Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

"Before Mazer invented himself as Mazer, he was Samson Mazer, and before he was Samson Mazer, he was Samson Masur– a change of two letters that transformed him from a nice, ostensibly Jewish boy to a Professional Builder of Worlds– and for most of his youth, he was Sam, S.A.M. on the hall of fame of his grandfather's Donkey Kong machine, but mainly Sam." reads the opening line of  "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow."

Published: 2022

Author: Gabrielle Zevin (American)
Genre: Coming-of-age story

Pages: 416
My rating: 4/5

My two friends and I have had this little book club thing going on for about three years now. We don't have strict rules or meet regularly – it's more like whenever we feel like it. We chat about books and sometimes throw in movies or TV shows. Recently, we decided to pick the same book and share our thoughts within our group. I thought, why not blog about it too? It'll be cool to look back and remember what we felt or learned from each book.

So, our first pick was "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow." When I first saw the title, I was like, "What's going on here?" Turns out, it's Shakespearean, the title of a soliloquy from "Macbeth" spoken by Macbeth himself. 

Now what is it all about?

Spoiler Alert!

In the 1980s, Sam Masur and Sadie Green formed an unlikely friendship in a pediatric hospital, dealing with personal challenges. Their bond is shattered when Sadie's jealous sister reveals that Sadie was counting time spent with Sam as volunteer hours. Six years later, they coincidentally reunite at a train station, now studying at prestigious universities. Sadie, struggling with a failed affair with her professor, falls into depression. Sam helps her recover, and they establish Unfair Games, creating a successful adventure game called Ichigo. However, tensions arise when they face a dilemma over a distribution deal, leading to personal and professional conflicts.

Ichigo becomes a massive success, turning Sam and Sadie into celebrities. Their relationship falters due to sexist assumptions in the gaming industry and accusations of Sam exploiting Sadie for professional gains. As they navigate fame and fortune, Sadie, Marx, and Sam embark on creating a sequel to Ichigo. Unfair Games faces setbacks with an unsuccessful RPG (role-playing game), but they find unexpected success with Mapletown, an idyllic virtual world. Sam's egotism strains his relationship with Sadie, causing a growing divide.

Tragedy strikes when Marx is murdered by an extremist who opposes Sam's decision to legalize gay marriage in Mapletown. In grief, Sadie creates a virtual version of Marx in a Shakespeare-themed game. Pregnant with Marx's child, Sadie becomes reclusive and struggles with postpartum depression. Unbeknownst to her, Sam programs an MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) to help her heal. After three years, Sadie discovers Sam's involvement, leading to a strained confrontation. Eventually, with the help of Dov, Sadie forgives Sam. In 2008, they reunite, sell the rights to Ichigo 3, and plan Unfair's next game, realizing that creating games together brings them true happiness.

Kirkus Reviews, an American book review magazine wrote: “Sure to enchant even those who have never played a video game in their lives...” This sums up my sentiment exactly. What's interesting is, after finishing the book, I found myself thinking differently about video games. I mean, I've never been into them, but the way the book painted the gaming world, the struggles, the creativity, and the whole process of making games – it got me curious. It made me appreciate this whole gaming thing, even though I've never held a controller in my life. So, yeah, this book kind of turned a non-player like me into someone who thinks, "Hey, maybe games are pretty cool after all."

The book's got drama, friendship, romance, and all the struggles that come with being creative. Plus, it takes you through several years and shows how the characters grow, especially with the whole gaming industry vibe in the background. So this one's for readers who like themes of resilience, dealing with personal struggles, and how tragedies impact relationships.

And, if you're curious about the gaming world – you know, how games are made, how to deal with fame, and how personal life mixes with the professional side – this book spills the beans. It's pretty cool, touching on everything from Shakespeare to virtual worlds to stuff like LGBTQ+ rights. So, if you like stories that cover a lot of ground, this one's worth checking out.

Happy Reading!