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Rating: "Ash Wednesday" succeeds where many books fail: it concludes.
No tricks for Ethan, he doesn't resort to easy open endings and/or other similar gimmicks, proving himself to be a capable and competent writer.
He does this by offering a solid and concrete philosophy, based on balance, and putting words rich in hope in the mouth of one of his two protagonists.
He and she love and argue, are about to have their first child, travel across a part of America, and must take responsibility.
Utilizing the "On The Road" genre Hawke travels across America and explores the streams of consciousness of these two new parents.
He achieves this by alternating the chapters: one for Jimmy (a rather childish ex-soldier who joined after watching Top Gun!) and Christy (a hyper-decisive nurse); the technique proves effective though somewhat repetitive at times.
Perhaps he overindulges a bit too much in symbolism, for example, the blind man Christy meets on the bus, but nothing too serious.
The book is coherent, in examining relationships with parents and depicting those of couples, and overall original.
-I say something trivial, but I don't jest-
It's a quick reflection of Jimmy that is fitting to summarize the book and the author's abilities.
Published in 2009 by Minimum Fax for the series "I Quindici", which celebrates the first and fortunate fifteen years of life of the publishing house, the book has a hardcover and dust jacket.
In the appendix, a juicy interview with Ethan Hawke, Austin 1970, actor and writer, here in his second venture.
"The Hottest State", his first literary work, was published this year also by Minimum Fax.
In conclusion, "Ash Wednesday" is a generational book written with maturity and passion.
This is enough to appreciate it, no surprises to be clear, but sometimes the protagonists think or say things that would never cross our minds.
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