Reviews

Amore giovane by Ethan Hawke

outoftheblue14's review

4.0

Non immaginavo che Ethan Hawke sapesse scrivere così bene. Per me resterà sempre il biondino timido tanto carino in "L'attimo fuggente", non ho visto nessun altro dei suoi film (credo). "Amore giovane" era uscito già nel 1997 come "Stato di eccitazione" (forse un titolo più calzante, nell'originale è Hottest State).

Will è un ventenne del Texas che vive a New York e lavora saltuariamente come attore. Una sera in un locale incontra Sarah, ragazza timida e un po' strana, che canta in un gruppo rock. Will se ne innamora all'istante. Sarah, seppure attratta da lui, vorrebbe andarci cauta. Will è uno che si butta a capofitto: dopo una settimana propone a Sarah di andare a convivere, di sposarsi e avere dei figli. Lei è frenata dall'impulsività di lui e dal fatto che è arrivata a New York per stare da sola, non per trovarsi un ragazzo. Entrambi hanno vissuto infanzie difficili senza un padre. Will sembra non sopportare i preservativi (ha messo incinta la sua ragazza del liceo due volte, e lei per due volte ha abortito). Quando Sarah decide che non è pronta per avere una relazione, Will ha una reazione esagerata, ai limiti dello stalking.

E' un romanzo breve, circa duecento pagine, che si leggono in fretta. Il fatto che il protagonista sia un giovane attore fa ipotizzare che la storia abbia un fondo autobiografico. Non posso fare a meno di pensare che il cosiddetto "new adult" dovrebbe essere così. L'autore chiaramente non ha dimenticato la forza assoluta e totalizzante del primo amore.

Penso che leggerò anche "Mercoledì delle Ceneri".

themandimonster's review against another edition

3.0

The main character, William, reminds me of an amalgam of so many of my exes. The story itself left a little to be desired, but it wasn't a bad story. The ending was left kind of open, but not in an entirely unsatisfying way.

yasy_yasy16's review against another edition

emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I really enjoyed this at the beginning, but as the story went on I started to hate the main character. It is well written and the perfect length for a story like this.

bookedbaby's review against another edition

4.0

Ethan hawke is a romantic man. I know very little about him but I feel like I know this? I am a huge fan of his work, especially Juliet, Naked which isn’t even if most well-known. His voice just oozes romance and to read a book by him, I only heard it through his voice. I imagined him as William. He’s all I could picture. He actually writes so beautifully. I truly wondered if these were his real thoughts? I always like male authors for some insight into a mans mind and peaking into Ethans mind was a beautiful thing. Strange but beautiful. This book really ensured me that men are bad with their feelings. I feel like they can’t help it? Emotions freak them out. William couldn’t handle rejection well but a lot of it had to do with his Daddy issues. I felt bad for him. I don’t think I like Sarah. She would never allow herself to feel but I do agree the relationship became pretty toxic so it was good they ended it. Ethan Hawke has much more depth than I’d ever imagined.

tracyramone's review against another edition

5.0

I just loved this. Gen X love.

sophiao's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

3.0

I just found it dull with fleeting moments of aw 

maebarron's review against another edition

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Minor: Fatphobia

scotsedley's review against another edition

1.0

I almost always give Ethan Hawke a pass. I really like him in most film roles. And the ones I don't like him in, I let those slide due to the ones I do like. When I heard that he's directing a film based on this book, I thought I'd give it a read. But, it's awful. Dick-Lit of the worse kind. The conversational tone of the book isn't that bad. The characters are just uninteresting at best and deplorable at worst. Still, I'm curious to see the movie...

profbeards's review against another edition

3.0

I thought the pace of this novel was excellent (200 pages in about 3 hours). While it lacked serious depth outside of the narrator/protagonist, I felt that it did a decent job at times of representing mid-nineties angst at adulthood. It basically reads like every Ethan Hawke part/movie from the 90's, which is not all that bad. For a first novel, it is good. Not great, but good.

hellsbell's review against another edition

4.0

read this in a few hours and loved it. was a little difficult to get into, but well worth the effort.
I liked how both William and Sarah were so easy to like and dislike in equal measures.
the story is a simple one... the birth, falling apart and aftermath of a relationship. it is written with heart and a sense of sincerity and authenticity which made it so readable.

I had read Ash Wednesday by Ethan Hawke previously and loved that too. I am certainly looking forward to reading more by him!