A Bright Ray of Darkness
A novel
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4.3 • 26 Ratings
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
The blistering story of a young man making his Broadway debut in Henry IV just as his marriage implodes—a "witty, wise, and heartfelt novel" (Washington Post) about art and love, fame and heartbreak from the acclaimed actor/writer/director.
A bracing meditation on fame and celebrity, and the redemptive, healing power of art; a portrait of the ravages of disappointment and divorce; a poignant consideration of the rites of fatherhood and manhood; a novel soaked in rage and sex, longing and despair; and a passionate love letter to the world of theater, A Bright Ray of Darkness showcases Ethan Hawke's gifts as a novelist as never before.
Hawke's narrator is a young man in torment, disgusted with himself after the collapse of his marriage, still half hoping for a reconciliation that would allow him to forgive himself and move on as he clumsily, and sometimes hilariously, tries to manage the wreckage of his personal life with whiskey and sex. What saves him is theater: in particular, the challenge of performing the role of Hotspur in a production of Henry IV under the leadership of a brilliant director, helmed by one of the most electrifying—and narcissistic—Falstaff's of all time. Searing, raw, and utterly transfixing, A Bright Ray of Darkness is a novel about shame and beauty and faith, and the moral power of art.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Hawke (Ash Wednesday) dramatizes the struggles of a Hollywood actor whose marriage has just ended because of his infidelity in this uneven roman clef. Thirty-two-year-old William Harding is best known for having cheated on his wife, superstar singer Mary Marquis. As Harding adjusts to the end of their marriage and to sharing custody of their two young children, he simultaneously prepares to make his Broadway debut he's been cast as Hotspur in a new production of Henry IV (a role Hawke himself played in 2003). Harding struggles with mastering the role as part of a company including Virgil Smith, a legendary thespian regarded as Laurence Olivier's heir, who's playing Falstaff. Even as Harding tries to come to terms with Mary's having moved on to another man, he holds out irrational hope that she'll attend one of his performances. Harding's relationship with his kids is underdeveloped, but Hawke's behind-the-scenes look at staging a Shakespeare play provides the highlights, particularly his descriptions of the cartoonishly imposing Virgil ("Virgil was crawling to his position like a homeless madman, muttering to himself, with his dresser following, trying to give the fat man his belt and sword"). Hawke deserves credit for plumbing the dark depths of his doppelg nger.
Customer Reviews
Brilliant!
Ethan Hawke is an incredible actor but he is an amazing writer. So well done, so descriptive, left me amazed at the writing. Highly recommend.
Hotter than the Hottest State
Who knew Shakespeare could be this fun? Living with Ethan Hawke and the Bard through these pages for a few days was a surprising pleasure.
A Bright Ray Of Darkness
Love it, one of the bests I’ve read!❤️Great book absolutely phenomenal