The Hottest State

I pity the pretentious readers out there that are so "intelligent" they are unable to enjoy a book at face value. To be a person that would compare this novel to such writers as Hemingway, Fitzgerald and others of the like is a blatant attempt to make yourself feel better than those of us that signed on to give a positive review of a work well done. Although this is a fairly short novel it is immensely full of so much emotion and honesty that it is hard to put down. The characters aren't particularly likeable, but they are definitely identifiable. If you are not able to see atleast some of their characteristics in yourself then you may not yet have lived and loved. I read this book through in one sitting and found the writing unpretentious and I believe that helped me immerse myself in the situations so much more easily than most more highly respected novels today. There is not a lot of thought provoking figurative language and not very much vast attention to detail. This book reads much like a movie script and is very easy to visualize as it goes along. I recommend this book to anyone that wants to read a simple bittersweet story about the love and loss of our youth. The simplicity of it will appeal to the A.D.D. youth of today or anyone that doesn't want to have to think too much to enjoy a good book.

I'm surprised at the number of reviews here, saying that "Sarah is a two-dimensional character", that "we are not told why she leaves him" and that the "ending is unfulfilling". When are those things logical in real life? I love this book precisely because it is like life. We never fully know the other person, we never know why she or he leaves. Paris and William's movie are not very well described, because they are not relevant to the story. Sarah is slightly vague, because we see her through William's eyes. The ending, although not pink and heart shaped or even a proper closure, is very much like life. Indeed, it is more af a proper ending than most half-formed relationships get. Nothing is fully explained or understood, and though that may leave some people frustrated, I like that it is just as frustrating and mysterious as a real love story.

This very book tells the story of William, an actor from Texas living in New York, who discovers that love really is found in the least likely places...or is it the most likely places with the least likely woman? He meets her in an aptly named bar, "The Bitter End," and begins a journey we've all been on before--The only difference is that, here, it is expressed into words. Though the story itself is less than original, it is still a story we never get tired of hearing--mostly because we've been there. Hawke doesn't try to impress the reader with verbal wizardry, but the narration is very articulate and has a unique way of flowing. I really loved this book, but based on other people's opinions, it is not for the over 40 crowd. Being an incredibly condensed read, I would recommend that everyone take a few hours to discover this emotional post-modern "love" story.

If you liked Reality Bites and Before Sunrise you'll love The Hottest State. It has the same quality of being both intense and real which made me love his acting. I can't put it down. The characters remind me of so many people I know in college--especially the brilliant and charming but incredibly frustrating guys we all fall for.

This book was written with raw emotion and the pain of someone who suffered through a REAL relationship. It's something we have all dealt with and Ethan Hawke puts it into words beautifully. I read this novel from start to finish without putting it down. I hate to put the lable "love" story on this book, because it is more of a "life" story. It has wonderful character connections, realistic situations, and a general feeling of "I've been there" to it. I encourage anyone who's ever said they don't like to read to pick up this book.