Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

123 reviews

camille_farrar's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Car accident, Murder, Gun violence, and Death of parent

Minor: Cancer, Abortion, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Blood

mlwe's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

My Review:
Sam Masur and Sadie Green have a complicated history, but intertwined within the chronic sickness, failed relationships, and desperate identity searches is love. Their love for their work, their families, and each other repeatedly pulls them together. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is the story of two people who continue to find and love each other day after day.

The author dives into the emotions of her characters, both beautiful and ugly, and uses them to smooth and sharpen the edges of life. The character's attitudes towards gaming and their drive to excel jump off the page, keeping the reader invested in the plot. However, as life's challenges constantly confront the characters, Sam and Sadie lose sight of their initial intentions and aspirations. The distance the author created, once a hazy lens romanticizing the story, becomes a source of frustration and disconnect.

The novel undergoes major tonal and stylistic changes three-fourths into the novel. While relevant to the plot, <I can't imagine Mark's death told differently,> it disorients the reader. I found the precedent the author created comforting, and the new shift confusing enough to interrupt my reading. I appreciate that the change mimics the new feelings the characters face, but prefer a slower escalation or more foreshadowing. <Specifically, since Sadie experiences multiple periods of depression/grief, the author could have included Sadie gaming before Sam dragged her out of it.> Overall, I was immersed in the first part of the novel, and enjoyed the plot and characters, but fell out of love with them as the story progresses. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Car accident, Medical trauma, Chronic illness, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent

Moderate: Sexual content, Suicide, Blood, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Sexism, Abortion, Cursing, Emotional abuse, and Medical trauma

Minor: Grief, Hate crime, Terminal illness, and Vomit

ymziegler's review against another edition

emotional inspiring 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

5.0

The best book I've read this year. The way friendship is framed is so unique and hard to find, it was so refreshing and touching. The discussions on race, disability, sexism, etc were so compelling and real. The characters were so flawed and so lovable. Life isn't a game, we don't have a second chance at life, eat some peaches with your friends and everything will be okay even when it isn't.

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Antisemitism, Racism, Sexism, Misogyny, Abortion, Terminal illness, Sexual harassment, and Pregnancy

Minor: Vomit and Infidelity

raptorq's review against another edition

emotional 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Gun violence, Murder, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Death of parent

Moderate: Cancer, Vomit, Homophobia, Pregnancy, Ableism, Suicide, and Car accident

Minor: Physical abuse, Abortion, and Blood

jasminejjj's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

I am in awe of this one. She did something so ambitious and it really paid off. The pacing is perfect and she gives the PERFECT amount of exposition at all times.

Spoiler

I am a huge fan of the chapters written from a video game perspective

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Racism, Homophobia, Xenophobia, and Terminal illness

buckleburyfairie's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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

I was nervous because this book is longer than anything I've read in awhile, but it has been recommended to me many times and I'm so happy I read it! I didn't want it to end. The author's vocabulary is superb. I learned so many delicious words reading this book. Some of the best writing about a disability I have ever read. I relished the passages about Sam's time with his mom and grandparents. By the end of the book, I found myself thinking about friends I haven't talked to awhile, and wanting to catch up with them. I hope this book encourages other readers to reach out to old friends, too. 

Definite content warning about a professor/freshman student relationship that has nonconsensual BDSM aspects, and a separate content warning for gun violence.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Cancer, Sexual harassment, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Car accident, Adult/minor relationship, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Death, Xenophobia, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Hate crime, Gun violence, Grief, Sexual violence, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Racism, Racial slurs, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Medical content, Mass/school shootings, Homophobia, Chronic illness, Blood, and Abandonment

chaos_and_chapters's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful sad tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Suicide, Sexual violence, Body horror, Mass/school shootings, Homophobia, Grief, Death, Car accident, Medical trauma, Sexism, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Lesbophobia, Death of parent, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, and Gun violence

Moderate: Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Racism, Toxic friendship, and Blood

Minor: Cancer, Ableism, Violence, Terminal illness, Antisemitism, and Cultural appropriation

emm_ro's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective fast-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: Death, Mass/school shootings, and Terminal illness

setaggu's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective relaxing 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Murder, Cancer, Medical content, Biphobia, Blood, Car accident, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Grief, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Mass/school shootings, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Violence, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Suicide, and Vomit

Moderate: Blood, Gore, Terminal illness, Alcohol, Cancer, Drug use, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Grief, Antisemitism, Chronic illness, Death, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Abortion, Cultural appropriation, and Eating disorder

kaseythefairy's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicide, Pregnancy, Cursing, Gun violence, Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Death of parent, Grief, and Medical content

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Sexual harassment, and Death

Minor: Sexism, Abortion, Chronic illness, Medical trauma, Terminal illness, and Drug use