Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (2022) 401 pages

I listened to the audiobook on Libby narrated by Jennifer Kim with a short section narrated by Julian Cihi. The title comes from a speech in Shakespeare's Macbeth. A couple of my co-workers have also read and reviewed this novel here on the blog. I really enjoyed this story of two friends, their love of video games, and their careers as game designers. The characters of Sam and Sadie are just a bit older than I am growing up in the '80s and '90s. I remember learning computer skills in elementary school, in part, by playing Oregon Trail. Sadie also shares a love of Magic Eye images, those repetitive patterns that you stare beyond to bring out a hidden 3D object. Their lives and the other people in their lives are so richly drawn and realistic. I found exploring the process of video game design fascinating. The ups and downs of building and marketing their games, as well as family and romantic relationships kept me engaged.

 

Spinning Silver

 Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik, 465 pages.

Miryem is the daughter of a very incompetent moneylender, and the granddaughter of a very competent one. When her mother falls sick and there is no money to help her she decides to take over her father's business, and it turns out that she is very, very good at it. But her boasts of turning silver to gold attracts the attention of the Staryk King of Winter, who says that he will marry her if she can change his gold to silver trice, and kill her if she cannot. And this impossible task is just the beginning,  for both Miryem and the people pulled into her orbit.

This phenomenal book is roughly a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin (a specific genre that I have a soft spot for), but full of Eastern European folklore, Jewish custom, and just generally really good characters. I found it really hard to write a summary here because there's just SO MUCH in this book, and it's all so good. I've been meaning to read it for like three or four years and now I'm a little upset that I didn't get to it sooner. I would definitely recommend.