Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell

98 reviews

mapscitiesandsongs's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-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? Yes

3.0

I enjoyed my reading experience overall, but I have one major problem with it: It's not really about Hamnet. I went into this book thinking the majority of the book would be either in Hamnet's POV or would, at least, be about Hamnet. Instead I got a book that's basically about his mother Agnes, which isn't a bad thing per se. It was really interesting seeing her get to know Shakespeare and her inner thoughts were quite intriguing, but I imagined something different from a book titled Hamnet. I also don't think the origin of the play is that prominent in the story even though it's clearly stated in the description that this book is about Hamnet and how the play gets developed because of his death. Another strange thing is the incoporation of magical realism of some sort. Additionally, all of the characters, besides Agnes, were flat and one-dimensional. So when Hamnet dies, I just didn't care. There is no connection, because we only get to see him for a few short chapters before he dies and the rest is basically about his mother. The ending was also quite rushed and underwhelming in my opinion. We find out that Shakespeare wrote said play about his son (which we have know for the entirety of the book!) and then it just ends. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Grief, and Pregnancy

Minor: Miscarriage, Infertility, Infidelity, and Sexual content

lenni_sc's review

dark emotional reflective 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? Yes

4.0

Kein Buch was man in der Öffentlichkeit (oder in der Mittagspause auf der Arbeit) lesen sollte. Es sei denn man mag es, wenn Menschen einen mit Sorge anschauen, weil man nicht aufhören kann zu weinen.

Sehr emotionale Geschichte über Ängste, Verlust und die Leben, die weitergehen. Mir persönlich haben die Kapitel der Vorgeschichte besser gefallen und ich hätte gerne mehr über die Mutter von Agnes aus ihrer eigenen Perspektive erfahren. Gegen Ende hat mich die Langatmigkeit des Buches deswegen, wenn auch ein sehr geschickt eingesetztes Stilmittel, etwas gelangweilt. 

Overall ein sehr bewegendes Buch und eine Leseempfehlung an alle, die gerne Tränen vergießen.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Grief, Child death, Death, Abandonment, and Death of parent

Moderate: Animal death and Physical abuse

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

szinkle's review

challenging emotional informative tense medium-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death

Moderate: Physical abuse

Minor: Sexual content and Alcoholism

alomie's review

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. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death

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

mmccombs's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

5.0

I felt chills as I read those final pages, this book was just as good as I hoped. This story felt so grounded in its time while also remaining so timeless and universal. A plague novel is obviously very fitting right now, this made me feel like time was folding in on itself to result in something doubly impactful. The writing was beautiful and every detail felt so well researched, I almost could see myself in the Henley street house, in Agnes’ garden, in the streets of Stratford. I absolutely loved everything about this, I understand the hype!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Grief, and Death

Moderate: Medical content

Minor: Physical 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief and Child death

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

bingsdings's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Infidelity

sehwa's review

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-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

4.75

I haven't read a book quite like this before. Not all that much happens in the plot, it's just a lovely storytelling of the past and present. Maggie's writing is absolutely wonderful, it took me a few pages to get used to it but it was a joy to read and I was never bored. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Animal death, Child death, Grief, Infidelity, Sexual content, Bullying, and Violence

tayaingrid's review

adventurous dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, and Child death