Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Hamnet & Judith by Maggie O'Farrell

35 reviews

alomie's review against another edition

dark emotional slow-paced

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

3.5

This book had some really beautiful moments, and I especially liked the chapter about the flea that travels across oceans and brings the plauge with it.

Otherwise the book was okay, I was bored and ready for it to be over by the end of the book, nothing particularly wrong with it but I could have just done with less of it, by the end I was rushing through. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Misogyny, and Child abuse

carizwerg's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief and Child death

Moderate: Child abuse, Miscarriage, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, and Physical abuse

lara_bk's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Grief, Pregnancy, Child death, Death, and Child abuse

Moderate: Bullying and Sexual content

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

lena_and_her_books's review against another edition

emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, Pregnancy, Child death, and Death

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Child abuse, Cursing, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, and Blood

sionnac's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.0

I loved the writing when it touched on the natural world (and the supernatural). Very sad and the ending was a little strange and unsatisfying. But overall I liked it. Narrator Ell Potter was good, I listened to audiobook.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Death

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Terminal illness

Minor: Sexual content

honeycrispp's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

A deeply emotional, enthralling and immersive work of historical fiction set during the Black Death. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Terminal illness, Child death, Grief, Confinement, Death, Pregnancy, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Infidelity, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, Blood, and Xenophobia

Minor: Animal death and Gaslighting

lindseyhall44's review against another edition

emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

My second five star read of 2022! This book was phenomenal, and I 100% understand why it won the woman’s prize for fiction two years ago. The writing is lyrical and the character arcs are well rounded. Hamnet, by Maggie O’Farrell, is the story of Shakespeare’s son, who died at a young age from unrecorded causes (this author speculates the plague). Although Hamnet is the namesake of this novel, a majority of it follows his mother Agnes, (also knows as Anne Hathaway) throughout her experiences with  marriage, womanhood, and the loss of a child. Her other children and Shakespeare themselves receive perspectives as well, but we really dive deep into the complexities of Agnes. She is often overshadowed in history by the title of “wife,” and I was glad to see her receive the spotlight. 
The grief portrayed in the Shakespeare family was gutrenching, so much to the point where the emotions seemed to jump off the page. It was sad but healing, and I’m definitely considering trying more Shakespearean works. Hamnet is incredibly slow placed, therefore I wouldn’t recommend if you need action and a plot focus. But for all my literary fiction friends, pick this up wherever you access books:) 
*Some events in this book are fictionalized, fyi.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Classism and Injury/Injury detail

booksmoviesandstories's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Pregnancy, Violence, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Child abuse and Death of parent

Minor: Animal cruelty and Infidelity

carlafiorenzo's review against another edition

challenging sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

such a good exploration of grief in many forms, from many perspectives. how something that requires love, patience and dedication can be taken so quickly, for no reason. loved it

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Grief

littlegretty's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

This book is beautifully written and O'Farrell masterfully crafts a narrative that makes you fall in love with each character on its own. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Grief

Moderate: Sexual content