wrackcity's review
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Grief, Pregnancy, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Confinement and Medical content
honeycrispp's review
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.
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
welkinvault's review against another edition
emotional
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? It's complicated
5.0
This is a reimagining of the life of Shakespeare’s marriage and children, especially his twins. But the main character, the beating heart of the book, is the twins’ mother Agnes. The most famous character in the novel is never named, instead he is called the Latin tutor or her husband or the father.
This novel has so much detail as though the author had lived the every day domestic life of this family. In a small parochial town, Agnes is unconventional, and has a mystical spirituality.
It is an absolutely lyrical albeit tragic novel, and as an exploration of grief during plague it is wrenching but also timely in these pandemic times.
One thing, apparently in the UK this was called Hamnet. Judith IMO is an insubstantial will-o'-the-wisp character, compared to her sister, it should not have been renamed for the North American readership.
This novel has so much detail as though the author had lived the every day domestic life of this family. In a small parochial town, Agnes is unconventional, and has a mystical spirituality.
It is an absolutely lyrical albeit tragic novel, and as an exploration of grief during plague it is wrenching but also timely in these pandemic times.
One thing, apparently in the UK this was called Hamnet. Judith IMO is an insubstantial will-o'-the-wisp character, compared to her sister, it should not have been renamed for the North American readership.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Grief
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Confinement
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