And Now, For Something (kinda) Completely Different.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

And now for something completely kinda different.

As you know by now, I focus mainly on romance novels - cheesy, predictable, sweet, and full of tropes. After all, this place is called Tropes & Cheese. But today, I want to chat about a book that certainly wouldn’t be categorized as a “romance” first, (more a historical fiction coming-of-age story,) but has some of the most endearing and powerful displays of love I’ve ever read.

I won’t do a normal Tropes & Cheese entry on it, I just want to share my thoughts and ultimately, convince you to read it too.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

If you’ve read this one already, you’re in good company. It was Goodreads’ 2022 winner for Best Fiction. It centers around two friends who are put on this Earth to create video games together. They meet as children in the playroom at a children's hospital, and as soon as Sam teaches Sadie how to jump directly to the top of the flagpole in Super Mario Bros., the bond is set for life.

As you might have guessed from the title and cover, there are brilliant literary and art homages throughout the story. Shakespeare, Hokusai, and Emily Dickinson might as well be main characters in this book, despite the fact that it takes place from about 1985-ish through 2011-ish.

A Lovable Cast of Characters

Sam and Sadie’s families are a great cast of supporting characters at the onset of the book, especially all of the grandparents. I wanted to hug every single one of them. But we eventually meet Sam and Sadie’s chosen family and this is where the magic happens. We meet fellow game designers, Ant and Simon, a delightfully hippy composer, Zoe, and most significantly, Marx.

Marx is Sam’s handsome, rich, talented, (and did I mention handsome?) college roommate. When we first meet him, I sighed with the assumption that he’d be a pretentious dick, like most literary handsome rich guys tend to be. Welp, I’ve never been happier to be wrong. I wanted to weep with joy at how beautifully this author described male friendship and love. Be gone, toxic masculinity! This book has BFF dudes who love each other like brothers and have no problem showing it. *chef kiss*

Tension and Love

We watch the protagonists (who at times become antagonists) grow in their relationships from childhood through adulthood with each other, their family, their friends, and themselves. While there is plenty of tension in this book, it’s all to be expected. Best friends become colleagues and business partners. There are secret relationships and suppressed jealousy. Workplace squabbles. Unrealistic expectations. Impossibly high standards. Breakups. The pressure of success. The pressure of failure. Heartbreaking loss. Trauma. Grief. Life.

But more than that, there is so much love in this book. You feel is coming through every page. Sam’s grandparents caring for him so deeply, and welcoming Sadie as if she were a member of the family - so much so that they remember her pizza order 20 years later. Marx knowing exactly how to care for and support Sam without hurting his pride. Sam silently making sacrifices for Sadie, and vice versa. Sweet moments where grandparents share their endless wisdom. Sisters stepping in to care for each other when they need it most. Parents who are proud of their kids even though they may struggle to show it. Acts of love and displays of affection that go far beyond physical acts of love.

There are loves in this story that transcend the physical plane. There are kismet connections put in place by the universe and how lucky are we that we get to watch them blossom in front of our eyes?

So while this book probably won’t be found on the same shelves as the Bridgerton series or The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, you can bet that at the heart of it, there is nothing but love. So many beautiful, selfless, heartwarming displays of love. Oh and also video games.

SO MANY video games.

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As always, I encourage you to see if Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is available from your local, indie bookstore. Don’t know where one is? Try this Indie Bookstore Finder! You can also purchase it directly from Gabrielle Zevin’s website. 

Your local library is also a great place to look for this and other books. And, of course, all the big-name booksellers will certainly have what you’re looking for.

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I hope you enjoy this non-contemporary-romance-love-story as much as I did - I can’t wait to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading,

Sarah