie.
'What is a game?' Marx said. 'It's tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow. It's the possibility of infinite rebirth, infinite redemption. The idea that if you keep playing, you could win. No loss is permanent, because nothing is permanent, ever.' '

An amazing example of literary narrative storytelling. I could not stay away from this book. You have died from a book hangover! :)

Did you like The Interestings (Meg Wolitzer) or the fantastic The Animators from Kayla Rae Whitaker? This book is probably for you.

I loved how this book was not at all what I expected, it was so much more. The story weaves and contracts and expands, telling the at times messy, intersecting lives of Sam, Sadie, and Marx, as well as a few others along their young adult lives. I loved the multiple narrators, it really made this book work and I loved how later in the book more voices and styles were introduced; I think it takes a strong writer to engage a reader with a few different voices and to find creative ways to move a story forward while honoring the unique relationship that Sam and Sadie have. It was Marx though who really one me over and I loved how the book developed his voice and place in the story in unexpected ways.

The video game theme should not put off non video game players, I am not a gamer at all, because this book isn't really about gaming, it is about relationships and figuring out adulthood. I found the video game theme served is a bigger motif for a focus on storytelling, self growth, and a quest for connection with each other and with the broader changing world around them as well as at times a journey to tell and explore, examine their lives, their past and present, their grief and joy and their love.

I want write more but I feel that I would spoil the wonderful journey of reading this book, embracing the complicated and not always likable characters, seeing their mistakes and feeling their emotions, celebrating their passion for games and stories. I hope many readers embrace this wonderful book and love it too.

I've just finished this book early morning of my 44th birthday sitting here thinking how to adequately review this that will give it even a sliver of the justice it deserves.

The description I could give makes it sound not all that compelling: young friends connect over video games and go on to become quite sucessful game programmers together. Sure, that's the story at 30,000 feet. The journey, the characters, the depth, the pain, the love, the trauma, the human experience, friendship, connection, grief, nostalgia....those are the indescribable parts of this absolute masterpiece that can't be summarized in a review. I was captivated by this story and in only mere moments after finishing I miss those characters terribly.

Thank you so incredibly much to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the perfect book to finish on my birthday. I will hold this near and dear to my heart for a long long time. I would recommend this book to any reader who enjoys strong character driven novels with complex relationships, like The Hearts Invisible Furies.

This is already easily in my top 5 favorite books of 2022. It's one of those novels that the more you think about it the more you love it.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is ostensibly about video games but really it's about friendship and how humans are intrinsically flawed and often downright awful but also capable of so much love. It's the story of Sadie Green and Sam Masur who meet in a hospital and bond over video games and then reconnect while in college to create one of their own -- and become monstrously famous as a result. The book follows them throughout their lives and the ups and downs of their friendship and their relationships with those around them.

I can't say too much about my favorite parts of this book without risking spoilers but let me just say, the way Gabrielle Zevin plays with time and narrative format in this book is (excuse my language) fucking genius. The way she foreshadows upcoming events and makes you think they are one thing, only to have those events unfold in a completely unexpected way is absolutely brilliant.

The characters are so nuanced and multi-faceted. I legitimately hated Sam at some points during this book -- because he is a legitimately bad person at times -- but I always understood exactly why he was doing the things that he was doing. He is simultaneously so flawed but also sympathetic. And I just loved Sadie. I have felt so many of the things she felt in this book and her struggles as a woman in a male dominated industry were highly relatable.

This book will make you laugh, it will make you cry, it will absolutely break your heart (but also leave you super hopeful). The ending is absolutely perfect (when in another author's hands could have ended up being trite or overly neat). I cannot say enough good things about this book.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a beautiful and moving book. Partly about video games, but mostly about real life, this is one of the more emotional books I have read in quite a while. Sadie and Sam's friendship is perfection. And I do not mean perfection in that it is perfect without flaw. I mean perfection in the realness of the care, love, and development that it takes them create a lifelong friendship. The story feels real and organic and the integration of video games into the story supports and represents the lives of the characters.

