Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

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Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin – Book Review (Spoilers!)

Rating: 5/5 stars šŸŽ®✨

Confession: I’d heard wildly mixed things about this book, so I braced for disappointment. But wow — I loved it. Like, “hug-it-to-my-chest” level loved it. ❤️ That said, this book is not for everyone. If you don’t vibe with video games (Metal Gear Solid, Oregon Trail shout-outs!), you might find it tedious. But for me — math brain + nostalgia for 90s gaming = chef’s kiss.

Quick Info

  • Author: Gabrielle Zevin

  • Genre: Literary Fiction / Contemporary / Friendship Saga

  • Setting: 1990s–2010s, Boston + Los Angeles

  • My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ / 5

  • Trigger Warnings:

    • Death of a parent (car accident)

    • Gun violence / mass shooting

    • Amputation & disability trauma

    • Grief & depression (including postpartum)

    • Sexism in tech/gaming industry

    • Toxic relationships & manipulation

Spoiler-Free Thoughts

Think The Social Network but with way more heart (and significantly fewer lawsuits). This is not a romance — it’s about creative soulmates: two best friends who make video games together while navigating success, jealousy, loss, and decades of “will-they-won’t-they-but-they-shouldn’t.”

The nostalgia is STRONG — floppy disks, LAN parties, midnight launches — and Zevin nails how video games can be both art and lifeline. If you’ve ever stayed up till 3 AM grinding XP or crying over a game ending (looking at you, Final Fantasy VII), this will hit deep.

Full Spoiler Plot Summary

(Major spoilers ahead – don’t scroll unless you’re ready!)

Childhood Friends → Hospital Consoles

  • Sadie Green (11) meets Sam Masur (12) in a Los Angeles hospital.

  • Sadie’s visiting her cancer-stricken sister; Sam is recovering from a horrific accident that killed his mom and shattered his foot.

  • They bond over video games — Super Mario Bros., Oregon Trail — and become inseparable… until a misunderstanding drives them apart.

Fast-Forward: Boston, 1996

  • Sam (Harvard) spots Sadie (MIT) on the subway. Cue nostalgia + awkward reunion.

  • They reconnect and decide to make a game together.

  • Enter Marx Watanabe, Sam’s rich, charismatic roommate who bankrolls their project and joins the team.

Level Up: Ichigo & Fame

  • Their first game, Ichigo, is a massive hit — think Mario meets RPG puzzle platformer.

  • They found a studio: Unfair Games.

  • Success = $$$ but also creative clashes: Sadie wants high-concept artistry; Sam wants commercial hits (and, well, food on the table).

  • Sadie battles sexism in gaming; her work is minimized by press + fans.

Complications: Love, Loss & Amputation

  • Sadie dates toxic ex-professor Dov Mizrah (ugh).

  • Sam undergoes amputation surgery — chronic pain finally too much.

  • The trio relocates to Venice, California, where Unfair Games thrives (Counterpart High, Mapleworld).

  • Sadie and Marx fall in love. Sam = devastated (part jealousy, part fear of losing his creative soulmate).

Tragedy: Marx’s Death

  • Sam adds same-sex marriage to Mapleworld → sparks controversy.

  • Gunmen attack Unfair Games’ office; Marx dies protecting employees. šŸ’”

  • Sadie, pregnant with Marx’s child, spirals into grief + postpartum depression.

Healing Through Games

  • Sadie gives birth to Naomi Watanabe Green.

  • Sam secretly designs Pioneers, a multiplayer game Sadie unknowingly plays — her avatar marries Sam’s avatar platonically.

  • When Sadie discovers Sam made the game, she feels betrayed and cuts him off.

Final Boss: Reunion & Reconciliation

  • Years later, Sam’s grandfather dies; Sadie shows up at the memorial.

  • They finally unpack decades of misunderstandings:

    • Sam thought Sadie never wanted him romantically because he’s disabled/part Asian.

    • Sadie says no — she didn’t want romance to ruin their extraordinary friendship.

  • They end the novel doing what they do best: playing games and dreaming up their next masterpiece.

What I Loved

  • šŸŽ® Gaming nostalgia: From Oregon Trail dysentery to Metal Gear Solid references — pure serotonin.

  • šŸ’” Platonic soulmates: Refreshing to see deep love without romance.

  • ✍️ Messy characters: They’re flawed but real — I rooted for them even when I wanted to shake them.

  • šŸŒˆ Representation: Mixed-race lead, disability rep, queer-inclusive game mechanics — YES.

What Might Not Work for Everyone

  • Heavy gaming jargon — if you’ve never heard of XP or NPCs, you might be lost.

  • Sadie and Sam can be frustrating (but hey, so are real people).

  • Long timeline (decades!) — it’s more saga than snappy rom-com.

Final Thoughts

If you love video games as art, found family vibes, and complex friendships that span years, this is your book. If you want straightforward romance or nonstop action? Probably not for you.

For me? Instant favorite. I’ve already started recommending it to every gamer I know. šŸŽ®

Where to Buy Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

Grab your copy here:
Buy Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow on Amazon (affiliate link – thanks for supporting the blog!)

If You Liked This, Try:

  • Ready Player One by Ernest Cline – Nostalgia-fueled gaming adventure.

  • Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel – Time, art, and love across lifetimes.

  • The Midnight Library by Matt Haig – Emotional what-if journeys through parallel lives.

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