On The Same Page discussion

Group read for January 2023

In this exhilarating novel by the best-selling author of The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry two friends--often in love, but never lovers--come together as creative partners in the world of video game design, where success brings them fame, joy, tragedy, duplicity, and, ultimately, a kind of immortality.

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 is a dazzling and intricately imagined novel that 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. Yes, it is a love story, but it is not one you have read before.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
Gabrielle Zevin

I have this to read & hope to start soon. Especially if any others are going to read it this month.

I started the book yesterday and I'm at 22%. I'm enjoying it so far...despite the fact that I'm not a gamer at all.

I was a little reluctant to pick up this book, because while I liked the author's most famous book, The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry just fine, it wasn't particularly memorable or life changing for me. This book seems much more memorable and I'm more invested in the characters.

Is anyone else reading and what do you think so far?

I just started it last night. Haven't read much but the characters seem interesting which is a good start. I did like The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry though not the ending which has kept me reading her other books. Lame, I know. She does have one or two others I'm interested in, so if I like this one, I will probably give them a try.

Patricia wrote: "I just started it last night. Haven't read much but the characters seem interesting which is a good start. I did like The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry though not the ending which has kept me reading her other books. Lame, I know. She does have one or two others I'm interested in, so if I like this one, I will probably give them a try."

I feel the same, Patricia. With A.J. Fikry, I felt like I had already experienced the grumpy old people genre with A Man Called Ove and I thought Fredrik Backman did it better, and also the books about bookstore genres and The Shadow of the Wind worked better for me. There wasn't anything about it that stood out for me, it was derivative and not particularly better than other books I'd read. And you're right about the ending. I got to the end of the book and kept looking for the next chapter. Really? Is that how it all ends?

So far, I'm enjoying this better, and if the book ends well, I will also probably give some of her other books a try. If it doesn't end well, I'll just assume that Gabrielle Zevin needs to take John Grisham with her to some class to teach them both how to make books with solid endings. :-) I've heard really good things about Elsewhere - that will probably be my next attempt.

I think what I like best about this book so far is that while a story about friendship and the ebb and flow of it throughout our lifetime and the characters are all flawed, still the things they do and their motivations seem plausible to me. So far, so good from me!

Mine just came in from the library, so starting this evening.

I started this book yesterday. I am very pleasantly surprised with how I like this book. I'm not a gamer, I know nothing of thst world, but I'm enjoying this relationship build between Sam and Sadie. Dare I say its "cute"? 🤣 But not in that overly cheesy way some romance novels are.

Lea, I think I'm around where you're at. Dov and Sadie just broke up and Sam found out about the "charity hours".

So far, so good- and I'm not interested in video games either. Enjoying Sadie and Sam- and also interested in the side characters. Same place as you both. Kind of had to happen, but odd that Sam now seems the most invested in getting back as friends- or more.

Oops, I just finished the book. I really liked it!

There is an entire long chapter devoted to game play. I think it's important, you shouldn't skip it, but it wasn't something I'd usually want to read. But there are beautiful parts like this:

“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?”

4.5 stars

Lea wrote: "Oops, I just finished the book. I really liked it!

There is an entire long chapter devoted to game play. I think it's important, you shouldn't skip it, but it wasn't something I'd usually want to..."

I think that's awesome you finished and liked it!!! Thanks for the heads up on the game play chapter. I'm chugging along and still enjoying the story myself.

I'm curious for those reading.... did your view or perspective of Sadie change throughout thr book? What about Sam? I'm not finished yet, so I don't know the ending, but I'm starting to struggle with Sadie.

I read this book at the end of 2022 and it was one of my top 3 reads. I found it fascinating! I'll comment more once others have finished it. There are aspects of gaming that I didn't realize really existed! I listened to a podcast where they were talking about the journalist's experience in this "world". Not being a gamer, I started to understand people's interest. I love the title and the 2 ways it connects to the book. It's perfect, as is the cover. I really enjoy Zevin's writing, also! I hope everyone else enjoys it as much as I did!

I found images of "The Wave of K..." from the video game on google but can't figure how to share it. I was very interested in the section when Sam was being interviewed and his take on "cultural appropriation" .

I finished. I was really in between a 3 and 4 star rating, but settled on 3. Primarily because I did not like Sadie or some of her actions. My review --> https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Lindsey wrote: "I finished. I was really in between a 3 and 4 star rating, but settled on 3. Primarily because I did not like Sadie or some of her actions. My review --> https://www.goodreads.com/review/show......"

I'm not even halfway, but so far I am also not impressed with Sadie. Despite her sister's cancer and not getting the kind of attention she needed for some years, I felt she had a decent life and options and can't figure out her lack of human insight.

Bonnie wrote: "Lindsey wrote: "I finished. I was really in between a 3 and 4 star rating, but settled on 3. Primarily because I did not like Sadie or some of her actions. My review --> https://www.goodreads.com/r..."

Totally agree with you Bonnie!! As the story goes on I feel like she becomes even more selfish and self absorbed.

I found some discussion questions thst might help get some discussions going. I'll post some thst won't reveal any spoilers until everyone is finished with the book.

