“It’s about video games but not really. It’s about two friends who make video games but it’s more than that. It doesn’t matter if you like video games, you’ll still enjoy it.” There was a lot of buzz around Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow when it was released last year. And while I did see it floating around on my Instagram feed and heard rave reviews about it, it just wasn’t a book that I was able to fit into my reading schedule. I put it on hold on Libby and figured that one day, when the right time comes along, I’ll find out what everyone is talking about.

I should have read it last year when it came out. That’s one of the first thoughts that came to mind as I was into the first or second chapter of the book when I finally activated my hold on Libby. It’s a story about Sadie and Sam - two friends from childhood and their friendship as it progresses over the years. The two first bond over video games in a hospital waiting room and this is what connects them again years later when they meet as university students. And while this quirky and intense friendship connects over video games, even as a non-gamer, I was able to fully enjoy the experience. That is to say, even as a non-gamer I was able to pick up on references to games that are quite household names. And while making and playing video games is a component of the story, at the heart of this story, it was really about the messiness and beauty of friendships and relationships.

Sadie and Sam are both such flawed characters that I couldn’t help but adore and read upon fondly. They felt like such real people to me - the ways in which they made mistakes, loved, got hurt, felt sad and depressed, connected with others, got jealous, found joy and happiness, forgave, and grew up. And so it felt like I was really there with them as they were experiencing it all. And as a reader, I just love when I am able to feel fully immersed in the story. So I get it - you were all right about Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow. And if like me, you had not picked up the book yet, I highly encourage you to do so.