Sam and Sadie meet in a hospital during their youth and bond instantly over their love of video games. Their friendship develops from this point onwards and the story takes them through many decades of their lives. In college, the two meet up again and decide that they want to create their own game together. First childhood friends, and now collaborators, the two have to learn how to work with and support one another.

I do not want to give too much away in this book, but I loved seeing the progression of Sam and Sadie throughout the years. I cried in parts (both happy and sad) and each of the characters had so much personality I just couldn't help falling in love with each one. Just read it. I think you will enjoy it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for granting me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I am not sure I can fully explain how lovely this book is. It’s a story about love and friendship set with the backdrop of video games.

I really enjoyed the progression of everyone’s - Sam, Sadie, Marx - relationships. Their friendships and deeper feelings. There were moments throughout the book when I didn’t love Sam or Sadie. I sometimes wish they would talk about their feelings and actually address their stuff instead of letting it fester. Despite these moments, I still loved them and rooted for them. I think my favorite character was Marx and how he supported everyone.

This book just gave me good feelings, even with some of the more challenging parts. I read another review where it was compared to A Little Life and I see it. It’s similar in some these but isn’t quite so sad.

Basically I would definitely recommend this one. You don’t have to like or know video games to get the story, so don’t let that impact you decision.

[cw - workplace shooting, suicide, death of parent, childhood cancer, teacher/student relationships, traumatic car crash, BDSM]

I had my doubts going into this book; I typically don’t like character-driven books and I’m not a big gamer, so I didn’t think I’d connect to this book. I should have trust Zevin, given how much I love two of her other books.

I was completely hooked from page 1. Zevin is a master at character development to the point where you don’t need a clear plot to enjoy her novels. I cared so deeply for the characters and flew through the book.

I highly recommend this book!

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is going to be in contention for my Book of the Year, it's such a slow burn filled with vivid colours, sounds and details, but I wasn't bored one minute. I was lingering on each page when I sensed the book was going to come to an end, I could have read about Sam and Sadie's professional life and personal life, for another 400 pages , and be equally enamored.

Sadie and Sam are probably one of the best duo characters I ever read, they seem so much like real, brilliant, vulnerable, stubborn, passionate, prideful, , so flawed and so lovable, so wonderfully written. And poor Marx, I should have known things were about to go down hill when the book switched to his point-of-view.

The games, from Solutions, EmilyBlaster, Ichigo to Counterpart, to Mapletown, Pioneers, I want to play them all.

I loved this book.

Such a unique and memorable story. I loved following these characters over the years through their childhood when they met and into their adulthood when they became wildly successful in the video game industry. While the plot is mostly about the relationship between Sam and Sadie, there are many other characters we get to know well and care for. Along with their success there is also pain and tragedy. This is a lovely story of a friendship that I felt fully invested in until the last page.

Thank you to NetGalley for an early copy of Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. This is my unbiased review.

I was so happy to receive an advanced copy of this book. This book covers the friendship between Sam and Sadie through childhood, college, and as adults. They became friends through playing video games and then found success in creating them. The level of detail Zevin puts into developing the world of the video games they created honestly made me wish I was a gamer! At the same time, I didn't need to be in order to enjoy the book. I loved that it showed the storytelling aspect of games, along with the idea that stories and escapism have transformative abilities when it comes to dealing with grief and trauma.
The friendship was extremely well developed and authentic; the love that they had for one another and the way that love manifested into moments of tenderness as well as anger/resentment felt extremely real. I loved that the text demonstrated that intimacy doesn't necessarily need to be romantic, that sometimes friendship and "play" are what's most important. The characters were flawed, but developed; seeing their growth was satisfying and well-deserved. Overall, great book! Loved the world that Zevin created and will definitely be recommending! Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy!

I received a free Advanced Reading Copy via NetGalley in exchange for a complete and honest review.

One of the best books I've read in a long while.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin is a must-read. I loved this book and I hated this book. I loved the characters, the storyline, the writing. I hated one major thing that happened. But I hated it because I loved the characters and felt like they were my friends, too.

