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Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow: A novel Kindle Edition

4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 106,408 ratings

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Sam and Sadie—two college friends, often in love, but never lovers—become creative partners in a dazzling and intricately imagined world of video game design, where success brings them fame, joy, tragedy, duplicity, and, ultimately, a kind of immortality. It is a love story, but not one you have read before.

"Delightful and absorbing." —
The New York Times • "Utterly brilliant." —John Green
 
One of the New York Times’s 100 Best Books of the 21st Century • One of the Best Books of the Year: The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, TIME, GoodReads, Oprah Daily

From the best-selling author of
The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry: On a bitter-cold day, in the December of his junior year at Harvard, Sam Masur exits a subway car and sees, amid the hordes of people waiting on the platform, Sadie Green. He calls her name. For a moment, she pretends she hasn’t heard him, but then, she turns, and a game begins: a legendary collaboration that will launch them to stardom.

These friends, intimates since childhood, borrow money, beg favors, and, before even graduating college, they have created their first blockbuster, Ichigo. Overnight, the world is theirs. Not even twenty-five years old, Sam and Sadie are brilliant, successful, and rich, but these qualities won’t protect them from their own creative ambitions or the betrayals of their hearts.

Spanning thirty years, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Venice Beach, California, and lands in between and far beyond, Gabrielle Zevin’s
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow examines the multifarious nature of identity, disability, failure, the redemptive possibilities in play, and above all, our need to connect: to be loved and to love.

Popular Highlights in this book

From the Publisher

utterly brilliant, one of the best books i've ever read says john green
a gem of a novel says erin morgenstern author of the night circus
an exquisite love letter to life with all its rose gardens and minefields says tayari jones
the sort of book that comes around once in a decade says rebecca serle, author of In Five Years

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The Amazon Editors' #1 Pick of 2022: I’m not a gamer, I will likely never be a gamer, but this book about childhood friends who bond over gaming in a hospital and later go on to build a video game empire, stole my heart and buoyed my spirits. This is a story of how friendship—in all of its messy misunderstandings, mistakes, and mishaps—gives Sam Masur and Sadie Green the fire to pursue their dreams, to be brave and overcome ridicule, to be the best they can be. Along the way they must reckon with what life throws at them: heartache and heartbreak, ambition and bravado, success and failure, jealousy and admiration. I devoured this book, and afterwards walked with a bounce in my step, a full heart, and the buzzy feeling of having discovered one of the best books on friendship—the complexity and the glory--I’ve ever read. —Al Woodworth, Amazon Editor

Review

WINNER OF THE GOODREADS CHOICE AWARD • NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER WINGATE PRIZE NOMINEE LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK CLUB PICK

One of the Best Books of the Year: The New York Times, TIME, Buzzfeed, Entertainment Weekly, Oprah Daily, Slate, Self.com, Bookpage, Kirkus, SheReads, GoodReads, Goop, and The What List

A
New York Times Notable Book of the Year A Jimmy Fallon Book Club Pick • A Time Must-Read Book of the Year A Washington Post Notable Work of Fiction • BookPage Best Fiction of the Year

"Delightful and absorbing...Zevin burns precisely zero calories arguing that game designers are creative artists of the highest order. Instead, she accepts that as a given, and wisely so, for the best of them plainly are...Expansive and entertaining...Dozens of Literary Gamers will cherish the world she’s lovingly conjured. Meanwhile, everyone else will wonder what took them so long to recognize in video games the beauty and drama and pain of human creation."
—Tom Bissell, The New York Times

"A tour de force... A moving demonstration of the blended power of fiction and gaming....Zevin describes herself as 'a lifelong gamer.' That level of experience could very well have produced a story of hermetically sealed nostalgia impenetrable to anyone who doesn’t still own a copy of 'Space Invaders.' But instead, she’s written a novel that draws any curious reader into the pioneering days of a vast entertainment industry too often scorned by bookworms. And with the depth and sensitivity of a fine fiction writer, she argues for the abiding appeal of the flickering screen."
—Ron Charles, The Washington Post

