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lesleyann's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I was really surprised with how much I liked the way Ethan Hawke writes. Some parts just blew me away !
I loveeeee unlikeable characters because they are fun to read about and interesting, and William, oh boyyyyy. He is soo unlikeable and self centered I actually laughed out loud at how absurd some of the things he said and thought are. I also loved how he had no idea he was the bad guy until a bunch of high schoolers booed him 😭😭 truly incredible and perfect for a man in his position. I would have rated it higher but I hated they way women were written and how one dimensional they are. I get that that's how William saw/used women in those moments but.... it was hard to read.
vlatka5's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
arye97's review
challenging
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I'm not convinced a single conversation between characters written in this book is at all how human beings actually speak to one another. It's very strange, everyone in his life has something philosophical to say and somehow they're all written like they're the same person, with similar intentions and desires.
It was interesting seeing the main character, William, realize he was infact the villain of his own story, and following his journey around accepting his situation was well done.
If anything, it's made me want to read Shakespeare.
3/5 Stars
It was interesting seeing the main character, William, realize he was infact the villain of his own story, and following his journey around accepting his situation was well done.
If anything, it's made me want to read Shakespeare.
3/5 Stars
tawattt's review
3.5
i did not expect his writing style to be this good.
this is a story about a movie star who has cheated on his rockstar wife and is on his way to his first shakespearean play on broadway.
okay so i actually like it but one problem is the way he writes women (ofc). all the men get to be everything and the women are just one dimensional and all they are is sexy. another problem is the creepy sex scenes lmao. also every single character just wouldn’t stop talkingggg. they just talk and talk and talk. they’re all just philosophical and you just want to sleeeeppp.
this is a story about a movie star who has cheated on his rockstar wife and is on his way to his first shakespearean play on broadway.
okay so i actually like it but one problem is the way he writes women (ofc). all the men get to be everything and the women are just one dimensional and all they are is sexy. another problem is the creepy sex scenes lmao. also every single character just wouldn’t stop talkingggg. they just talk and talk and talk. they’re all just philosophical and you just want to sleeeeppp.
angus_mckeogh's review
5.0
Great novel about a narcissistic actor with a self-esteem problem. Had a whole section with a play within the narrative (and I’ve previously stated how much I dislike that trope) but it was superbly done. I’d say in my opinion Hawke is a better author than actor. Good stuff.
zimmy_stewart's review against another edition
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.0
nataliebonetti's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
tdem122's review against another edition
3.0
[1st read from 16/8/2022 to 20/8/2022] — 3.5⭐️
— i should’ve expected hawke being a fantastic writer.
after all he did co-write most of the scripts for the ‘before’ trilogy, which i adore with my entire heart.
he’s also an incredible speaker, always managing to explain complex subjects (usually film terminology) in terms everyone will understand. and yet i was still surprised at how good this was!
however, i do have to say that only he could get away with writing about the suffering of such a privileged character with seemingly everything. our main character is a cis male, white and willingly cheated on his wife… and yet hawke makes us feel just the tiniest bit of sympathy for him. no one else could make me feel that way.
the prose was, once again, extremely good and my only complaints are 1) the descriptions of women within the book (quite frankly reduced to their bodies, and it clearly doesn’t pass the bechdel test) & 2) the incredibly deem and philosophical conversations about space & supernovas that the mc was having with his kids… literally aged 3 & 5.
other than i must say i’m very much impressed and quite look forward to reading some of his older work!
— i should’ve expected hawke being a fantastic writer.
after all he did co-write most of the scripts for the ‘before’ trilogy, which i adore with my entire heart.
he’s also an incredible speaker, always managing to explain complex subjects (usually film terminology) in terms everyone will understand. and yet i was still surprised at how good this was!
however, i do have to say that only he could get away with writing about the suffering of such a privileged character with seemingly everything. our main character is a cis male, white and willingly cheated on his wife… and yet hawke makes us feel just the tiniest bit of sympathy for him. no one else could make me feel that way.
the prose was, once again, extremely good and my only complaints are 1) the descriptions of women within the book (quite frankly reduced to their bodies, and it clearly doesn’t pass the bechdel test) & 2) the incredibly deem and philosophical conversations about space & supernovas that the mc was having with his kids… literally aged 3 & 5.
other than i must say i’m very much impressed and quite look forward to reading some of his older work!
bringonthenight's review
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75