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maevebm's review
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Overall, I found the prose beautiful. The plot was lacking though. While the story had somewhat of a natural progression, I found it unbelievable at times and the characters’ motivations weren’t compelling enough.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic, Child death, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Child abuse
theliterarylayla's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
5.0
This book is a work of art.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Child death, and Child abuse
Minor: Sexual content and Sexism
rainynook's review
dark
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-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? No
5.0
Loved this book to bits. Lyrical, imaginative writing. It says it's a book about the plague, but it's not, not exactly. Some of the characters get the plague, but it's more a book about how characters deal with grief. I did not find it overwhelmingly sad.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Child abuse
artmuseam's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
a heartbreaking piece of fiction that tackles with grief during the plague. i did not expect to cry so many times throughout this book, and yet the writing seemed to know exactly how to get the waterworks going :,) as someone who isn’t really a fan of shakespeare (not that i have anything against him—just not interested enough) i thought this book did great in pulling someone like me into a fictional twist of shakespeare’s life before his rise to fame and the pov from his wife. i genuinely loved agnes as a character and following her story truly put me through some highs and lows. i may need to cleanse my broken soul after finishing this story—the sadness is too much for me to bear. 4/5 stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Chronic illness, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Child death
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Infidelity
savmthompson'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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Grief
Moderate: Child abuse
gazingonthemasqueofsnow'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? N/A
3.75
As beautifuly written as it was, I thought the plot and ending were very predictable from the very start.
That being said, I loved to see Agnes' POV of the story and her evolution during the novel. It was an interesting choice to imagine her life and the one of her family this way.
Not the most revolutional view on Shakespeare's life but still quiet interesting!
That being said, I loved to see Agnes' POV of the story and her evolution during the novel. It was an interesting choice to imagine her life and the one of her family this way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Child abuse
janake's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse
lucylibrarymouse's review
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Child death, and Grief
Moderate: Child abuse
sarabookshelf's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5
This is my second Maggie O'Farrell book, and I have to say I enjoyed "Hamnet" more than the "Marriage Portrait". I feel that all the characters were fleshed out, their relationships and interactions quite realistic, and the storytelling was beautiful. I was worried that reading about 16th century England might be somewhat boring, but it was actually fascinating. The magical aspects of the book were spell-binding, and I particularly liked the witchyness and magical qualities of Agnes' character, as well as Hamnet's and Judith's relationship as twins.
Furthermore, I liked how the first part of the book is organized in chapters and how it continuously switches from past to present; while the second part is very unstructured and blurred reflecting how the lives of the characters have also become unstructured and undefined in time as they deal with grief and tragedy.
I also appreciated how the author portrayed the different ways that the characters deal with grief. For example avoidance from the father, despair and helplessness from the mother, anger from the older sister, denial from the younger sister, etc.
One interesting aspect is the fact that William Shakespeare is never named, and the references to him are always in relation to other people (the father, the brother, the oldest son, the Latin tutor, etc) which can be a bit annoying at times since all other characters have names (besides the baker's wife). But I understand that this was a purposeful artistic choice, perhaps to not take away from the other characters and make it solely Shakespeare's story.
The ending was a bit rushed for my liking and I expected a bit more from it, but overall, I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it.
Furthermore, I liked how the first part of the book is organized in chapters and how it continuously switches from past to present; while the second part is very unstructured and blurred reflecting how the lives of the characters have also become unstructured and undefined in time as they deal with grief and tragedy.
I also appreciated how the author portrayed the different ways that the characters deal with grief. For example avoidance from the father, despair and helplessness from the mother, anger from the older sister, denial from the younger sister, etc.
One interesting aspect is the fact that William Shakespeare is never named, and the references to him are always in relation to other people (the father, the brother, the oldest son, the Latin tutor, etc) which can be a bit annoying at times since all other characters have names (besides the baker's wife). But I understand that this was a purposeful artistic choice, perhaps to not take away from the other characters and make it solely Shakespeare's story.
The ending was a bit rushed for my liking and I expected a bit more from it, but overall, I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness and Child death
Moderate: Grief and Child abuse
levitatingnumeral's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-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
5.0
I wish I could read this book for the first time again and again and again.
The writing style is GORGEOUS, the story is heart-rending and O’Farrell captures both joy and grief in such a magical, complex and vivid way.
The writing style is GORGEOUS, the story is heart-rending and O’Farrell captures both joy and grief in such a magical, complex and vivid way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Death
Moderate: Child abuse and Alcoholism