“Whatever its subject, when a novel is powerful enough, it transports us readers deep into worlds not our own. That's true of Moby Dick, and it's certainly true of Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, which renders the process of designing a great video game as enthralling as the pursuit of that great white whale….There are…smart ruminations here about cultural appropriation, given that the game, Ichigo, is inspired by Japanese artist Hokusai's famous painting The Great Wave at Kanagawa….It's a big, beautifully written novel about an underexplored topic, that succeeds in being both serious art and immersive entertainment.”
—Maureen Corrigan, NPR’s Fresh Air

"Engrossing....Though it contains plenty of nostalgia for the pioneer age of 1990s game design, this isn’t primarily a novel of nerdy insider references....Videogames happen to be the medium by which [Zevin's characters] best express themselves and share in each other’s life."
—Sam Sacks, The Wall Street Journal

“Woven throughout [
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow] are meditations on originality, appropriation, the similarities between video games and other forms of art, the liberating possibilities of inhabiting a virtual world, and the ways in which platonic love can be deeper and more rewarding—especially in the context of a creative partnership—than romance.”
The New Yorker

"Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a celebration of the narratives, in video games and in life, that reinforce just how important connection really is. In following Sam and Sadie’s journey from Massachusetts to California and into the imagined worlds of their games, Zevin writes the most precious kind of love story."
—Annabel Gutterman, Time

“The story of three brilliant kids who found a videogame company, this book is about so much more—friendship, love, loyalty, violence in America and the magic of invented worlds. Gorgeous.”
—Kim Hubbard, People

"Zevin is a great writer who makes you care deeply about her characters....Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow resonated with me for personal reasons, but I think Zevin’s exploration of partnership and collaboration is worth reading no matter who you are. Even if you’re skeptical about reading a book about video games, the subject is a terrific metaphor for human connection."
—Bill Gates

"You don’t have to be a gamer to appreciate the pulsing heart of this best-seller: In a story spanning three decades and references from Oregon Trail to Macbeth, Gabrielle Zevlin has written a modern, definitive story about work, love, and friends for whom you’d do and risk everything."
—Keely Weiss and Halie Lesavage, Harper’s Bazaar

“A remarkably absorbing portrait of friendship, identity, and the urge to create something beautiful, whether it be on the page or in pixels….Zevin…clearly knows her way around an RPG, but it's the analog intimacy of
Tomorrow's wise, sensitive storytelling that stays.”
—Leah Greenblatt, Entertainment Weekly

"I’ve never played a video game in my life, and I was sucked into this book like it was
Halo and I was a socially awkward tween in 2001. Really, this isn’t just a book for people who understand life through the pixels, but for people who understand life through stories."
—Jenny Singer, Glamour

"One of the most special novels written in the past decade. This story follows two friends who form a thrilling creative partnership that drives them together and apart over the course of their young lives."
—Kiki Koroshetz, Goop

"Utterly absorbing...Until I read
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, I had never heard of anyone playing games the way my husband and I play games, the way that Sam and Sadie do—on campaign mode but passing the controller back and forth. It takes a shattering lack of ego to play this way, knowing that someone else has the power to make a decision that would change the storyline or garner the skills to play through certain sequences that you’ll never see again. All that matters when you play like this is that you’re moving forward, and you’re together."
—Adrienne So, Wired

“This is a boy meets girl story that is never a romance – though it is romantic… Zevin blurs the lines between reality and play...
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is an artfully balanced novel – charming but never saccharine. The world Zevin has created is textured, expansive and, just like those built by her characters, playful.”
—Pippa Bailey, The Guardian

"Two friends, who are often in love, but never lovers, must contend with the fame, joy and tragedy that comes with success after they enter the world of video game design. Spanning three decades and multiple locations, this love story by
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry author is anything but predictable."
E! News, Tierney Bricker

"Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a decade-spanning feat in storytelling, switching perspectives as the story winds through the years."
—Elena Nicolaou, TODAY Show

"Despite [her] fantastical virtual worlds woven in lush detail, Zevin wants us to take a hard look beyond the screen...At its heart,
Tomorrow is a coming-of-age tale stretched, in so many ways, by grief and hurt. This is Zevin’s tough love: There is no shortage of misfortune in life. Take a deep breath. Click continue....Tomorrow is not the type of book to accept a game over. It clutches onto that innocent hope ingrained in all video games."
The Washington Post

“Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow…is buoyant despite the illness and pain that speckles its characters’ lives because they hope to meet again, to play again, to build again like gods….This book, with its respect for craft—the craft of love and games, or loving games—will remind you of how abundant one life is, how lucky we are to keep each other in our memories forever.”
—Ashley Bardhan, Kotaku

