Reviews for This Time Tomorrow

The average rating for This Time Tomorrow based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2011-06-06 00:00:00 Michael Roberts i think that this novel is propelled by its characters more than anything, particularly because the plot moves very slowly toward its climactic moment. that said, i found two of the three characters very frustrating because of their inability to take control over their lives. the author gives the male protagonist, gilbert gaeta, a very complex inner life, but he is a pretty stagnant character. to say that he has poor communication skills would be an extreme understatement, and perhaps because of this, he isn't prone to ACT on his desires. i felt that, similarly, joyce, the adult female protagonist, needed to be more active in her own life. she does more than gilbert (at least she tries to move her purse collection), but, ultimately, she remains "stuck" well into her 40s in her childhood home with her physically and verbally abusive father. the problem with both of these characters is that they use familial obligations as an excuse to not move forward in their own lives. while externally that might seem commendable, in this novel, it seems tragic. the only character who seems to take control of her life is gilbert's daughter, ana. her narrative was what gave the story some punch at the end of the novel. she's not very likable, but she's interesting and i would have liked the other characters to be more like her in terms of action.

Review # 2 was written on 2010-04-25 00:00:00 Alicja Bienkowska What a voice! This book perfectly captures the essence of the working class San Gabriel Valley and its rich diversity. I know the area well. The story revolves around the relationship between a dad, his teen daughter and his girlfriend. The characters are very well fleshed out. I highly reccomend this book and Michael Jaime-Becerra's collection of interwoven short stories "Every Night is Ladies Night" as well. (Also set in the San Gabriel Valley) I would have given This Time Tomorrow five stars except the time transisions in the novel seemed a little awkward to me.