Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin depicts life's messiness, unpredictability, and volatility. The smallest of choices can and will change the trajectory of our lives, but we don’t realize its impact until we look back. Small choices are discreet but life-altering, and sometimes they’re worth writing an entire novel about.

The story follows Sam and Sadie, childhood frenemies, along with a stellar supporting cast (they often steal the show) as they navigate adulthood. In the first chapter, Sam and Sadie run into each other several years after an intense fallout (they initially fell out of touch as kids because Sam found out that Sadie earned volunteer hours each time they hung out together- ouch!). Now, Sam and Sadie are in college, and their chance encounter and shared passion catapult them into the trials and tribulations of video game production.

It’s worth noting the difference in the lives of Sam and Sadie as privilege plays a big role in their story. Sam’s upbringing is tragic; his single mother died in a terrible car accident that also caused Sam to severely injure his foot as a child (he has a persistent limp). Sadie’s childhood is not the main focus of the novel, but readers can assume that her traumas are limited to her sick sister and manipulative professor/ex-boyfriend. Nevertheless, Sam and Sadie’s issues come primarily from the difficulties of being human. Their story is nothing but an endless loop of miscommunication and overthinking. Maybe in another life, things would be different for them (the most dangerous and exciting thing to think about).

As well, the novel’s ensemble of supporting characters warrants it for an Oscar. For me, the highlight of the novel was Marx. He’s Sam’s roommate and only friend in college, better known as a handsome playboy with a heart of gold. Eventually, Marx becomes Sadie’s big love, the father of her child, and the person who shatters her heart into a million pieces when he dies.

Most importantly, Marx was Sam and Sadie’s number-one supporter as they delved into the world of video game production. He was the backbone of Sam and Sadie’s success. Marx put up with Sam’s insecurity and selfishness; my heart cracked when Sam discredited Marx’s efforts by calling him an NPC (a non-player character that is thoughtless and unmemorable). Readers can attest that this is far from the truth. The following chapter from Marx’s perspective, NPC, was one of my favourites, filled with metaphorical masterpieces and tear-jerking dialogue.

But this novel did more than just focus on the big and bold choices of life. As a reader, I notice that sometimes fiction tends to capture only the extravagant, glossing over the monotonous things that comprise most of our days. So as a twenty-something introvert, I adored Sadie’s admittance of her love for comfort:

“By eleven-thirty, Sadie was in her pyjamas, teeth brushed and flossed, ready to go to bed. She wondered if this was what other twenty-three-year-olds’ Friday nights were like. When she was forty, would she lament that she hadn’t had sex with more people and partied more? But then, she didn’t enjoy many people, and she had never gone to a party that she wasn’t eager to leave.”

For Sadie, adventure was limited to her art. Her life was often less-than-exciting, filled with work and relationship troubles, and as a reader, it’s refreshing when a character of Sadie’s calibre owns up to her dullness.

I want to also bring up an honourable mention for the novel’s supporting cast: Sam’s grandparents Dong Hyun and Bong Cha Lee. They were there for Sam unconditionally with nuggets of advice and pizza. They also reminded Sam of the beauty of his connection with Sadie like wise elders that had a sixth sense for when people were destined to be together. As Sam grew older, he fixated on his image, success, and money. However, his grandfather grounded him by reminding him that yes, money is important, but money is nothing without good people around you. His advice was always on the nose:

“Sam’s grandfather had two core beliefs: (1) all things were knowable by anyone, and (2) anything was fixable if you took the time to figure out what was broken.”

Forget Ichigo and the journey of this game’s success, this novel was about Sam and Sadie, a bond whose depth reaches the virtual world. In the end, Sadie and Sam come together in Pioneers, as Sam invents a video game for Sadie (that has to be the most romantic gesture in human history). This game from Sam is a safe haven for Sadie that brings her comfort, solace, and familiarity during a time of loss and turmoil.

This gesture, grand as it may seem, works. Sadie and Sam meet again at the end of the novel in their middle age. There is maturity and mutual understanding between them now and readers have a shrivel of hope in a novel riddled with despair.

Thank you, Gabrielle Zevin, for writing such a beautiful story. 

When we are sucked into the routine of life, we often think that we have an infinite number of tomorrows, it feels like there always will be another day when we can press restart and begin again, but stories like this remind us that it can all end in the blink of an eye. Our tomorrows are finite.