"This is a great novel. Zevin has the ability to make you care about her creations within paragraphs of meeting them....The book is rich with characters whose intertwined fates power the narrative...We are glad of the privilege of accompanying Sam and Sadie on the adventure of growing up and discovering who they are, and wondering who they might have been."
—Erica Wagner, The Financial Times

"If your Insta and #BookTok feeds are filled with pics of this read...there's a reason why....Trust us when we say to give it a shot....You'll follow [Sam and Sadie] over the course of decades, from Massachusetts to California, as they deal with ambition, loss, success, and heartache. We're not crying, you are." 
The Skimm

"Gabrielle Zevin’s potent new novel feature[s] a memorable and oddly stirring meet-cute, with Sam getting the attention of his long-ago childhood friend Sadie by shouting across a crowded train platform that she 'has died of dysentery.' If you picked up on that Oregon Trail reference, you may appreciate this funny, unpredictable story of love and video games set in the late ‘90s, a time when a couple of indie programmers like Sam and Sadie could take the world by storm with nothing but a good idea and a stack of floppy disks."
—Patrick Rapa, The Philadelphia Inquirer

"Utterly brilliant. In this sweeping, gorgeously written novel, Gabrielle Zevin charts the beauty, tenacity, and fragility of human love and creativity.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is one of the best books I've ever read." 
—John Green, author of The Anthropocene Reviewed

“My #1 book to recommend…
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow… [is]  incredible, like The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon meets The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer. It’s about love and friendship and video games.”
—Emma Straub, Cup of Jo

“Is there such a thing as the Great American Gamer Novel? Because if not, I believe Gabrielle Zevin just invented it. She has crafted a brilliant story about life’s most challenging puzzles: friendship, family, love, loss. By turns funny, poignant, wistful, and occasionally devastating, this book absolutely pwned me—in the very best way.”
—Nathan Hill, author of The Nix

"Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a beautifully wrought saga of human connection and the creative process, of love and all of its complicated levels. A gem of a novel, intimate yet sweeping, modern yet timeless. Bits of this book lingered in my head the way ghosts of Tetris pieces continue to fall in your mind’s eye after playing."
—Erin Morgenstern, author of The Starless Sea

"Gabrielle Zevin has written an exquisite love letter to life with all its rose gardens and minefields. With wisdom and vulnerability, she explores the very nature of human connection. This novel, and its unforgettable characters, know no boundaries. To read this book is to laugh, to mourn, to learn, and to grow."
—Tayari Jones, author of An American Marriage

"
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrowis the sort of book that comes around once in a decade—a magnificent feat of storytelling. It is a book about the intersection between love and friendship, work and vocation, and the impossible and relentless pull of our own west-bound destinies. Gabrielle Zevin is one of our greatest living novelists, and Tomorrow just may be her magnum opus. Remarkable."
—Rebecca Serle, author of In Five Years

“A polished, thoughtful novel about loyalty and love that, like the best video games, grows more absorbing the further you venture into it."
—Connie Ogle, The Star Tribune

"Zevin has written a fascinating novel about two friends who collaborate on designing video games. These games are so imaginative and innovative that you will wish you could actually play them."
Wisconsin Public Radio

“[A] brilliant tale of identity, human connection, and yes, love in all of its myriad of forms.”
—Sabienna Bowman, PopSugar

“If you’re into video games, this extraordinary coming-of-age/love story/social novel has your name on it. The story follows terrific characters from youth into their adult lives as founders of a successful gaming company. Even if you couldn’t care less about video games, Zevin’s signature narrative charms will still keep you riveted.”
—Marion Winik, Newsday

"The brilliance of Zevin’s tour de force is that you can come into this book with zero gaming knowledge and be blown away by her insights on the human condition, her prodigious capacity for storytelling, and how she weaves it all together — brilliant and brilliantly." 
—The Bridge

"Yes, it is a love story, but it is not one you have read before. Taking place over 30 years, this dazzling and intricately imagined novel by Gabrielle Zevin examines the nature of identity, disability, failure, and above all, our need to connect.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow and Tomorrow is one of our most anticipated books of the summer and we can’t wait for you to read it." 
B&N Reads

