Game On: A Jewish Book Review of Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

Regardless of its title, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a book you should absolutely read today, not tomorrow. It’s a deeply moving tale about two video game enthusiasts, Sadie Green and Sam Masur, who fall in and out of friendship and professional partnership throughout their lives. Their journey starts with a secret bat mitzvah project and quickly transforms into so much more.

I’ve often heard that this novel is considered to be a modern-day masterpiece, but I didn’t know until just before I started reading that it was one that features such incredible Jewish protagonists as well. Sadie and Sam both have Jewish ancestry, as Sadie is Eastern European Jewish and Sam is half-Jewish and half-Korean-American. 

From the first page, readers can see that Judaism is evident in this story  – Sam is immediately described as “a nice, ostensibly Jewish boy” with curly hair. When we meet his soon-to-be-friend Sadie, Judaism once again makes its way to the forefront as we discover that Sadie’s preparing for her bat mitzvah. The two connect over their love of video games in a children’s hospital where Sam is recovering from a severe foot injury. When a community service opportunity for her bat mitzvah is presented by befriending Sam, Sadie eagerly takes a chance. The resulting ripple effects will change her life forever.

While this novel primarily focuses on the power of video games and human connection, Judaism weaves its way into the narrative beautifully. There are a variety of Jewish characters beyond our two protagonists, some of who are shining lights like Sadie’s sweet and wise bubbe Freda as well as others who are far more morally questionable like the game developer Dov. I appreciated that there was such a wide range of personalities who were all Jewish, showcasing how the Jewish religion manifests differently for each individual as opposed to having just one character serve as a sweeping generalization. 

Though the plot line didn’t revolve directly around Judaism, this book stayed authentically Jewish with fantastic little one-liners. Hebrew and Yiddish references were abundant throughout the novel, as characters would casually mention matzoh or say “mazel” to someone. My favorite reference is when Sadie lists her favorite things and challah makes a winning appearance alongside tote bags and yoga. The lingering effects of the Holocaust on the Jewish population are also brought up and discussed with care. Sadie’s grandmother Freda is a Holocaust survivor and Sadie honors her through one of the first games she develops, which delivers a powerful message as it warns how ignorance can lead to bigotry. 

From its gorgeous imagery to its fantastic dialogue, it’s easy to adore this book. It will definitely teach you some new words to add to your vocabulary (ten points to anyone who knows what “bloviating” means), but it will also teach you so much about life and the importance of having people within it who truly know you. Reading this at 22 is fascinating, as I’m at the halfway point of the narrative for these characters. One day, I look forward to returning to this book once I reach the age of Sadie and Sam at the end when they’re 37. Yet I suppose that will be tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow.