TOMORROW, AND TOMORROW, AND TOMORROW by Gabrielle Zevin

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin is a book that I went into with trepidation.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin is a book that I went into with trepidation: that is, I am married to a gamer but I do not consider myself a gamer, despite my love of Animal Crossing and Tetris. With that said, the reviews have been so strong I was having serious FOMO, so I bought it.

I am SO glad I did!

The only reason I did not finish this book in a couple of days is because I was travelling and quite busy on my trip away. However, there is a pivotal part of the novel (two-thirds in, and if you know, you know) where I determined that I needed to read through and finish, because I needed to know how this ended. That’s as close to a spoiler as I can go.

The book starts out with Sam, who is in hospital with a serious foot injury after a car accident, and Sadie, the sister of a cancer patient. They meet in the hospital games room and commence a friendship that will provide a foundation for the rest of their lives. They bond over video games - which is not just a hobby but becomes a life choice for both - and it draws them together and tears them apart over the course of their lives. The other key character is Marx, who is Sam’s college roommate.

There are so many layers to this novel: race and culture, friendship between men and women, as well as between men (in a typically bro-like industry), success and failure, love and tragedy. It’s ALL there and reveals itself in a myriad of ways. I was constantly surprised by some of the storytelling choices, and at one stage I thought the book had been ruined by one, only for it to reveal itself as a key plot point and a creative way to tell the story of Sadie and Sam.

On the face of it, Tomorrow is a book I think a lot of people will overlook, because they think it’s about gaming. Do you need an extensive knowledge of gaming to appreciate this novel? No - although a little passing knowledge, even if it’s rooted in your 80’s Atari or 90s Nintendo, will make it more enjoyable. Just as Ted Lasso is not about soccer, just set in a soccer club, Tomorrow is not about gaming - it’s just set in a gamer’s world. This is one of the things that is unique about the novel and gives the characters dimensions we don’t normally see in books. It is inarguably the best part of this book, and there are LOTS of great parts to this.

I did not expect to be as enthralled as I was with Tomorrow and Zevin’s writing is wonderful - she knows the world she’s writing about but makes it accessible and engaging. After I finished this book, I immediately went for my Nintendo Switch and played a couple of games. It also had me seeing gaming in a different light.

Don’t hesitate - this is a novel for everyone and I highly recommend it. I can’t wait to see what Zevin writes next.