“[This] novel explores themes of identity, disability, play and love in an unforgettable and richly imaginative way.” 
—She Reads

"Zevin… returns with an exhilarating epic of friendship, grief, and computer game development…. Zevin layers the narrative with her characters’ wrenching emotional wounds as their relationships wax and wane... Even more impressive are the visionary and transgressive games… This is a one-of-a-kind achievement.”
Publishers Weekly, starred

“Riveting… Zevin has written the book she was born to write, a love letter to every aspect of gaming…Zevin’s delight in her characters, their qualities, and their projects sprinkles a layer of fairy dust over the whole enterprise…Sure to enchant even those who have never played a video game in their lives, with instant cult status for those who have.”
Kirkus, starred

"Zevin creates beautifully flawed characters often caught between the real and gaming worlds, which are cleverly juxtaposed to highlight their similarities and differences. Both readers of love stories and gamers will enjoy. Highly recommended."
—Library Journal, starred

"It’s impossible to predict how, exactly, you’ll fall in love with Gabrielle Zevin’s novel
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, but it’s an eventuality you can’t escape... Her artistic, inclusive world is filled with characters so genuine and endearing that you may start caring for them as if they were real. Above all, her development of Sam and Sadie’s relationship is pure wizardry; it’s deep and complex, transcending anything we might call a love story. Whether you care about video games or not is beside the point. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is the novel you’ve been waiting to read."
—Chika Gujarathi, BookPage

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09JBCGQB8
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Vintage (July 5, 2022)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 5, 2022
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4678 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 396 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ B0C8Z9RT11
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 106,408 ratings

About the author

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Gabrielle Zevin
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GABRIELLE ZEVIN is the New York Times and internationally best-selling author of several critically acclaimed novels, including The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry and Young Jane Young. Her most recent novel is Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, a selection of the Tonight Show’s Fallon Book Club, the winner of the Goodreads Choice Award, a finalist for the Wingate Prize, and one of the best books of the year, according to the New York Times, the Washington Post, Time, Entertainment Weekly, the Atlantic, Amazon.com, Oprah Daily, Slate, NPR, and many others. The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry is now a feature film with a screenplay by Zevin. Her novels have been translated into forty languages. She lives in Los Angeles.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
106,408 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book fascinating, engaging, and skillfully weaves together a narrative. They praise the writing quality as well-written, incredible, and effortless. Readers describe the characters as rich and tender. They also find the situations poignant, emotional, and meaningful. They describe the book as gorgeous, cool, and enjoy the art and creativity described. Readers appreciate the creative process and intriguing techniques. Opinions are mixed on the pacing.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

506 customers mention "Readability"438 positive68 negative

Customers find the book engaging, beautiful, and a good read. They say the narrative keeps them engaged from start to finish. Readers also mention the subject matter feels current and relevant to current events.

"...get but you don't need to know a thing about gaming to relish this wonderful book." Read more

"...Alongside with gaming, this book also does an amazing job at exploring various friendships, relationships, etc. and seeing how they change over time...." Read more

"...zero interest in gaming and gamers but this author created a masterpiece of literature and story that just sucked me in...." Read more

"I think what I enjoyed the most was the characters’ had a real, deep backstory without the backstory being thrown in, but rather woven into the book...." Read more

279 customers mention "Writing quality"231 positive48 negative

Customers find the writing quality of the book well-written, effortless, and beautiful. They also mention it's an easy read with deep meanings. Readers appreciate the rich and complex language.

"...care about them deeply; a great, fast-moving story and dialogue that is poetic and real...." Read more

"...was one of the most tragic, beautifully written chapters I've ever read...." Read more

"...Her writing and storytelling seemed effortless which means the exact opposite - the mark of a brilliant writer...." Read more

"...a great read and a good book club book as I think it lends itself to good discussion." Read more

237 customers mention "Character development"192 positive45 negative

Customers find the characters rich, tender, and flawed.

"...The characters are real and you care about them deeply; a great, fast-moving story and dialogue that is poetic and real...." Read more

"...Her characters were so rich and tender - love that not a single one was flat - even the Bandana guys who could only see ‘other’ in those unlike..." Read more

"I think what I enjoyed the most was the characters’ had a real, deep backstory without the backstory being thrown in, but rather woven into the book...." Read more

"...And there are some wonderful supporting characters, including Sadie's wise grandmother, Sam's beautiful single mother, Marx's parents and a young..." Read more

164 customers mention "Heartwarming"131 positive33 negative

Customers find the book heartwarming, poignant, and emotionally involving. They say it's beautiful, full of love, and life. Readers also mention the writing is beautiful and almost poetic.

