Gabrielle Zevin: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

“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: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

One day Sam runs into his childhood friend Sadie, the event prompting them first into making a video game together, and eventually forming a video game company. The book follows not only the duo developing games with their friend and producer Marx, but also their friendship with all its ups and downs, their lives and their relations with all the people around them.

This was one of those books I went in blind. Mostly. All I knew, that some of my bookish friends had read it and loved it. The book has been a hit too in bookish social media, and many consider it one of the best reads they’ve experienced. And I can fully see why.

One of the most interesting aspects of the book was following the game development. I’m a low-key gamer myself (mostly just playing through Skyrim when I feel like it) so the gaming world is mostly unknown to me. I feel like the book opened my eyes to some of the aspects of games and game development. Zevin describes everything interestingly and with detail. But the game development is mostly a secondary plot to the friendship of Sam and Sadie. Neither of the duo is an easy person to get along with, and they do experience multiple bumps along the way. Interesting aspects are thrown into the mix by Sam’s roommate Marx, Sadies boyfriend and all other friends and family. The life of Sam and Sadie is followed through several decades, and Zevin masterfully weaves together past, present and future. Tragedy can’t be avoided either.

This was a very impressive and memorable read. The characters are interesting and complex, and the storytelling is masterful. For reasons I can’t quite pinpoint, it did not rise to be one of my own favorites, but I did enjoy the book.