Reviews tagging Ableism

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, by Gabrielle Zevin

52 reviews

samarakroeger's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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

4.5

one of those books that I was wary about because of all the hype, but I'm extremely glad to say that this lived up to expectations.  maybe I had lowered my expectations a bit due to the excessive hype.

this was way more trauma-filled than I was expecting, fyi.

the list of new releases with commercial appeal that have a lot of hype surrounding them that I think live up to their lofty expectations is pretty short: Tomorrow x3, Lessons in Chemistry, and I'm Glad My Mom Died.  all are very solid 4.5/5s from me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Death, Grief, Suicide, Ableism, Terminal illness, Hate crime, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Mental illness, Chronic illness, Cancer, and Injury/injury detail

Moderate: Abortion, Medical content, Homophobia, and Classism

ckincade's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Medical trauma, Suicide, Mass/school shootings, Toxic friendship, Injury/injury detail, Gun violence, Adult/minor relationship, Chronic illness, Grief, Hate crime, Toxic relationship, Violence, Infidelity, and Mental illness

Moderate: Sexual content, Cancer, Blood, Homophobia, and Car accident

Minor: Abortion, Ableism, Drug abuse, and Cultural appropriation

Spoiler

depiction of a mass shooting

capt_avantika's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness

Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Ableism, Sexual violence, and Sexual content

hcop's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Death of parent, and Injury/injury detail

Moderate: Mental illness, Hate crime, Pregnancy, Cursing, Lesbophobia, Blood, Cancer, Murder, Car accident, Eating disorder, Racism, Homophobia, Chronic illness, Death, Sexual content, Ableism, Drug use, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Abortion and Vomit

perseffable's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring reflective sad 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Misogyny, Homophobia, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Gun violence, Suicide, Abortion, Ableism, Toxic relationship, and Hate crime

nerdyprettythings's review against another edition

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Gun violence, Car accident, Death of parent, Suicide, and Mass/school shootings

Moderate: Ableism, Domestic abuse, Body horror, and Pregnancy

Minor: Eating disorder

katievh'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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Cursing, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/injury detail, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Abortion, Homophobia, Vomit, Cancer, Car accident, Toxic friendship, Murder, Racial slurs, Sexual content, and Suicide

Minor: Drug use

coookiecat's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Confinement, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Vomit, Xenophobia, Alcohol, Blood, Cancer, Chronic illness, Cultural appropriation, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Eating disorder, Murder, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Injury/injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Death, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Ableism, Cursing, Body shaming, Grief, Homophobia, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Abortion, Gore, Terminal illness, and Antisemitism

Minor: Acephobia/Arophobia and Animal cruelty

jennie_white2008's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Death of parent, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Ableism

jcstokes95's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-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

4.5

 

I am nothing if not a lover of melodramas, and Gabrielle Zevin has wrote maybe the most highbrow contemporary melodrama in recent memory here. Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow is a sweeping story about the challenges of creative partnership, identity and friendship. We follow Sam and Sadie, two kids who meet in the hospital rec room in childhood, have a falling out, then reconnect years later in college…only to have a significant number of falling outs over the coming decades of their life. What brings Sam and Sadie back together, time and time again, is their love of play and a belief that the other is a perfect playmate. 

This is unfortunately not a perfect book but it’s incredible language, creative structure and notable nuance towards it’s themes make up for it’s downsides. Both I and my book club buddies found this a difficult start for different reasons. I think, because so much about this book is weird, it’s likely every reader will find a part of it “not for them”. Mine was the scenes in their youth; I did not find the speech to be realistic for such young people, even baby geniuses. (My book club friend’s ‘not for me’ section was the first chapter which I liked enough and my mom’s was the Oregon Trial playthrough which I loved.) 

For me, I turned the corner because Zevin creates a great sense of suspense throughout the book, propelling your forward. I thought the pieces she gave you and what she held back were pretty much perfectly done. With the exception of Sadie’s reveal of her abortion…which was narratively unnecessary. I found this book to be a slow read, and if I hadn’t had a deadline, I would have taken longer. I found myself very depressed in portions. I found Sadie and Dov’s relationship particularly repulsive to read about. 

But, I feel like despite how fucking depressing this book’s tone can be, and how dramatic it can blow it’s symbolism up to, it was still incredibly authentic. I felt like, even when I disliked both protagonists, I understood them completely. Even their insane choices and their paranoia towards each other made perfect emotional sense. 

I am not sure how to write a review of this book, except to say, you will probably pick this book up and find something in it to love even if it isn’t revelatory for you. The language on it’s own can be worth it at times. I think the determining factor for people will be how much they can love a book with big feelings or if they find that melodrama “over the top” for them. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Ableism and Sexism

Minor: Racism