A Book by Gabrielle Zevin.
You might often believe that everything you’ve accomplished in life, whether large or small, is solely the result of your own efforts — your perseverance, dedication, and sacrifices. However, if you look closely, you’ll notice the intertwined efforts of others playing a significant role in your journey. And many a time, we fail to acknowledge this.
When you invest a significant amount of time crafting something with love — as Sadie and Sam do with their video games — a mutual affection often develops. Along with affection, comes jealousy, competitiveness and worse the feelings of being misled and betrayed.
But you know that these friendships are special and rare, that you treat them at par, if not more, than your romantic relationships.
Lovers are “common,” she says, while “true collaborators in this life are rare.”
And sometimes life gives chances to mend the broken bonds. Will Sadie and Sam take the chance?
‘Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow’ (TTT) is a book about friendship. And love. And video games. Sadie and Sam forge a deep friendship when they connect over video games in the community room of a children’s hospital, finding solace and support during challenging times in their lives.
Separated by a misunderstanding, they lose touch until a chance meeting thousands of miles away in another city in their early 20s. Reunited, they rediscover their bond through their shared love of video games.
Determined to turn their passion into reality, they commit themselves to the grind of building games, working tirelessly day and night. Sam’s roommate, Marx, joins their journey, becoming an integral part of their quest to breathe life into their game ideas.
Together, they navigate the challenges of game development, fueled by their shared vision and unwavering dedication.
As Sadie and Sam’s friendship takes this route of business partners, their dynamic begins to blur the lines between friendship and romance, complicated further by the intertwining of business ventures.
Their relationship encounters waves of conflict, influenced by ambitions, differing ideologies, and moments of apathy that strain their connection time and again.
The novel’s dialogues are its greatest strength, as they vividly convey the characters’ anguish. You can feel the trauma punching through the words. You go through the hurt multiple times as you understand the one who is delivering them as well as the receiver of those cutting remarks.
The characters are complex and deal with psychological displacements with disability and having to deal with mixed racial origins. We are also introduced to strong secondary characters who overshadow Sam and Sadie with their tenderness and likability.
To the author’s credit, the portions of game development seamlessly blend with the complexities of personal and professional relationships of the characters, freeing the reader from having to navigate the technical details of game-making. This however may be a drawback if the reader is well-versed with the gaming industry and is hoping the novel traverses those areas.
Also, while the shocking violence inflicted upon a central character is undeniably heartbreaking, its portrayal feels inadequate, deserving a more thorough exploration to truly capture its impact and significance.
Without letting these setbacks interfere with your reading experience, the novel is an immensely enjoyable joyride set in a rare setting of the gaming world. Recommended reading!