Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

Pizza parties, arcade machines, trading cards and a digital avatar creator; Penguin have gone all out promoting Gabrielle Zevin's new novel Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow. Social media would have me believe that there isn't a Waterstones in the country that hasn't read #Tomorrowx3 yet, and I've certainly been persuading everyone at my little Blackwell's bookshop to buy it.

To summarise: Sadie and Sam are computer game fanatics. They grew up playing classics like The Oregon Trail and Super Mario Land. When they meet by chance in a hospital room, they become instant friends. Skip forward to university. They've lost contact over the years but Sam bumps into Sadie at the subway - friendship resumed, and this time they decide to make a video game together. This video game becomes immensley popular, and the novel charts the way this strains their friendship and changes their lives.

I got a proof ages ago but, to my shame, didn't read it until this week. I felt a little pressure to finish it early as the hype was beginning to build online. I wasn't expecting fireworks, to be honest. I've been burnt by the Sally Rooney Hype Machine; ordering my tote bag and holding my breath the week of publication only to be wholly underwhelmed. When people are universally insisting that something is Really Great, I am immediately skeptical. See also: Marvel movies.

Well, this is the part where I had to put the book down because I was crying too hard to focus on the words. I'm was around 100 pages from the end and as emotionally wrung out as a wet teatowel. I've forgotten that I have to go to work because I'm actually the manager of a successfully video game design company. Sam and Sadie are my best friends. I've known them since school. I am so invested in their lives and care about them on a deep and personal level.

Tomorrowx3 is compelling, immersive and packed with nostalgic references to nineties culture and problematic relationship drama. It's a wise and heartfelt look at the lives of two complicated, flawed human beings. They don't always say or do the right thing. Their insecurities impede them. As their game starts achieving popularity, we realise that fame and success have different meanings to Sam and Sadie.

I'm afraid I must now wave my handkerchief at you from my window-seat on the Hype Train. I am fully onboard.

Can I read it if I don't play video games?

Yes! The novel is predominantly about love and friendship, and you don't need an extensive knowledge of gaming to understand it. I didn't know what The Oregon Trail was, and ended up putting the book down and playing for an hour...

What other books would you say it's similar to?

Well, if you're going at it via the video games route, there's a novel by Austin Grossman called You. It's about a guy who starts working at a video game company who discovers a weird glitch in their latest game. I read it years ago and loved it, but it literally takes you inside the game so you'll enjoy it most if you score highly on the Kinsey Scale of Nerdery (What would we call it? The Gibson Scale?)

Apparently this has been described as A Little Life with video games. I haven't read A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara but it's by all accounts a profoundly moving story following four friends through their lives.

If you enjoyed the college years the most, Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld is an absolute classic, as is The Secret History by Donna Tart.

Broken friendships? We Are Okay by Nina LaCour for a more YA-skewed read. Or how about Swing Time by Zadie Smith?