TOMORROW reviews | MerilynRuthLiddell

Tomorrow - reviews

Tomorrow is the most engaging book I've read in some time. Written in the voices of three completely unrelated strangers - a mysterious woman living in an underground tech paradise, a local cab driver, and a pregnant girl from out of town hiding from several abusive relationships - these characters all find their lives intertwined. The main characters all have complicated backstories, which don't immediately come to light. But the way they act is understandable and relatable (even when the backstory is less relatable). In addition, the way these three characters are brought together felt surprising and original. Their stories made the different voicings of the chapters easy to follow.

Liddell also cast complicated moral issues in a different light - something necessary in her dystopian world. How should power be handled? What should be controlled and what should be left up to individual choice? How should a corrupt police force be dealt with? And while I can't say I agreed with all of the character choices, I understood them and they provoked further thinking long after I finished the book. I don't know if there will be another book in this world Liddell has imagined, but I would be intrigued to know how other cities functioned, similar to how Lois Lowry wrote about separate societies in the same world and era in her series, The Giver Quartet. It reminded me of Lowry's style of world building. - Sara Lawson

Liddell describes her futuristic world as being “dysfunctional” rather than “dystopian,” because hope permeates her novel. The setting is a small mountain coal-mining town with toxic air, destroyed streets, a society regressed to mafia-style big man leadership, and a pervasive threat of personal violence. Martha, is a recluse, researching for what destroyed her world. Jake is a strong-minded young man taking risks to protect those he loves. They are drawn together by Sophie, a pregnant woman escaping abuse. Together they take on the town leadership, forging hope for the future. Liddell’s great achievement is in describing a world catastrophe by narrating the lives and actions of just three people. Global issues are mirrored in smaller effects on her characters. Tomorrow is a quick, fun read, despite its dark setting. Liddell is a concise, clear writer and her characters are well drawn and quirky. I found it a compelling story and read it in a day. - Claire Allum

I was drawn into the story immediately and compelled to read on because I wanted the protagonists to prevail. They could easily be my neighbours and friends. I wanted them to succeed, but I understood why they might not. If you’re looking for a story of depth and intelligence, where the characters surprise you, I highly recommend Tomorrow by Merilyn Ruth Liddell. - Joylene Nowell Butler, author

Tomorrow is an entertaining novel filled with emotion and excitement that will take you from the last page back to the first page, wanting to read it again. - Loreena Russomanno, author