Zevin tells the story of Sam and Sadie, two friends who meet in the hospital while children. Sam is there to have many surgeries to repair his shattered foot. Sadie is there because her sister has leukemia. They develop a fast friendship, forged over video games. Their friendship thrives until it doesn't. Coincidentally, they both end up in Boston for college (Harvard for Sam, MIT for Sadie). Coincidentally again, they run into each other a T station in Boston. Sadie gives Sam a disk with a video game she designed on it. Sam plays it and their lives change.

Sam, Sadie and Marx, Sam's roommate and surrogate big brother, start a video game design company over the summer. We follow them as they create the game, through the ups and downs of video game design and starting a company.

This is not a book about video game design. Well, it is, but it is ultimately a book about friendship, family and how our choices affect those we love. There was some technical information strewn throughout the book, but it did not detract from the storytelling. At times, I didn't even realize I was reading about video game design.

Zevin does a masterful job of creating these characters. From the beginning of the book, I was engaged in the lives of Sam and Sadie, and eventually Marx. I got angry with them when they made stupid choices. I cheered for them when they succeeded and commiserated with them when they failed. Zevin drew me into their lives seamlessly. Life is complicated. And so are Zevin's characters. Ultimately, the characters stayed with me for days after finishing their story.

Thank you to #NetGalley for an ARC of #TomorrowAndTomorrowAndTomorrow

This just might be my favorite book of 2022.

It spans decades of a complicated friendship between two ambitious people: it follows their childhoods, their partnership as they build their game company, and all of their ups and downs. Everyone is flawed, making the characters feel real and relatable.

You don’t have to love video games to love this book. I’m not a gamer, but Sam and Sadie so genuinely love and are excited about games that it was fun to see.

The writing is my favorite kind of writing: it’s crisp and flows well and is beautiful and interesting without being flowery or overwrought. There were also lots of lovely literary references.

Along the way, the book seamlessly explores loss, racism and cultural appropriation, living with a disability, sexism, abuse, suicide, and gun violence.

<I>Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf!</i>

I did not think that Zevin could do better than Aj Fikry, but this amazing thrilling novel is one of my best of the year.

Ooooof! This novel hit me so hard. A novel about video game writers that goes deep into the weeds sounds like the complete opposite of something I’d enjoy, but this fabulous novel grabbed hold of me and didn’t let go. Loved the different styles, voices, and POVs here. Beautifully told.

This is a book that will stick with me for a while, and is one I can’t wait to discuss with friends - it would make a great book club pick. Like many reviews mention, this book is hard to describe, it is at times heavy, complex and layered. A story of friendship, love and play, but also a story about grief, tragedy and challenges. There were times I despised all of the characters, and times when I loved them all. This book is lengthy, but worth the reading investment.

Sensitive readers, content warnings apply.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance reading copy. Featured in Modern Mrs. Darcy’s Summer Reading Guide, which is what originally made me also me to add it to my TBR.

Do you know when you read something that hits you so hard that you just want to live in the world of that book a little longer when you're done? Like you refuse to say goodbye to those characters? Well, let me tell you, this book did that to me. And I was an emotional wreck. My husband had to calm me down and remind me that Sam isn't real. But can't I just give Sam a freaking hug!?

If it's not already clear, I *adored* this book. It was so smart, so deep, so beautiful. I was teary eyed through the entire story and still feel like I know these characters personally.

This one is honestly hard to describe. Just know it's filled with moments both sweet and heartbreaking, It offers so much representation. It's just such a special book. I dare you not to love it.

all the hype about TOMORROW, AND TOMORROW, AND TOMORROW is real.
This is a story of friendship and love, of life and journeys, and videogames.
Truly, if you read one book this summer, TOMORROW AND TOMORROW AND TOMORROW should be it.

Wow, this book was stunning. I was pulled in right from the start, and didn't lose interest at any point. It's absolutely gorgeous, about so many different things, and I'd recommend it to anyone.

I don't spoil anything directly, but if you're worried about spoilers, you might want to skip the next three paragraphs. The final three paragraphs don't have any spoilers.

