The number of people who urged me to read Gabrielle Zevin’s Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is approached only by the number of people who told me to watch White Lotus.
It’s a fun, quick read full of nostalgia appealing to people around 40.
I think what I liked most about this book was learning this gloss of the ending of the Iliad:
5477 Marx came onto the patio. “What’s everyone talking about?”
“The end of The Iliad.”
“That’s the best part,” Marx said.
“Why is it the best part?” Sadie asked.
“Because it’s perfect,” Marx said. “ ‘Tamer of horses’ is an honest profession. The lines mean that one doesn’t have to be a god or a king for your life to have meaning.”
“Hector is us,” Sadie said.
“Hector is us,” Marx repeated.
Another thing that struck me from a story perspective were some pretty deep betrayals quite early in the story – a bit surprising, but they worked.
Notes and quotes:
5819 “Contrary to popular belief,” Simon continued, “my favorite German word is not actually doppelgänger. It’s ‘Zweisamkeit.’ ”
….
“ ‘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 I can say is, I love you and thank you for marrying me anyway.”
- Read Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin