A small boy mistaken for a dot on the vast horizon stands with the whole world before him. His toes wriggle in the sand as the ocean tickles his feet. He wanders aimlessly yet with a conscious purpose: to find home. This is Ichigo— an adventure game created by partners Sam Masur and Sadie Green, both freshly graduated from college and united by their passion for programming and design.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin follows Sam, a dreamer and a Harvard math student with a mind disconnected from the world around him, and Sadie, a gifted MIT student with a special fondness for her older sister in chemotherapy. At the age of twelve, their paths cross in a hospital — Sam recovering from a crushed foot from a car accident, and Sadie visiting her sister. In the hospital’s game room, they bond over love for video games, battling through rounds of Super Mario Bros and discussing the significance of Oregon Trail. Out of touch for many years after their times together, the two characters bump into each other at a train station. At this point, it is clear to the reader that their story has begun. Both characters follow a strange dynamic: despite their obvious connections to each other, they never seem to fall in love despite, at times, loving each other.

The unique aspect of this book is that Sam and Sadie are not the sole focuses of the narrative. Powerful people and suppressing characters underpin the reality of existence that can be described as a blanket. At times, the blanket provides comfort in the face of disparity, an oasis in the desert. Over time, it suddenly becomes itchy, rips forming between the seams. All of a sudden, its flaws come to light — the color is dull, the pattern asymmetrical, and stains reveal themselves. The blanket is tossed aside, forgotten, and a new one arrives a week later. 

Sam and Sadie journey through this process, each one with a new character, issue, and problem set for them to maneuver. Their relationship is a complex set of math equations with no solution. Their contesting personalities — pride, ambition, regret — guide them through an emotional maelstrom of desperately holding onto each other when it is the last thing they need.

Reading this the summer before high school was a revelation. Despite its popularity on TikTok, I dove into this novel oblivious to its plot, characters, or themes. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is not for the faint of heart — the storyline wraps the reader in mysterious, clouding fog with illusions of counterfeit facades and raw emotions. Even in a review, words cannot do complete justice to the masterpiece that is this book. Zevin’s prose makes every chapter a page-turner with every scene a perfect image painted in my mind. 

Before you delve into this book, take into consideration the themes that it discusses. While it does highlight creativity, identity, and self-respect, it also dives deeper into conflicts regarding gender, disability, and racism as well. It is definitely a more mature read for those below high school, but even those who are older should be aware of the sensitive topics that are prevalent in Sam and Sadie’s lives.

Overall, this book was a five star read — through the heart-stopping scenes, groundbreaking revelations, and classy writing style. For books similar to Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, I would recommend A Man Called Ove, Song of Achilles, or The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.

Stay tuned for next week’s review! – Emma