A weird thing about my experience of reading this book was that by the time I was halfway through, it felt like I'd read an entire book--like maybe it should be done already. And I want to be clear I don't mean that in a bad way, like the book felt too long or had poor pacing. It just felt like some books could have ended it there, and been interesting and relatively satisfying overall.

But because I knew I was only halfway through, I started getting worried: yes, this book had complicated relationships, and things that frustrated me, and heartbreaking tragedies. But what if something even worse was going to happen? What if this book was actually devastating, and I just didn't know it yet?

Reader, this book was devastating. My intuition was right, but I had no idea what was going to happen until it was too late. I sobbed through a large section of this book, and was teary-eyed through the whole rest of it, all the way until the end. I already liked this book, and felt it was emotionally deep and moving, but then it just absolutely gutted me.

This book was moving in so many ways. Emotionally, the characters and their relationships are so rich and real and complicated and messy. No one is perfectly likable all the time, and you're not on one character's side the whole way through. But also creatively, this book was so inspiring. I don't play a lot of video games, and know very little about making them, but I do write poetry. At one point I had to stop writing to frantically write down an idea--I'd been waiting for a breakthrough epiphany about something for over a year, and this book finally helped me crack it open, at least a little.

The quotes I pulled from this book to save for later are gorgeous, and the writing is superb. I love the way the book plays with time, and how the future is so casually and distressingly referenced. In a way, it lulled me into thinking I knew what was coming, without ever revealing the worst part.

I tore my way through this book, and basically spent a whole weekend in this world. I'm so grateful to Netgalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for the chance to read and review this ARC.

This book is brilliant, imaginative, complicated, and memorable. So much of it is about video games, which I have limited interest in, yet I was captivated from the first page. Sadie and Sam are video game developers and the book follows their lives over 30 years. It’s not a romance, but it is about love.

I was originally put off from this book because I thought it would be too intellectual for me. And while I did have to look up several words, and a lot of the video game speak went over my head, I was invested in these characters. The storytelling is incredible. All of the characters are well developed, even (especially) the side characters. This is a book that I'll think of often.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Release Date: 7/5/22

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow tells the story of a livelong friendship between Sadie Green and Sam Masur. We follow the two from ages 11/12 to their late thirties as they go through phases of their relationships from childhood friends to not speaking for 6 years to collaborators on video game projects to not speaking again. The two friends share between themselves wins and losses, tremendous grief, and undeniable love.

Words cannot describe how much I loved this book! This was a book that I had a very difficult time putting down, it was so good! The writing was amazing! The characters were phenomenal! I was emotionally destroyed in more than a few parts (don't want to put a spoiler in here but you'll know it when you get to them). It's a touching story of love and heartache and just growing up and trying to figure life and yourself out.

Thank you to @netgalley and Knopf Double Day publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was excellent. I devoured it as quickly as real life allowed. It was beautifully written, the characters were so fleshed out and well developed even when unlikeable (Sadie!), and I was so engaged despite the plot revolving around video games and me not being a gamer. It was merely a plot device but in no way detracted from my ability to follow, be pulled in, process and enjoy. I don’t really know how to articulate what the book meant to me but I feel impacted by this book, and I know the characters will stay with me forever. That’s how well they were written. What a beautiful love story chronicling platonic love at it’s most poignant.

I loved Gabrielle Zevin’s Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac and Elsewhere, and only recently discovered that she writes adult fiction too, which prompted me to read this book. The plot is so unique, it is difficult to discuss without spoiling. At its core this is a book about friendship and video games, although video game knowledge is not necessary to enjoy it. Sam and Sadie meet in a hospital as children, and have a long, complicated friendship as they build a company together. “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow” portrays the tension of friendship better than any other book I have read. Some readers might not like the writing style - I think it keeps the book interesting to switch between perspectives and formats. I think the tone and writing style are very similar to Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

Thanks to Knopf Doubleday and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was not the kind of book I usually read. But the promise of a love story, though not one I've ever read before, intrigued me.

