gabi_tron's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
Graphic: Blood, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Classism, Injury/injury detail, Sexual content, Blood, Cancer, and Vomit
justreads93's review
- 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
Graphic: Ableism, Mass/school shootings, Toxic friendship, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Violence, Car accident, Grief, Gun violence, Racism, Sexism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Sexual assault, Death, Misogyny, and Murder
Moderate: Cancer and Classism
annoyedhumanoid's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Spoiler
"'Zweisamkeit' is the feeling of being alone even when you're with other people." Simon turned to look in his husband's eyes. "Before I met you, I felt this constantly. I felt it with my family, my friends, and every boyfriend I ever had. I felt it so often that I thought this was the nature of living. To be alive was to accept that you were fundamentally alone." Simon's eyes were moist. "I know I'm impossible, and I know you don't care about German words or marriage. All | can say is, I love you and thank you for marrying me anyway."
Ant raised his glass. "Zweisamkeit," he said.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Suicide, Violence, Death, Murder, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Drug use, Injury/injury detail, Sexism, Car accident, Hate crime, Death of parent, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Vomit, Abortion, Blood, Medical content, Mental illness, and Racism
Minor: Antisemitism, Alcohol, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Gore, Homophobia, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Cancer, Classism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Terminal illness
snickbit's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Suicide, Dysphoria, Gun violence, Car accident, and Death of parent
Moderate: Cancer, Classism, Abortion, Vomit, Terminal illness, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Body shaming
holyhead_harpie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Homophobia, Injury/injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexism, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Antisemitism, Grief, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Outing, Racism, Vomit, Ableism, Bullying, Cancer, Cultural appropriation, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Death, Medical trauma, Blood, Car accident, Emotional abuse, Classism, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence
samarakroeger's review against another edition
- 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 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.
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
danalovestoread's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Classism, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Sexism, Car accident, and Medical content
dustghosts's review
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Death, Grief, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Injury/injury detail, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Murder, Hate crime, Emotional abuse, and Suicide
Moderate: Ableism, Car accident, Chronic illness, Misogyny, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, and Cancer
Minor: Blood, Vomit, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Abortion, Cursing, Drug use, and Gaslighting
deetabz's review
- 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
Graphic: Gun violence, Suicide, Injury/injury detail, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Blood, Car accident, Death, Violence, Homophobia, Hate crime, and Murder
Moderate: Antisemitism, Body horror, Death of parent, Drug use, Medical content, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Ableism, Emotional abuse, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Classism, Alcohol, Cancer, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Vomit, and Cultural appropriation
isleoflinds's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I thought that the characters - Sadie and Sam - were really well-rounded and flawed, but believable people. I was disappointed in the development of the character Marx, who felt most often like a plot device despite also appearing to be almost as significant as Sam and Sadie. Many of the tropes included about halfway through also felt unnecessary and I think a lot of the tension between Sadie and Sam could have happened without employing them. In general, I think Sadie's story was marred by too many gender-related difficulties. I know that being a woman in tech (now, but especially in the 90s) was difficult, but the bulk of the harm she experienced wasn't even related to her work, and I just wish we could have seen her face other issues.
The structure of the book was incredibly compelling - it is built around the vague idea that each "part" is its own game. Especially in the first half of the book, I could really feel the themes aligning with the structure of the book in an intriguing way. The story took a lot of turns in the second half that were just not for me (
Spoiler
miscommunication trope, two accidental pregnancy tropes for the same character, dead baby daddy, and just a general waste of what could have been a really enlightening use of the NPC chapter concept.Overall, I think that Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow had great bones for a story, I just wish it had been a little shorter and/or that it had spent more time considering the significance of Marx. In a story about the complex ways that people can love one another, Marx was central to this, and making <spoilers>the NPC</spoilers> seemed more of an afterthought to be profound rather.
My final very small complaint is the little statement at the end about <spoilers>"this generation thinking their whole personality is their trauma." I am a millennial, so perhaps this very Gen X sentiment just isn't for me, but in 2022, the inclusion of this bit feels quite purposeful. It was said and largely abandoned, squeezed in at the end and unexplored. Why say something that significant and then end the book with "oh I guess maybe our trauma made us who we are too... or maybe not!" Trauma use colloquially often refers to 'the difficult things I have experienced in my life that give me perspective on the world and how I interact with it.' Perhaps this is nuanced, but it just felt quite dismissive and not necessary.</spoilers>
Graphic: Body horror, Gaslighting, Sexism, Terminal illness, Torture, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Confinement, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Injury/injury detail, Mental illness, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Ableism, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Classism, Cultural appropriation, Drug use, and Sexual violence