Book Club+ MPC discussion

Hi everyone,

If you are joining us for our book club selection "This Time Tomorrow" by Emma Straub, we open our online discussions. There is no pressure to join in for every post. Please share your thoughts with us at any time throughout the reading of the book. Check in with us from time to time and let us know your thoughts about the book.

Alice finds herself at the hospital, visiting her father, Leonard Stern. She had faithfully been visiting him for over a month. His body was failing, but no one knew when he would pass away. Leonard was 73 years old and Alice was 40 and she never imagined herself waiting for her father to die. She received little comfort from her mother, who told her "Leonard needed to release himself from his ego...until he did so, he would be chained to his earthly body." She didn't hesitate to tell him she loved him, something she never did when she was younger. Alice wanted her mother to care more, but didn't expect her to, especially since her parents had been divorced. She just didn't want to go through her father's passing alone.

When Alice reached her apartment, she reflected on the life she had with her boyfriend Matt. They kept two apartments. Alice thought about her own, privileged upbringing, going to the best schools. If you had the money, there were schools available for children with different talents and the untalented. Alice was an expert of analyzing what being rich could provide to a family and what it didn't provide for Alice as a child.

Alice worked at the Belvedere School, Admissions Office and saw a repeat of her life, with each child that walked in the office. She held a special power that all parents wanted. The ability to decide on which children were accepted in that prestigious school.

She decided to go to Matt's apartment to wash clothes. Reflecting on her relationship with him, it didn't appear to be as exiting as other couples they knew. Other couples put more effort in their relationships than Alice and Matt did. Did she want to get married? she wasn't sure. Did she have to? children? age? because everyone else was?

Alice's plan had been to be a painter. She found herself instead, working through school applications and deciding the fate of two hundred applicant for thirty-give spaces. She often recognized the names of former classmates and now, seeing their children. She wondered what became of her classmates, maybe not all of them, but definitely some of them.

Alice's life continues to be a battle of the past and the future. Why did her parents divorce? What is their story? Why the distance between Alice and her parents? She seems reluctant to move forward with marriage with Matt, fearing a repeat from what happened to her parents marriage? Is she truly happy with her job? She was once a painter and that dream seemed to have vanished. Why? Looking at school applications and recognizing names from the past have given Alice a curiosity of her youth. Which names seem more interesting than others? Alice's father's health is failing, how much longer can he survive? Can Alice handle losing him?

What are your thoughts so far? And predictions?

Have a good day.

Sincerely,

-Donna

Hi Donna

I’m reading This Time Tomorrow. I’m about 30 pages in. I really like it so far!

I have a lot of expectations and questions just since I read the premise on the flap of the book jacket and on Goodreads, so I know what’s going to happen pretty soon I think that will propel the main plot of the story.

But so far I really am enjoying it. The main takeaway for me is Alice as a main character. She is pretty unique and a bit hard to understand (so far). She is definitely lost or at least stuck in her current routine. I think things will get quite interesting when the big event happens coming up which will completely upend her.

I look forward to it!

Colton

Hi Colton,

I'm so glad you are reading with us. Alice is definitely going to be an interesting character. While it seems as if all the surrounding characters have their own unique stories, issues. I agree, Alice appears to be okay with her life, despite things that have happened, she will be discovering that her past is a big part of her present and she has many unresolved feelings about life.

I'm looking forward to seeing how this journey evolves for her and I hope that "time" will reveal all that she needed to know. I could see this book being made into a movie. I wonder how many of us, if we could go back into time to change anything if we could? I would like to, but fearful of changing fate, history.

Looking forward to all your thoughts on this book.

Have a good weekend Colton.

-Donna