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A review by chemistreadingonthejob
This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
5.0
Heart-rending, Nostalgic, and Charming
This Time Tomorrow is a touching piece of time travel fiction by Emma Straub. The night before Alice's 40th birthday, she realizes that her life didn't turn out the way she expected. She works at the same school in New York City that she attended her whole life. Her long time best friend is busy with a family of her own. She rejected a marriage proposal and her father is dying. It's not the worst life or even a bad one, but she feels incomplete. After getting utterly wasted at a Russian bar, she stumbles upon her quaint childhood home on Pomander street. The next morning she wakes up in 1996 reliving her 16th birthday. It's not her life that she is most interested in changing. It's her dad's. In 1996 he is healthy and she aims to keep him that way.
"The problem with adulthood was feeling like everything came with a timer."
This Time Tomorrow went in a surprising direction. I expected the typical keep trying until you change your life but eventually realize you took life for granted trope. Instead this was about unconditional love between a parent and child. It reminded me of the movies Groundhog Day and About Time, with an emotional story and a splash of comedy. Alice is a joy to be around. She's witty and kind hearted. She reminded me of my teenage years. Her personality and character development is one of my favorites ever written. Her father is similar, and that's what makes this story even more heartbreaking. Their bond is deeply felt. Emma Straub has a delightful way of writing that made me feel invested and grief-stricken without the gloom. The audiobook is voiced by my favorite narrator, Marin Ireland. This is the perfect choice for a comfort read. I highly suggest those that enjoy a whimsical and meaningful time travel story read This Time Tomorrow.
This Time Tomorrow is a touching piece of time travel fiction by Emma Straub. The night before Alice's 40th birthday, she realizes that her life didn't turn out the way she expected. She works at the same school in New York City that she attended her whole life. Her long time best friend is busy with a family of her own. She rejected a marriage proposal and her father is dying. It's not the worst life or even a bad one, but she feels incomplete. After getting utterly wasted at a Russian bar, she stumbles upon her quaint childhood home on Pomander street. The next morning she wakes up in 1996 reliving her 16th birthday. It's not her life that she is most interested in changing. It's her dad's. In 1996 he is healthy and she aims to keep him that way.
"The problem with adulthood was feeling like everything came with a timer."
This Time Tomorrow went in a surprising direction. I expected the typical keep trying until you change your life but eventually realize you took life for granted trope. Instead this was about unconditional love between a parent and child. It reminded me of the movies Groundhog Day and About Time, with an emotional story and a splash of comedy. Alice is a joy to be around. She's witty and kind hearted. She reminded me of my teenage years. Her personality and character development is one of my favorites ever written. Her father is similar, and that's what makes this story even more heartbreaking. Their bond is deeply felt. Emma Straub has a delightful way of writing that made me feel invested and grief-stricken without the gloom. The audiobook is voiced by my favorite narrator, Marin Ireland. This is the perfect choice for a comfort read. I highly suggest those that enjoy a whimsical and meaningful time travel story read This Time Tomorrow.