15 Discussion Questions for Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow has become a book club favorite for its rich exploration of friendship, creativity, and identity. These discussion questions go deeper than "did you like Sam or Sadie more?" (For more in this register, see our 2026 literary fiction picks for book clubs.)
The best discussion questions for Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow explore the Sam-Sadie-Marx dynamic, the nature of creative partnership, and how games function as both metaphor and reality in the characters' lives.
The Central Relationship
- Is Sam and Sadie's relationship a friendship, a romance, or something else entirely? Does our language fail to describe what they have?
- Zevin writes that "there is a time for any fledgling artist where one's work is not good enough." How do Sam and Sadie each navigate this period, and how does it shape their partnership?
- Both Sam and Sadie keep secrets from each other. Which secrets felt more damaging? Are some secrets acceptable in close relationships?
- How does Marx function in the Sam-Sadie dynamic? Is he the glue or the wedge?
Creativity and Collaboration
- Sam says, "What is a game? It's tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow." What does this mean to you? How do games function differently than other art forms?
- Creative partnerships are notoriously difficult. What makes Sam and Sadie's work? What breaks it?
- The book shows the tension between commercial success and artistic integrity. How do the characters navigate this? Who handles it better?
- Does the book suggest that great art requires pain? Do you agree?
Identity and Disability
- Sam is Korean-American, Jewish, and disabled. How do these identities shape him? Does the book handle identity well?
- Sadie faces sexism in the gaming industry. How does this manifest? How does she respond?
- Sam's relationship with his body changes throughout the book. How does his disability shape his understanding of games and virtual worlds?
Structure and Form
- The book spans 30 years. What is gained and lost by this expansive timeline?
- Zevin includes game summaries throughout. Did you read these closely? How did they enhance or interrupt your reading?
- The Shakespeare title (from Macbeth's "tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow" speech) is about the meaninglessness of time. How does the book engage with this?
The Ending
- Without spoiling specifics: Did the ending satisfy you? What does it suggest about the possibility of repair?
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Take the QuizFrequently Asked Questions
Do members need to know anything about video games to discuss this book?
No. The novel uses games as a metaphor for collaborative creative work — the dynamics of partnership, ego, attribution, and rebuilding after breakdowns. Members who have never played a video game in their life often bring the sharpest readings, because they can't get distracted by whether the technical details ring true. Encourage non-gamers to speak first.
Is Sam and Sadie's relationship romantic? Why does the book leave it ambiguous?
Zevin has said in interviews that she wanted to write a story about a love that isn't romantic but is the central love of a person's life. The ambiguity is the point — most book clubs land somewhere different on it, and the disagreement is often the best part of the meeting. Don't try to settle it; ask what each member's reading says about how they define partnership.
How long should we plan for this discussion?
90 to 120 minutes. The Sam-Sadie-Marx dynamic alone takes 30 to 45 minutes because the structure of their partnership keeps shifting across the 30-year timeline. Save the Pioneers / Solution chapter and the Marx ending for the second half — those are the moments most members want to talk about, and they need the earlier groundwork to land.
Are there content warnings we should flag in advance?
On-page gun violence (the Pioneers chapter), the death of a major character, depictions of chronic pain and disability, and a fairly graphic sexual-harassment-in-the-workplace storyline. None gratuitous, all integral to the book's argument. Most adult clubs handle it without issue, but flag the violence chapter ahead of time for anyone sensitive — its placement in the structure makes it land hard.
What should we read next if our club loved this book?
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara (decades-spanning friendship, more intense), Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (woman in a male-dominated field, lighter register), or any of the titles in our 2026 literary fiction picks for clubs that want emotional ambition without sacrificing readability.