Yep... you read correctly. Ethan Hawke, as in the actor. Not a lot of people know that Ethan Hawke also writes novels (two so far, the other being Ash Wednesday), and probably even fewer who have formed a justified opinion either way on his work. In some respects he probably has to work harder to convince us of his credibility as a writer than your average author since he has to overcome that "Hollywood actor who's now trying to convince us he's a writer" label. With this in mind The Hottest State can't just be good... it has to be extra good...
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And I have to hand it to him, the boy delivers. This is the second time I've read Hawke's first offering and I loved it just as much this time as I did the last. I decided to re-read it after watching the film that he made adapted from the book and noticed there were some differences from the book, but as it turns out I'm not going mad and Hawke did make some changes. It's intriguing to me to wonder why an author who makes a film of a book that he wrote chooses to adapt it rather than stick to it faithfully. Largely the script between the characters remains the same (thankfully coz I loved those exchanges!) and I suppose other changes were made for the purposes of adapting to screenplay. In any case, it's still a good film... but enough about the movie anyway :)
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The Hottest State is a better first novel that one might have expected. Hawke's approach is both sensitive and direct and as a result the characters and the text are refreshingly honest. Anyone who remembers being 'in love' when they were 20 knows the pain and obsession of that first relationship and it's a difficult subject to tackle but Hawke does not shy away from the challenge. It's a fairly skinny book so doesn't take long to read but is also good because the book keeps pace with the situation and doesn't drag.
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And I have to hand it to him, the boy delivers. This is the second time I've read Hawke's first offering and I loved it just as much this time as I did the last. I decided to re-read it after watching the film that he made adapted from the book and noticed there were some differences from the book, but as it turns out I'm not going mad and Hawke did make some changes. It's intriguing to me to wonder why an author who makes a film of a book that he wrote chooses to adapt it rather than stick to it faithfully. Largely the script between the characters remains the same (thankfully coz I loved those exchanges!) and I suppose other changes were made for the purposes of adapting to screenplay. In any case, it's still a good film... but enough about the movie anyway :)
.
The Hottest State is a better first novel that one might have expected. Hawke's approach is both sensitive and direct and as a result the characters and the text are refreshingly honest. Anyone who remembers being 'in love' when they were 20 knows the pain and obsession of that first relationship and it's a difficult subject to tackle but Hawke does not shy away from the challenge. It's a fairly skinny book so doesn't take long to read but is also good because the book keeps pace with the situation and doesn't drag.
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The story follows William, a small-time actor living in New York who meets a quiet and slightly weird Sarah in a bar called 'The Bitter End'. Their relationship is romantic and intense with William trying his best to bring elements of the movie theatre into real life. Things for William are perfect, apart from one small issue with Sarah refusing to have sex with him. But other than that, things are great. They move in together and William falls head over heels for her. Then after a week together in France, Sarah turns cold and the relationship ends, much to William's dismay and confusion.
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If you're looking for a story with a great plot, then this isn't it. This is a book that explores character. Sarah is troubled and insecure, and has moved to New York to be a singer... although she seems to hate singing in front of people. Her last relationship didn't end well and she has a mother intent on making her feel guilty for following her dreams William is also insecure and tries to hide this using humour. For him most of life is an act as he tries to pretend his life is not as empty as it actually is. Combine this with memories of his childhood and an absent promise-breaking father and you have a veritable melting pot of angst, trouble and fraught emotions.
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With this is mind, you could be forgiven for choosing to give this book a miss... however, this is where Hawke has shown himself more than capable of tackling this difficult subject. Despite the situation the story runs smoothly and Hawke cleverly punctuates the downsides with William's humorous personality. During parts which you should be crying at, you find yourself laughing such is William's outlook at his situation. But don't read this to mean the book is funny by any means. William's humour is full of cynicism, almost like a black comedy. At times during tough situations Hawke manages to hit the nail right on the head. His characters have depth and excellent dialogue and with clever support characters that really highlight Sarah and William's relationship.
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So, in my humble opinion, the accolade of 'Writer' given to Hawke is justifiably earned, and earned by his own efforts, not merely as a given because he's already a famous actor. This book doesn't try to be clever... it just tries to be honest. Definitely worth a read, and I reckon you'll be pleasantly surprised... :)
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So, in my humble opinion, the accolade of 'Writer' given to Hawke is justifiably earned, and earned by his own efforts, not merely as a given because he's already a famous actor. This book doesn't try to be clever... it just tries to be honest. Definitely worth a read, and I reckon you'll be pleasantly surprised... :)