"...The characters are real and you care about them deeply; a great, fast-moving story and dialogue that is poetic and real...." Read more

"...was one of the most tragic, beautifully written chapters I've ever read...." Read more

"...Her characters were so rich and tender - love that not a single one was flat - even the Bandana guys who could only see ‘other’ in those unlike..." Read more

"...I loved the different types of love that were explored, especially the kind of love that comes from friendship that can run so deeply...." Read more

123 customers mention "Beauty"123 positive0 negative

Customers find the book gorgeous, cool, and unique. They appreciate the art and creativity described. Readers also mention the spine is beautiful.

"...The characters are real and you care about them deeply; a great, fast-moving story and dialogue that is poetic and real...." Read more

"...It was true art. Sam and Sadie were endearing and frustrating and well, so deeply and beautifully human...." Read more

"...The author's gift for imagery and her willingness to let (most) of her characters wear their warts on their sleeves makes them not only relatable,..." Read more

"...It sounds artsy and avant-garde, which would be fine if this took place today. But in 1995, there were no such things...." Read more

99 customers mention "Creativity"83 positive16 negative

Customers find the book clever, cerebral, and solid. They appreciate the power of storytelling and art. Readers also mention the literary themes are subtle and nuanced.

"...games as the backdrop of the story was interesting and allowed for a lot of insight into our characters...." Read more

"...Poignant situations and fluid prose. Some intriguing techniques that were fun to ride along." Read more

"Deep and well written and creative and ugh. More books like this please" Read more

"...a unique and unforgettable literary journey that explores the transformative power of creativity and the enduring bonds of friendship and love." Read more

38 customers mention "Gaming insight"30 positive8 negative

Customers find the book punctuated with insights about gaming. They also appreciate all the references and video game aspects. Readers say the author makes the material on gaming accessible and interesting. They describe the characters as unique yet relatable.

"...I found it to be entertaining, informative of the game development community (of which I am not a member) and liked the character variety and..." Read more

"...It is punctuated with insights about gaming that are also insights about life.That first sentence reads:"..." Read more

"...That said, I did enjoy the descriptions of various games. The imaginative process was fascinating. Whew! I'm done." Read more

"Decent story about friendship, but too much about gaming. If you’re a gamer yourself, this is likely a 5 star read for you." Read more

199 customers mention "Pacing"93 positive106 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book. Some mention it's fascinating, fast-moving, and enjoyable to spend time with the characters. Others say it's frustrating, slow, and leaves them feeling unsatisfied.

"...to make Sadie unreasonably and increasingly selfish, shrewish and unlikeable as the story continued into the 2000s and ended in 2014...." Read more

"...The characters are real and you care about them deeply; a great, fast-moving story and dialogue that is poetic and real...." Read more

"...While it’s quite a long and verbose story, there are nuggets of goodness about so many things we all encounter through our lives." Read more

"...Otherwise, this is a moving, authentic novel about the experience of playing games with another special person and the conversations and connections..." Read more

Became an instant favorite upon completion
5 out of 5 stars
Became an instant favorite upon completion
Apart from being the prettiest book on my shelf (I mean come on, even the spine is beautiful)… it’s totally one of the best books I’ve ever read.It’s so hard to say what it’s about. It’s about two people that played games when they’re kids, and they go on to make games together when they’re older. It’s so much more, though. It’s about life and death, the creative process, how your coworker could possibly be the best you’ve ever had. Art initiating life, life imitating art. Video games, video games, video games.It’s a beautiful, masterfully crafted story. Full of amazing characters that you may not like initially, but I’m positive you’ll grow to love them as I did.I shed one of those grown-man Denzel tears when I read the last sentence. An absolute page turner.
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Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2024
I'm an old dude who has never played a video game and has no compulsion to do so. I, therefore, find it amazing at how much I loved this book! The characters are real and you care about them deeply; a great, fast-moving story and dialogue that is poetic and real. If you're a gamer, I'm sure, there are colors of this book a non-gamer doesn't get but you don't need to know a thing about gaming to relish this wonderful book.
4 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2024
I love a book that takes a topic that doesn't particularly interest me (i.e. gaming) but still manages to make it such an interesting and incredible read. I am far from a "gamer", and while this book mostly revolves around the gaming industry and uses a lot of terminology and talk that I wasn't always able to follow, I was still able to feel engrossed in the story and was just as invested in it. Alongside with gaming, this book also does an amazing job at exploring various friendships, relationships, etc. and seeing how they change over time. I really do enjoy a story that takes place over a period of time and seeing how the characters and their relationships change with them, and this book is an excellent example of that.

