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Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow: A Fable Reading Guide

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
"Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow" by Gabrielle Zevin has captivated thousands of readers on BookTok. In a heartfelt review, Fable reader Alexandra shared why this book means so much to readers: "The unique plot drew me in, and the character development kept me. I loved the originality and development. I'm a big fan now!"

"I'd taken a hiatus from reading due to a string of poorly written books and life getting in the way. I was hesitant and meticulous about the first book I read, as I didn't want to be discouraged. I made the perfect choice."

Read Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow with Ezeekat's Book Club!

What is the book Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow about?

This critically acclaimed novel recounts the story of Sam and Sadie, two partners in the world of video game design. Throughout the course of thirty years, they experience a plethora of emotions, such as fame, joy, tragedy, and deceit. The story spans many locations, from Cambridge, MA, to Venice Beach, CA, and beyond. At the core of their journey lies the exploration of identity, disability, failure, and the capability for redemption through play. Most of all, it illuminates how much we need connections—to be loved and to love.

Is Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow a true story?

Zevin's novel is not based on actual events, but she conducted extensive research into video game design and culture during the writing process. She mentioned that her parents were both computer engineers and that she is an avid gamer. "I just wanted to write a book that, again, reflected what I think people are like," she explained.To give her writing authenticity, Zevin looked at some books that delve into the videogame culture of the 1990s and 2000s, including: "Blood, Sweat, and Pixels" by Jason Schreier, "Masters of Doom: How Two Guys Created an Empire and Transformed Pop Culture" by David Kushner, "Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter" by Tom Bissell, All Your Base Are Belong to Us by Harold Goldberg.She also turned the documentary "Indie Game: The Movie," a portrait of young video game designers struggling to make the next big game.

Quotes from Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

“The way to turn an ex-lover into a friend is to never stop loving them, to know that when one phase of a relationship ends it can transform into something else. It is to acknowledge that love is both a constant and a variable at the same time.” ― Gabrielle Zevin

“To allow yourself to play with another person is no small risk. It means allowing yourself to be open, to be exposed, to be hurt. It is the human equivalent of the dog rolling on its back—I know you won’t hurt me, even though you can. It is the dog putting its mouth around your hand and never biting down. To play requires trust and love.” ― Gabrielle Zevin

“What is a game?" Marx said. "It's tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow. It's the possibility of infinite rebirth, infinite redemption. The idea that if you keep playing, you could win. No loss is permanent, because nothing is permanent, ever.” ― Gabrielle Zevin

“To design a game is to imagine the person who will eventually play it.” ― Gabrielle Zevin

“And what is love, in the end?" Alabaster said. "Except the irrational desire to put evolutionary competitiveness aside in order to ease someone else's journey through life?” ― Gabrielle Zevin

“Why wouldn’t you tell someone you loved them? Once you loved someone, you repeated it until they were tired of hearing it. You said it until it ceased to have meaning. Why not? Of course, you goddamn did.” ― Gabrielle Zevin

“And this is the truth of any game—it can only exist at the moment that it is being played. It’s the same with being an actor. In the end, all we can ever know is the game that was played, in the only world that we know” ― Gabrielle Zevin

"What makes a person want to shiver in a train station for nothing more than the promise of a secret image? But then, what makes a person drive down an unmarked road in the middle of the night? Maybe it was the willingness to play that hinted at a tender, eternally newborn part in all humans. Maybe it was the willingness to play that kept one from despair." ― Gabrielle Zevin

“This is what time travel is. It’s looking at a person, and seeing them in the present and the past, concurrently. And that mode of transport only worked with those one had known a significant time.”

What nationality is Gabrielle Zevin?

Zevin is the author of "The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry" and ten other novels.The characters in "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow" wrestle with questions of identity throughout the novel. The book delves into themes of race and cultural appropriation as its characters grapple with their identities within a society that often categorizes individuals based on race and nationality. We also see how the videogame industry sometimes uses images from other cultures without giving proper credit or respect.Zevin spoke about her heritage in an NPR interview:

"I myself am mixed race — my mother is Korean and my father is an American Jew — so I've always felt other. But I think what's a little bit amazing about books, again, is the way in which they can sort of transcend that to an extent. And I also wanted the world as I see it — and the world as I see it is a world that is increasingly [filled] with people [of] different ethnicities."

Keep reading on Fable!

If you read "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow," don't forget to post a review on Fable. You can also add the book to a list.You can sample our ever-growing collection of Folios, exceptional book recommendations from some of the world's great tastemakers. Each Folio covers a critical theme, and some of our Folio curators include LeVar Burton, Paulo Coelho, Wolfgang Puck, and Jasmine Guillory. Discover great book recommendations!And don't forget, Fable has plenty of free books in every genre!

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