Read this Tomorrow (and Tomorrow)

There’s something about a good novel that stops me in my tracks.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin depicts life's messiness, unpredictability, and unmatched 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 indetectable but life-altering, and sometimes it’s worth writing an entire novel about.

The story follows Sam and Sadie, childhood frenemies, alongside an unmatched cast of supporting characters (they often steal the show). In the first chapter, they run into each other several years after an intense fallout (Sam finds out that Sadie earned volunteer hours each time they hung out together- ouch!). Now, Sam and Sadie are college students, and their chance encounter and shared passion catapults them into the trial and tribulations of video game production.

It’s worth noting the difference in the lives of Sam and Sadie, privilege plays a big role in their story. Sam’s upbringing is more than tragic; his single mother died in a freak car accident that caused Sam to severely injure his foot as a young 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. Why does any individual act the way they do? Because life is an endless mirage of miscommunication and hyperactive minds. There are endless layers to this novel and most of it comes from the thought that in another life, things would be different (the most dangerous and exciting prospect in existence).

As well, the novel’s ensemble of supporting characters gives an Oscar-worthy performance. Personally, the highlight of the novel was Marx. He was Sam’s roommate and only friend in college; a handsome playboy with a heart of gold. Eventually, Marx was Sadie’s romantic love interest, the father of her child, and the person waiting for her on the other side of the gate.

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; I heard my heart crack when Sam discredited Marx and his efforts by calling him an NPC (a non-player character that is thoughtless and unmemorable). Readers can attest that this is wrong, the chapter from Marx’s perspective, NPC, was one of my favourites, filled with metaphorical masterpieces and tear-jerking dialogue.

As a reader, I notice that fiction tends to capture the extravagant and bold, glossing over the monotonous. So, as a young introvert and bookworm, I adored Sadie’s admittance to her love for comfort:

“By eleven-thirty, Sadie was in her pajamas, 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, audacity and adventure were 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 caliber owns up to her dullness.

An honorable mention for the novel’s supporting cast: Sam’s grandparents’ Dong Hyun and Bong Cha Lee. They supported Sam unconditionally, whether this be with love or pizza, and reminded him of the beauty of his connection with Sadie. As he grew older, Sam often only had eyes for his image, success, and money. However, his grandfather embodied the wise immigrant parent and reminded 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 the modern world). This game from Sam is a safe haven for Sadie; a game that brings her comfort, solace, and familiarity during a time of loss and turmoil.

This romantic gesture, grand as it may seem, works. Sadie and Sam meet again, but not forever. However, there is maturity and mutual understanding, and readers have a shrivel of hope in a novel riddled with despair.

Thank you, Gabrielle Zevin, for writing a beautiful story. When we are sucked into the routine of life, we think we have an infinite number of tomorrows, another day where we can press reset and start again. But stories like this remind us that it can end in the blink of an eye; our tomorrows are finite.