That being said, I feel like there was a portion of the book where my interest level dropped a little (about after the first 1/3 of the book). I feel like the characters became a little stagnant at that point, seemed like there was a bunch of unnecessary drama, and fell a little flat for me. And I was starting to feel very disconnected from the characters. BUT... then the about 3/4 of the way in.... Gabrielle just hits you with the biggest punch to the gut I've gotten from a book in a while. And I was left with my jaw hanging open, and realized just how close to the characters I was in that moment. All feelings of being disconnected were gone, and I was left with my heart on the floor. But seriously, that chapter (Part VII: The NPC: You are flying. - you know the one), was one of the most tragic, beautifully written chapters I've ever read. Whether you enjoyed the book a lot, or none at all, no one can deny how emotionally impactful that chapter was. I'm still reeling from it.

This was one I listened to on audio, and was definitely a good choice. The narrator was amazing, and did an incredible job at bringing the characters to life. While this book wasn't a knock out 5 stars for me, it was still an amazing read and definitely recommend it to everyone.
33 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2024
Wow. This book, this writer, is just WOW. I have zero interest in gaming and gamers but this author created a masterpiece of literature and story that just sucked me in. Her characters were so rich and tender - love that not a single one was flat - even the Bandana guys who could only see ‘other’ in those unlike them.

I don’t even know how to describe what I experienced bc it was so much more than the story and the plot. It was true art. Sam and Sadie were endearing and frustrating and well, so deeply and beautifully human.

The world of game creating and the lives of gamers was fascinating - mainly bc of how Zevin told it. Her writing and storytelling seemed effortless which means the exact opposite - the mark of a brilliant writer.

This was truly a masterpiece. I will read anything else by this author. What I have missed for so long in many of the NYT bestsellers is HEART and SOUL and HOPE and ACHE and FRAIlTY all wrapped into one. Nothing trite. Nothing cliche.

Beautiful work. Well done. Now I am going to do a deep dive read on this author bc I am dying to know more about her!!!
8 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2024
I think what I enjoyed the most was the characters’ had a real, deep backstory without the backstory being thrown in, but rather woven into the book. I enjoyed the switching POV and that even some more minor characters had POV moments, which doesn’t always happen. The Macbeth references were great and Marx is probably one of my favorite characters I have read in a long time. I loved the different types of love that were explored, especially the kind of love that comes from friendship that can run so deeply. Overall a great read and a good book club book as I think it lends itself to good discussion.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Raquel Hirsch
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved the book
Reviewed in Canada on August 9, 2024
Following these three characters was very enjoyable and it’s terrific read
Bruno Ricardo Moreno García
5.0 out of 5 stars Bueno
Reviewed in Mexico on April 24, 2024
Bien y de pasta dura, muy bien enviado sin detalles
Alison B.
5.0 out of 5 stars Something different
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 25, 2024
This book was so easily read. I'm not a gamer apart from pacman and space invaders from the 80s but it was so interesting. The characters stories were good too. Enjoyable for a change of story type.
vishnupriya
5.0 out of 5 stars brilliant
Reviewed in India on September 11, 2024
One of those books that helps you understand the power of friendship and the power of empathy and kindness that is present in the virtual world as compared to the real one that we live in
Eher Flexibel
5.0 out of 5 stars Zurück in die Kindheit
Reviewed in Germany on September 1, 2024
Das beste neue Buch, dass ich seit langem gelesen habe. Packend geschrieben, herzzerreissend und aufregend, tiefsinnig und interessant für alle... aber eben auch für alle, die in den 70er und 80ern geboren wurden und die Anfänge der Computer und Konsolen Spiele miterlebt haben
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