1. Let’s first talk about the significance of the book title. How does the title, which is borrowed from the famous Macbeth speech, relate to the themes of the story as a whole?

2. Did you like the setting in the world of video game design?

3. Why were Sam and Sadie so drawn to video games as teenagers at the hospital? What did it offer them?

4. And on a similar note, why did they both want to create video games as adults?

5. Especially during this era, Sadie is one of the few woman video game designers. Why were women undervalued in gaming?

6. What are your thoughts on Sam and Sadie’s friendship throughout the years?

7. Let’s talk about Sam’s tragic backstory and how it impacted how he viewed the world.

Found this playlist:

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow Playlist

For the many of you that have already read Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, you already know that it is a masterpiece. An epic about friendship, gaming, and so much more that makes you believe its three main characters are real people you might run into any day in the real world. You also know that it is absolutely packed with literary, gaming, artistic, and musical references—a feast of nostalgia and deep respect for all kinds of art. And so you won’t be surprised that this playlist Gabrielle created is perhaps the most epic we’ve published. Grab a cold drink, pop this on, and dive into the book of the summer.

https://knopfdoubleday.com/2022/07/21...

8. Sam and Sadie meet, separate and meet again multiple times across the course of the book – the opening of the novel shows them reunite for the first time. Discuss the way this scene is depicted and how it makes you initially feel about the characters and their relationship.

Lindsey wrote: "2. Did you like the setting in the world of video game design?"

I really didn't so much- though NYC and LA are settings I like in general.

Lindsey wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "Lindsey wrote: "I finished. I was really in between a 3 and 4 star rating, but settled on 3. Primarily because I did not like Sadie or some of her actions. My review --> https://www...."

still liking Sam, but he is getting weirder. At this point, the video stuff isn't the part I'm not liking (as I expected) so much as the characters.

Lindsey wrote: "3. Why were Sam and Sadie so drawn to video games as teenagers at the hospital? What did it offer them?"

Escape for sure- being good at something. Getting kind of addicted to video games, especially for kids who don't have a lot of friends, is pretty normal though for their times.

Lindsey wrote: "Found this playlist:

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow Playlist

For the many of you that have already read Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, you already know that it is ..."
thanks for this- I put it on my spotify (which I seldom use, but will listen to this.) St. Elmo's Fire (love) and The Book of Love are the only ones I found familiar.

9. ‘Before Mazer invented himself as Mazer, he was Samson Mazer, and before he was Samson Mazer, he was Samson Masur—a change of two letters that transformed him from a nice, ostensibly Jewish boy to a Professional Builder of Worlds—and for most of his youth, he was Sam, S.A.M. on the hall of fame of his grandfather’s Donkey Kong machine, but mainly Sam.’ (p.3)

How does Sam’s identity as ‘Mazer’ differ from the Sam we see in the book? Why do you think he created a persona for his professional/public life?

Lindsey wrote: "6. What are your thoughts on Sam and Sadie’s friendship throughout the years?"

This book wasn't so much about gaming to me as it was about working with your friends. In that way, it had a parallel to a music group to me. I kept thinking about how hard it is to work with people who are your friends...what you can and can't tell them.

Sam and Sadie were both brilliant, arrogant, infuriating, and flawed. On the one hand, they left so much unsaid towards each other: petty stuff, explanations, true feelings. It leads the reader to ask if they ever really understood each other or not. On the other hand, I can't help but find their friendship beautiful in its own way. I have a handful of friends that I've known for 30+ years and while I'm not sure we'd all fare well if someone decided to write a book about us and the journey of our friendships...there's something wonderful about all friendships, but especially those who are long-term someone who has known you for almost your entire life, someone who understands your dreams...

I loved the ending and I love this quote:

“he realized that he had made a grave miscalculation when he had ended the friendship with Sadie. His mistake had been in thinking the world would be filled with Sadie Greens, people like her. It was not.”

I loved that thought. Each and every person in our lives is so valuable...to us....

While I personally would have never wanted to be friends with either Sadie or Sam...or even Marks...I thought their friendship was a beautiful thing. Each of the three was integral to the success of each other. Success is a team effort, and while I loved the book ending where it did, I would love to know that with time and maturity, Sadie and Sam are able to collaborate again, and even more importantly, be there for each other again.

4.5 Stars from me....I don't mind giving stars to characters I don't like...when I like the writing...and the story makes me think...

Thanks Lindsey for all the info!

Lea wrote: "Lindsey wrote: "6. What are your thoughts on Sam and Sadie’s friendship throughout the years?"

This book wasn't so much about gaming to me as it was about working with your friends. In that way, i..."

I love your assessment of the book. Spot on!! Sam, Sadie and Marx were like pistons in an engine. If one went down the engine doesn't work. For me, Marx was the glue that held everyone together. And this book made the point that they were stronger together than apart.

Petty is a great way to describe alot of their disagreements and misunderstandings. I need to remember their age in this book. I was pretty immature in college. Its taken years to learn how to navigate friendship and relationships.

The writing was good. I'm with you on the ending - i liked it but would love to know if they ever collaborated again.

