A review by jdamae11
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I needed a day to process why this book was so special for me. This book was just so satisfying and heartfelt, and an incredible journey exploring the special and deep kind of love that friendships, especially lifelong ones, allow us to experience in life. Not only was I emotionally attached to our two main characters, but I felt like EVERYONE in the book was so well developed and REAL. I laughed, got really tense and frustrated, and sobbed. I literally cried in the shower a whole day later thinking about things that happened in this book. Zevin I think does an amazing job tackling grief, chosen family, chronic illness, depression, hustle culture, generational changes, and the messy complicatedness of relationships. I was really struck by how she was able to paint so clearly the ways miscommunication and avoidance can completely derail even the strongest of friendships over time, and I felt myself screaming at the characters to just talk to each other 😂 i think in the middle it got a little tedious and I was wondering where it was going, but to be fair this was also paralleling what our characters were experiencing at the time — jadedness and frustration at being stuck. I can’t do this book justice with all its well placed moments and connecting threads, but I think the best thing about this for me was that the author makes the book feel like a game itself. There’s so many little gems you figure out she’s done style wise after you read a section and are like OHHHH WOWWW I SEE WHAT SHE DID THERE!! It’s the exact feeling you get when you’ve passed a really hard level in a video game or figured out the “trick” or “plot twist” to a game or show.  There is amazing continuity, EVERYTHING always circles it’s way back to an earlier moment, it’s so satisfying. As someone who escaped into video games as a kid and still loves them, this story was personal too. A lot of it was also set in L.A. and made me miss it there so much, Zevin painted it so well. I think if you’re not a gamer or less familiar with the settings it may feel less special, but should still be a great read. I got this from the library but am buying it so I can have it forever! 

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