Scan barcode
bellaa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
once again reinforcing that I have no specific taste, highly recommend this if you are ok with child death and absolutely no plot
I wish I could upload pictures so y'all could see the way I absolutely sobbed at
my happy is not having to read the words "william shakespeare" throughout this entire book
Graphic: Child death, Pandemic/Epidemic, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Infidelity, Pregnancy, Animal death, Miscarriage, and Death of parent
tw// shakespearedmellifera's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Child death
Minor: Infidelity
artmuseam's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Chronic illness, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Child death
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Infidelity
ivyroseopal's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Grief, Blood, and Physical abuse
Minor: Miscarriage and Infidelity
schorlett's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Grief, Medical content, Death, Child death, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Violence, Death of parent, Mental illness, Infidelity, and Physical abuse
Minor: Abortion and Abandonment
iris3271's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Pregnancy, Pandemic/Epidemic, Sexual content, Death, Child death, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Death of parent, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, and Physical abuse
Minor: Body horror
fanchera's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic, Grief, Child death, Death, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Infidelity
clea's review against another edition
- 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? No
4.0
Graphic: Terminal illness, Grief, Child death, Pregnancy, and Physical abuse
Minor: Death of parent, Medical content, and Infidelity
_maia3_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
3.25
On one hand, despite what many have said, I actually enjoyed the flowery prose (even if the plot did move slowly from time to time), and the drama of the novel is well-developed. It's definitely a vibes-over-plot book, but I don't tend to mind that, and enjoyed the small historical details the novel had to offer. The flashbacks in the first half are well-executed and tension is kept measured throughout. O'Farrell writes poignantly on love and grief, especially the effects it has on different people.
On the other, I was and still am very conflicted about the fictionalisation of real people, especially when they are as 1) iconic and 2) scant with historical evidence as Anna Hathaway, her children, and William Shakespeare. The ending was the worst offender I feel, as even though the story wrapped up satisfyingly, it felt lukewarm given the knowledge that most of us have going into the novel - this is Shakespeare. Named or not, this novel exists as a comment on his legacy somehow, and I don't know how to marry it with my enjoyment of the novel.
That is to say however that I did, in fact, enjoy the novel - a lot of these are personal gripes that will probably not impact others. This is a good piece of historical fiction that I would happily recommend, but not for those who are looking for anything concrete or definitive on the Shakespeares, as, as O'Farrell herself puts it, the novel is a product of her own "idle speculation".
Graphic: Child death, Pregnancy, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Grief
Moderate: Child abuse and Misogyny
Minor: Infidelity, Sexual content, and Animal death
eam006's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Death of parent, Physical abuse, and Grief
Minor: Infidelity