I absolutely adored the book. The writing was brilliant, the characters well-wrought and imperfect, flawed and young, selfish and vulnerable and human. As in love, there is never a 'right' or 'wrong' when trying to connect with others. There is only the option to be our true selves with others and work to become better people, preferably inspired by those with whom we spend our days. Sam and Sadie may not have set out to do that, but they made each other better, at so many things.

The video game references felt familiar, and the designing details gave a texture to the book that I enjoyed. The book was many stories within a story, with lustrous language and all the pain and joy of being human and finding one's way, one's people and one's purpose. I've already pre-ordered copies for friends and family who I know will love it as well, and am looking forward to reading Gabrielle Zevin's other novels.

Thank you to NetGalley for the early copy.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
By Gabrielle Zevin

This story is about game creators and their games – and the difference between games and real life. Sadie Green and Sam Mazur meet as children in a hospital where Sam is slowly recovering after a tragic and life changing accident. Their connection starts with the video games they play together. As the years pass, their paths cross and then separate repeatedly, but their friendship, while sorely tested, always brings them back to each other.

The world of gaming holds great appeal for many people because it allows them to "do over" when things don't work out. Unfortunately real life doesn't work that way, as Sadie and Sam discover. Sometimes you really DO have to play the hand you are dealt!

I enjoyed this book as I have previous works by this author. Gaming on this level is not something I relate to, but Ms. Zevin manages to keep my interest anyway.

Thanks go to NetGalley and Knopf Double Day Publishing for an ARC of Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin.

I loved one of Zevin's previous books and was interested to see what was up with this one.

I've had to take a day to process after reading because there is so much going on with this novel. It's a bit like Forrest Gump because of the span of time but with a lens focused on the gaming world. It's also a bit like When Harry Met Sally because Sam and Sadie keep reconnecting over the years. Interestingly, I'm not a gamer at all and still was sucked into the book. I think this happened because Zevin introduced the characters first and didn't slam me with gaming facts and myopic details.

There are so many things I loved about this book. Now, there were sections hard to read, but isn't that like real life when faced with challenges. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow shows how we each have our own narrative in our lives. What we experience is different than others even when in the same place.

Political, social, and interpersonal situations are explored. Themes include love, relationships, found family, personal growth, disability, and how women have worked in a "man's" field. I'm going to say that games as a subtle teaching tool is also a theme. We often learn from games as children, and that can extend into our adult lives. There are also romantic elements, but this is not a romance.

I consider this book to be one that hovers in that special space of commercial and literary fiction. It will interest readers from a broad audience. This is a book for adults. The sexual content isn't a play by play, but it's there. One of Sadie's relationships made me very uncomfortable—however, that was the intent.

I became so vested in this story, I read it in a few days. The characters felt like real people even though they're fictional. As you can imagine, I'll read Zevin's next book.

And if you don't know the reference of the title, I won't spoil it for you. But I loved the connection.

Lovely exploration of relationships and how they change over time. Each character was thoughtfully rendered, and it was a joy to follow them through their creations and obsessions and longings. Marx was my favorite, and I grew to understand Sam and Sadie even if I didn't always like them. Thanks for the ARC :)

I loved Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. I was awed by the depth of the characters: how well I felt I knew them and their pains, how tightly wound their bonds were, and how, following them over so many years didn't feel too long at all. For some reason, A Little Life kept popping to mind - the last story I remember reading where the friendships felt so deep, complicated, and tangible.

Sam Mazer, aka Samson Masur, has a bum foot. He has surgery after surgery, which means tons of hospital time. Sadie Green's sister has cancer, so she has hospital time, too. The two meet playing Mario Brothers. Their relationship with each other and with video games extends decades. A third character, Sam's college roommate Marx, enters the scene. He makes up the other side of their isosceles triangle.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is about friendship. How hard it is, how wonderful it is, how bittersweet and joyous and full of sorrow it is. Gosh, I loved them and it all.

I'm not a gamer, but I was swept up in the games. I think these three could have been friending, working, and collaborating over anything and I would have been rapt.