Lindsey wrote: "2. Did you like the setting in the world of video game design?"

I thought it was pretty genius to make the setting like this. I really thought that would turn me off because I'm not a gamer, but I feel the author made it work and relatable to everyone with how she built the storyline.

Lindsey wrote: "3. Why were Sam and Sadie so drawn to video games as teenagers at the hospital? What did it offer them?"

They both needed to escape their current realities and this gave them a mechanism to do so in a safe way but also a platform to connect. I wonder how things would have turned out if Sadie's sister hadn't told Sam about the charity hours - if that would hsve changed the trajectory of what all they did....

10. While they both say I love you, they never become lovers. Why is that? Do you agree with Sadie that they are closer than lovers?

11. Marx is a major character of the novel and if it weren’t for him, the video game might never have happened. Why do you feel people didn’t really take Marx that seriously?

12. The reader sees Sam’s journey with his disability – through flashbacks, his present state and his inner voice. Describe how Sam’s character develops throughout the novel, and how his accident plays a role in who he is.

13. Gaming plays a huge role in Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. Discuss what you learned about gaming, whether this book changed your perspective of the creators of games, and why/how.

Lindsey wrote: "9. ‘Before Mazer invented himself as Mazer, he was Samson Mazer, and before he was Samson Mazer, he was Samson Masur—a change of two letters that transformed him from a nice, ostensibly Jewish boy ..."

I can understand him not really identifying with his Jewish father/name, but I'm not sure why Mazer instead of maybe something from his Korean side.

Lindsey wrote: "10. While they both say I love you, they never become lovers. Why is that? Do you agree with Sadie that they are closer than lovers?"

I didn't see her really as being as close or loving towards him as he was with her. And she was very invested with her lovers (though not loving either.) Maybe her friendship with Sam was the closest she got to love.

Finished and this was not really a great book for me. I am character driven and saw no growth by any characters. I have been able to enjoy books with characters I didn't like, but they had storylines I did. I didn't care enough about these characters to do more than skim-read the last part of this book when it was on the video game storylines.

Pam wrote: "I read this book at the end of 2022 and it was one of my top 3 reads. I found it fascinating! I'll comment more once others have finished it. There are aspects of gaming that I didn't realize really existed! I listened to a podcast where they were talking about the journalist's experience in this "world". Not being a gamer, I started to understand people's interest. I love the title and the 2 ways it connects to the book. It's perfect, as is the cover. I really enjoy Zevin's writing, also! I hope everyone else enjoys it as much as I did!"

Hi Pam, I'm so glad that you enjoyed the book so much. I am not a gamer at all either, nor am I a Shakespeare fanatic, but I did love the tie in to the title from both aspects. Did you like the characters? I liked the story better than the characters, and have hopes that Sam and Sadie will find a connection point in the future. What other books have you read by Zevin? I've only read AJ Fikry and that book was mediocre for me. After this book, I'll try another one of Zevin's books sometime.

Bonnie wrote: "Finished and this was not really a great book for me. I am character driven and saw no growth by any characters. I have been able to enjoy books with characters I didn't like, but they had storylines I did. I didn't care enough about these characters to do more than skim-read the last part of this book when it was on the video game storylines."

Hi Bonnie, sorry that you didn't enjoy the book as much as you'd hoped. It's always such a let down for me when I read a book and don't like it as much as I wanted to! I can guess how tough this book must have been if you didn't care about the characters and didn't see any growth. Hopefully your next book will be much better! :-)

Lea wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "Finished and this was not really a great book for me. I am character driven and saw no growth by any characters. I have been able to enjoy books with characters I didn't like, but th..."

there were parts I'm really glad I read, though. I knew the book theme wasn't for me really, but had loved another book by the author and it was the Goodreads book of the year.

14. “No,” Sam said. “We’ve never . . . It’s more than romantic. It’s better than romance. It’s friendship.” Sam laughed. “Who cares about romance anyway?” (p.91)

Sam and Sadie’s friendship takes the reader through the whole book – discuss how it changes from section to section. Do you think there was a romantic connection between them? Do you think they were right to choose their professional endeavours over it?

15. Marx is initially introduced as Sam’s roommate – an NPC – but ultimately grows to play a core role in the success of ‘Ichigo’, and Sadie and Sam’s creative partnership. What early hints are there that Marx is critical to the story, and what does his character bring to the book?

16. There are hundreds of cultural references – books, art, games and more – throughout the book. There are also some invented elements that accompany the real works. Do these expansive references make Sadie and Sam’s world feel different to the reader? How?

17. ‘I hate that world, don’t you? I’m terrified of that world, and I don’t want to live in that world, and as a mixed-race person, I literally don’t exist in it. My dad, who I barely knew, was Jewish. My mom was an American-born Korean. I was raised by Korean immigrant grandparents in Koreatown, Los Angeles. And as any mixed-race person will tell you—to be half of two things is to be whole of nothing.’ (p.78)

Discuss how identity, particularly race, plays a role in Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. How do Sadie, Sam and Marx (and the games they produce) represent this theme throughout?