Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

Friendship, love, ambition, heartbreak and redemption are hardly novel premises for a book. Yet Gabrielle Zevin manages to make them fresh and interesting by setting her story against the backdrop of the video gaming industry. Zevin describes herself as a “lifelong gamer”, and her familiarity with the subject is evident in the way she brings the world of game development alive, from the creative process to the business and technical aspects. However, she never allows this detailing to get in the way of the story or make it inaccessible to readers who know little about gaming. At its heart, this is a deeply human story about relationships, and the gaming world provides a wonderfully unusual setting for it. The story revolves around three characters – Sam, Sadie and Marx. Sam is intelligent, introspective and often difficult to understand, carrying the physical and emotional scars of an accident that has shaped much of his life. Sadie is fiercely creative, ambitious and independent, but also complicated. Their relationship is the central thread of the book, moving between friendship, professional collaboration and something that neither quite knows how to define. Marx is the more easy-going and emotionally balanced of the three, often providing the glue that holds them together. Their individual journeys and the changing dynamics between them make for a fascinating portrayal of friendship over several decades. Zevin is an engaging storyteller, with an easy writing style that makes the book extremely readable. She moves effortlessly across the different phases of the protagonists’ lives, while bringing the fictional games to life with considerable imagination. The narrative is also refreshingly inventive, particularly towards the end, when a sort of redemption arc unfolds through the lens of an MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game). The title is drawn from Macbeth's famous soliloquy, which describes life as a brief and ultimately meaningless passage towards death. I found the choice somewhat puzzling, given that the novel, despite its spectrum of emotions, is ultimately much more hopeful – the idea of starting again and having another opportunity to make things right, as in video games, runs through the book. Nevertheless, an unusual subject, complex characters and some wonderful storytelling make this a thoroughly satisfying read. Pros: Original setting, memorable characters, inventive storytelling Cons: The Sam-Sadie dynamics can be weary at times

I am generally not a fan of video games, or even like technology interfering too much into fiction. But this was a great read. The characters are believable, and I find the book believable, albeit a bit sad :( I would definitely recommend reading this.

Great story. Intriguing interpersonal conflicts. Finely-etched characters....I *know* these people. And, of course, for people who love such things, lots and lots of video game lore. Zevin's fictional characters are as diverse as the factual America; my only criticism of Zevin's work is that she wears her characters' diversity on her sleeve. That is to say, the characters would still have been strong (arguably more so) if Zevin had chosen to be subtle with their diversity. Let the storytelling do the storytelling. Political undercurrents are more intriguing, more entertaining, and more artistically satisfying than political rallies. I will read this novel again after a few years, and I will keep an eye out for Zevin's next work.

Amazing, I wanted more of it

This book wasn’t for me. It felt like a text book on gaming because each game was described in detail and it’s a lot for someone who doesn’t know much about gaming. I did like the characters and their dynamics. But the gaming bit was a bit too much for me. It was an easy read.

Enjoyed it thoroughly. A tale of friendship and all that comes and goes with it. May not be for everyone. And definitely, not perfect. Still, I would recommend it.

Very nice book

Got the book in good condition

Very nice book, really recommend it!

Enjoyable drama following the lives of 3 friends for about 30 years through youth and young adulthood. Interconnected relationships, lots of love and complications. Backdrop of tech and gaming.

1980年代生まれの日本人読者として、この本は心の奥深くに響きました。ゼヴィンは日本のゲーム文化とアメリカの起業家精神を見事に織り合わせています。 基盤は純粋な日本のゲームDNA - マリオ、ドンキーコング、クロノ・トリガーは単なる名前の羅列ではなく、物語の骨格として機能。幼少期に父親のPCを通じてゲームの喜びを発見した私は、登場人物たちの原体験に深い共感を覚えました。 この作品を特別にしているのは、ゼヴィンがこれをUSカルチャーの重要点である、起業家精神。ハーバード/MITスタートアップのエネルギーとバランスよく描いている点です 「レベルアップ」の構造が素晴らしい - 仕事、友情、愛が競い合うのではなく、共に進化していきます。この並行した発展は、個人的成長と職業的達成が絡み合うゲーム世代の体験を完璧に捉えています。 最も重要なのは、この本が私たちの文化的輸出品を終着点ではなく、新しい創造性の出発点として描いていることです - そしてそれは日本人としての私自身の創造活動にも影響を与えています。真のイノベーションは情熱からくる融合から生まれるのだと。 異文化間を行き来する人、ゲームで育った人には必読。 As a Japanese reader born in the 1980s, this book hit me right in the heart. Zevin masterfully weaves together Japanese gaming culture with American entrepreneurial spirit in a way that feels both authentic and inspiring. The foundation is pure Japanese gaming DNA - Mario, Donkey Kong, Chrono Trigger aren't just name-dropped but serve as the story's backbone. As someone who discovered gaming joy through my father's PC in childhood, I felt deep empathy with the characters' formative experiences. What makes this special is how Zevin balances this with real Harvard/MIT startup energy - the urgency and ambition feels authentic, not romanticized. The "leveling up" structure is brilliant - work, friendship, and love evolve together rather than competing. This parallel development perfectly captures the gaming generation's experience where personal growth and professional achievement intertwine. Most importantly, this book shows our cultural exports not as endpoints but as launching points for new creativity - and it influences my own creation as a Japanese. True innovation comes from thoughtful synthesis, not dominance. A must-read for anyone navigating between cultures or anyone who grew up gaming. Zevin has created something genuinely transformative here.

I love the spray painted edges. Have not finished the book yet but it’s is very easy to read and I resonate with the characters so far.

Fiction perfection. Great, flawed characters who you constantly want to scream at and who you also really feel for. Beautifully written and original.