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TL;DR: Sam and Sadie meet as children in a hospital game room and bond over video games. Years later, they reunite in Boston and create a hit game together. Over three decades, their creative partnership and deep friendship survive success, betrayal, tragedy and love, as they keep making games and remaking themselves.
Table of Contents
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow at a Glance
| Author | Gabrielle Zevin |
| First published | 2022 |
| Type | Novel |
| Best for | readers who want a moving story about friendship, creativity and video games |
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a novel by Gabrielle Zevin, published in 2022. Its title comes from Macbeth. It was a bestseller and a favorite on many year-end lists. Below you will find a part-by-part summary, five key takeaways, ideas worth remembering and a note on who will enjoy it.
Content note: Includes gun violence, disability, depression and grief.
Main Characters
- Sam Masur: A brilliant game designer with a disabling foot injury.
- Sadie Green: A talented game designer and Sam's partner.
- Marx Watanabe: Sam's roommate and their producer.
- Dov Mizrah: Sadie's controlling professor and former lover.
- Ichigo: The hero of their first game.
What Happens, Part by Part (Contains Spoilers)
Childhood
In 1987, Sam, twelve, is in the hospital after a car crash that killed his mother and badly injured his foot. Sadie, visiting her sick sister, meets Sam in the game room, and they play Super Mario together for hundreds of hours. When Sam learns Sadie counted the visits as community service, he feels betrayed.
Reunion
In 1993, they meet again in a subway station in Boston. Sam is at Harvard, and Sadie at MIT, where she is in a relationship with her professor, Dov. Sam and Sadie design a game called Ichigo with the help of Sam's roommate, Marx.
Success
Ichigo is a hit. They start a company, Unfair Games, and move to Los Angeles. Their friendship grows strained by jealousy, credit and creative differences. Sadie and Marx become a couple.
Tragedy
A gunman attacks the office, and Marx is killed while protecting others. Sadie falls into depression. Sam builds an online world, Pioneers, where Sadie anonymously plays and they connect again.
The ending
Sam and Sadie reconcile, realizing that their partnership is one of the great loves of their lives, though not a romance. The novel ends with the possibility of making a new game together, suggesting that creativity and friendship can be reborn.
5 Key Takeaways
- Friendship can be a great love.
- Creativity is collaborative.
- Games can express deep truths.
- Grief and success both change people.
- We can always start again.
Ideas Worth Remembering
These are paraphrased, not direct quotes:
- What is a game? It's tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow.
- Play is a way of living fully.
- The people we create with shape who we become.
Who Should Read Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow?
Read Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow if you want a rich, emotional story about friendship. It suits adults, even those who do not play games.
Questions to Think About After Reading
These prompts work for solo reading, a book club or a classroom discussion of Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow:
- Is Sam and Sadie's bond a love story?
- What does the book say about creative credit?
- How do games help the characters heal?
How to Use This Summary
Use this page as a quick reference before a book club meeting, an exam, or a decision about whether Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is worth your time. The takeaways are written to stand on their own. If a point interests you, go back to the book for the author's full story, characters and style, which no short summary can replace.
A Note on Accuracy and Spoilers
This summary is based on the published text of Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, not on any film, series or stage adaptation, which often change the story. Details are kept at the level of the main events so that nothing is invented. Editions differ slightly in length and wording, so page numbers and small details may vary between copies.
Should You Read the Book?
Yes, if you enjoy long, character-driven novels about friendship and creative work. The video game details are fun but not required to enjoy the story. Some readers find Sam and Sadie frustrating, and one chapter told from an unusual perspective divides readers, but many find the book unforgettable.
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What to Read Next
- Ready Player One by Ernest Cline: a story about games and nostalgia
- The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin: Zevin's earlier novel
- Normal People by Sally Rooney: a complicated relationship over years
Related: 15 Books Like Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow You’ll Love: Friendship, Creativity and Games
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow about?
Two friends create video games together over three decades.
Where does the title come from?
From Shakespeare's Macbeth.
Who is Marx?
Sam's roommate and their producer.
Does Marx die?
Yes, in an office shooting.
Do Sam and Sadie get together?
Not romantically.
Is there a film?
A film adaptation has been announced.
How long is it?
About 400 pages.
Do I need to like games?
No. The story is about friendship and creativity.
Who are the main characters in Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow?
The main characters are Sam Masur, Sadie Green, Marx Watanabe, Dov Mizrah and Ichigo. Sam Masur: A brilliant game designer with a disabling foot injury. Sadie Green: A talented game designer and Sam's partner. Marx Watanabe: Sam's roommate and their producer.
Is Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow worth reading?
It depends on what you want. The book is best for readers who want a moving story about friendship, creativity and video games. If that describes you, it is likely a good fit. If not, the titles under What to Read Next may suit you better.