See You Yesterday by Rachel Lynn Solomon: Book Summary and Study Guide

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Quick Facts

Short Summary

Barrett Bloom arrives at the University of Washington hoping to leave a painful high school experience behind, but her first day of classes unravels spectacularly: her former rival becomes her roommate, her newspaper interview goes poorly, and she accidentally sets fire to a fraternity house. When she wakes up the next morning, it's still September 21st. She soon discovers that Miles Kasher-Okamoto, a physics student she initially clashes with, has been trapped in the same loop for months. Together they research time-travel theories, track down a mysterious former professor, and confront the traumas they've been running from. As they grow closer, they must decide whether to risk leaving the safety of the loop—and each other—behind.

Full Summary

A Fresh Start Gone Wrong

Barrett Bloom arrives at the University of Washington determined to reinvent herself after a painful high school experience. On the first day of classes, September 21st, everything goes wrong. Her dorm room, which she expected to be a single, is suddenly occupied by Lucie Lamont, her former high school rival, who has been reassigned as her roommate due to overcapacity. Her interview with the student newspaper, the Washingtonian, goes poorly when the editor presses her about a high school article that exposed cheating on the tennis team. That evening, she attends a fraternity party where she accidentally knocks over a Tiki torch, setting the house on fire. The crowd turns on her, and she flees as police arrive.

Discovering the Loop

When Barrett wakes the next morning, she discovers it is still September 21st. Her social media shows no trace of the previous day's events, and Lucie is being moved in as her roommate all over again. She initially assumes it's a dream, but after a second identical day, she becomes convinced the loop is real. In physics class, she clashes with Miles, a dismissive student who volunteers her to answer a question and then corrects her. After several loops, she confesses to Miles that she's stuck, and he reveals he has been repeating September 21st for sixty-one days.

Miles explains his theory that their timelines moved at different frequencies, using relativity and parallel universes to account for the discrepancy. They agree to work together, researching time travel in the physics library. Their partnership is initially contentious—Barrett jokes about finding true love to break the loop, while Miles insists on a scientific approach—but they gradually develop a rapport. Barrett learns that Miles's mother is Dr. Okamoto, their physics professor, and that his father teaches Jewish history. They bond over their shared Jewish identity.

Adventures Without Consequences

As the weeks pass, Barrett and Miles try various strategies to break the loop: good deeds, blood donation, gopher-awareness tabling, and a list of consequence-free adventures including a day trip to Disneyland, adopting dogs, and building a ball pit in a drained pool. They also investigate Dr. Ella Devereux, a former UW professor who taught a time-travel class before disappearing. Barrett discovers archived articles about her and a sticky note with her address in Oregon.

During this period, Barrett and Miles grow closer. They watch Groundhog Day together, and Miles reveals his passion for film and period pieces. They get matching tattoos—a mozzarella stick design on Barrett's forearm and a lower-back tattoo reading