Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, by Gabrielle Zevin

332 reviews

aus10england's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Suicide, and Murder

Moderate: Pregnancy and Death of parent

Minor: Homophobia and Racial slurs

amandab0514's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Death of parent, and Medical trauma

Minor: Drug use, Cancer, and Abortion

madanxiety's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was an epic! I wasn't sure about it at first because Sam, one of the protagonists, had such incel vibes, but I stuck around long enough to see that all the characters were flawed and broken and putting themselves back together in the best ways they knew how, just like real people. 

Spoiler

I got threw Marx's whole tragic and unfair (no pun intended) death without shedding a tear, but the moment that got me was when Dong Hyun was talking to Sam about him and Sadie and how Sadie would always get free pizza, even though the pizza shop wasn't t even theirs anymore.

One of the most interesting things about this book was the circular narration - how every part of their journey folded in on itself, repeating and retelling and subtly tweaking the ending, like the book itself was picking up from different save points along the way. Haha, it's like the narrative is a character, like the weather in Sadie's game. Even though, in the real world, we can't reverse time, it's true that we're always who we've been, even as we're always reinventing ourselves. 

A good book leaves you looking at the world around you a little differently, be it with a little more hope, or humor, or sadness, or fatigue. Actually, I think all books I love leave me feeling the same way: like I've been reborn, like a shell washed up from the sea, warm and vulnerable, where I always yet also somewhere entirely new. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Medical content, Infidelity, Toxic friendship, Car accident, Gun violence, Chronic illness, Suicide, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Cancer, Murder, Antisemitism, Racial slurs, Homophobia, Racism, Death of parent, and Grief

Minor: Gaslighting, Abortion, and Eating disorder

readandgab's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This. Book. It is incredible. It is so well thought out and told in a masterful way. I loved the use of different formats/media. I love how complex the characters are and you truly grow to love them and hate them all at once. It is the story of true friendship and intimacy deeper than romantic love. The only reason it is not fully 5 stars for me is that the it discusses the reality of being mixed race and the concept of appropriation that I do not agree with. However the diversity of the characters is well done in this book. This is one of the only 400 page books I have ever felt really excited to continue picking up and didn't feel like it was a slog to get to the end. I never wanted it to end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Gun violence, Homophobia, Cultural appropriation, Toxic relationship, and Chronic illness

lorenmarie7's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cancer, Grief, Homophobia, Mass/school shootings, Pregnancy, Car accident, Death of parent, Antisemitism, Gun violence, and Hate crime

laheath's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This was such a unique book! Like other reviewers have mentioned, I was hesitant about reading this since I'm not a gamer, but finding out that it was more about relationships convinced me to give it a try and I'm so glad I did. Told primarily in alternating points of view of the main characters, Sadie and Sam, who first meet in a children's hospital and bond over a shared love of video games, the story follows them for years. We're also introduced to interesting and significant secondary characters such as Sam's mother, grandparents, and college roommate, Marx; Sadie's sister and grandmother; Dov, one of Sadie's professors at MIT; Zoe, Marx's girlfriend; and Ant and Simon, software developers who work with Sam and Sadie, among others. Their stories will stay with me. Ultimately, though Sadie and Sam are the best of friends, and love each other deeply, they could never be more than that due to their own flaws of arrogance, ambition, and jealousy. Over the years, we see how their creative differences, dating relationships, and careers drive a wedge between them while keeping them connected no matter what happens. There is so much going on in this book, and a lot of trigger warnings, that the ending seemed a little anticlimactic, but in reality, it was perfect. Great classic literature and pop culture references for the time period and too many wonderful quotes to list here! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Hate crime, Homophobia, Gun violence, and Mass/school shootings

Moderate: Cancer, Vomit, Death of parent, Murder, Car accident, Death, Sexual content, Infidelity, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Blood, Cultural appropriation, Injury/injury detail, Medical content, and Pregnancy

Minor: Abortion, Panic attacks/disorders, Antisemitism, and Suicide

zacharylang's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence and Homophobia

Moderate: Death of parent

grandpabuxton's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I did not expect to love this or be floored by it in moments. And I was. It was unpretentious and complex an beautiful and simple.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Sexual assault, Suicide, Death of parent, Gun violence, and Death

Moderate: Sexual violence, Vomit, Sexism, and Racism

lrn22's review against another edition

emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This book about gaming and friendship was beautifully written. I would have liked to have seen more character development from Marks rather than having him serve solely as a contrast to how prickly and hard to be around both Sam and Sadie could be.

Spoiler

I found Sadie’s perspective hard to read post Sam’s amputation. Once she decided that Sam used her and was the reason for her problems, she was so cruel. The book was based on the idea of deep friendship, yet she was cruel for years on end end without explanation. Jealousy and a lack of empathy made her character not pleasant to read about for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Hate crime, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Suicide, Blood, Death, Gun violence, Cancer, Death of parent, Violence, and Homophobia

bffbookclubkate's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Death, Injury/injury detail, Grief, Gun violence, Death of parent, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Abortion