The writing is great. I wanted to highlight so many passages. There are a ton of 50-cent words. I was grateful for the Kindle's e-reader dictionary because I looked up at least 10, probably more. Sometimes that feels pretentious to me (I'm an avid reader; I know lots of words), but in this case, Zevin's use of uncommon words felt so accurate, I couldn't begrudge it. I'd see the definition and think, 'yes, that's a perfect word for this sentence.'

Highly recommend. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. I loved Zevin's Storied Life of A.J. Fikry. I can't wait to read more of her!

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow is so smart, fresh, deep, wise, and meticulously crafted. I am in awe of how Gabrielle Zevin is able to so deftly create totally unique and disparate worlds in each of her adult novels. It keeps her work very interesting, and with her latest, she may just be one of my favorite writers out there today.

I went into this novel about video game designers with a strong background in the industry, as my husband and several of our long-term friends all designed MMORPGs for a large corporation for 15+ years. Zevin's descriptions of crunch time and launches and behind-the-scenes power struggles were captivating and accurate. I am obsessed with how she connected various aspects of video games to the challenges of everyday life in the real world. There is so much wisdom in this book. I highlighted dozens of passages because they were so touching and true. I'll never look at video games as "just a game" ever again.

But what really makes this book top-notch is the relationship between Sam, Sadie, and Marx. My heart is both swelling and breaking as I type their names. This is one of those novels that makes you love literature. It's just so rich. It's a gift to the reader. I wish I could put more coins into a machine and keep watching their lives unfold until they run out of hearts!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Knopf for the eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts. And thank you to Gabrielle Zevin for creating this magical book that I'll never forget!

Brilliant! I almost didn’t read it because marketing says it’s a “gamer” novel but it’s so much more than that! While creating video games is in the center of the story it is also about friendship, love and grief. One of the best books I’ve read in recent years.

Without a doubt the best book I've read in a long time. I'm new to this author, but the John Green blurb was all I needed to request a galley. So glad I did. The characters are fully formed. The emotions are raw and true. The author goes deep into gaming history—and, incidentally, what it was like to grow up Gen X—and nails it without getting too deep in the weeds. For Gen Xers who got hooked on gaming with Pong, Pac-Man, Zork, Myst, and so on, "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow" will bring back a lot of memories. Ironically, the pre-internet friendship dynamics reminded me of what it was like going to college before screens took over our lives. There's a lot to unpack in this book—in a good way.

As John Green would say, "I give 'Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow' five stars.

This is a beautifully told story about love and friendship, and how those two terms can both describe a single relationship. Love, work, and love of work are central themes.

The story focuses on Sam and Sadie, who meet as kids, by accident. They are a couple of brilliant introverts with a common interest in video games. Years later, they run into each other again, by chance, and it is Sam who is determined to stay in touch, with the specific hope of making games with Sadie. Eventually, they do just that, and by this time, there are other people in both of their lives, especially Marx, Sam’s college roommate, foil, and protector. Marx is an extroverted thespian into Shakespeare who coaxes Sam into bonding with him.

Sam has known trauma and adversity, is awkward socially, and is also self-conscious about a physical disability. Sadie must navigate the challenges of being the only woman in a room of gamers and struggles to be taken seriously in her career. She is also preyed upon by an important college professor.

After Sadie and Sam take a semester off school to produce a game that is ready for prime time, they launch their own company, called Unfair Games. Marx becomes their producer, a role for which he is perfectly suited.

Though Sadie and Sam are extremely close, their pasts and their insecurities will inform how they perceive each other over time. Misunderstandings, missed opportunities, along with their different perspectives make for a very unusual and rocky love story. And, through it all, Marx has an ever changing relationship with each one of them. He is the calm, happy one, providing support to them and keeping the company running.

The story of Sadie and Sam involves a tragic turn, to which they each react very much according to their characters. And author Gabrielle Zevin cleverly relates the games they play to the journey and choices make in real life.

Thank you to Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group and Netgalley for this amazing experience.