Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell

98 reviews

gingervandorsten's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-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

5.0

This is one of the best books (i.e. books I enjoyed most) I have read this year. Devoured it. It felt like being taken by the hand and shown around the houses and the people living in them, and the depth of the relationships, especially between siblings and between parents and children is so impressive. There's such detail and vibrancy of O'Farrell's writing. Its structure was also really impressive to me, the way that the melancholy and the sense of tragedy are always there, but you don't really realise how far they've been building up until the tragedy actually happens. 

I've seen some people comment on the fact that very little actually happens in the story, and the narrative style and language of it cover this up, which was a bit of a turn-off for me. I get this, but personally this was actually one of my favourite parts about the book - the way that O'Farrell was able to pick out such exquisite detail in everything that you don't realise until you take a step back that not very much has actually happened. 

This book was so lush and it's going to take me. a while. to recover. Really recommend this. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Abandonment, Child death, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Domestic abuse

grboph's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

This one took me a really long time to get through, but I'm glad I stuck with it. I've never been a fan of Shakespeare, but this book definitely gave me a new appreciation for his plays. I also really liked the descriptions of the time and place - they made the whole book feel very transportive. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction or Shakespeare.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic, Pregnancy, Grief, Death, and Child death

Moderate: Gore, Infidelity, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Death of parent

Minor: Sexual content and Abandonment

abibc's review against another edition

emotional 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? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death

Minor: Domestic abuse

szuum'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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Grief, Misogyny, and Child death

Moderate: Sexual content, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Infidelity

formerboyband's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.75

Despite the titular name, the true main character shines through Agnes, the remarkably irrepressible wife of Shakespeare and mother to Hamnet. The interchanging timelines, oscillating between past and present, created an emotional and striking depiction of love, grief, family, and ambition. 

The last couple chapters absolutely wrecked me, I had to pause and put down the book before pressing on, mainly because tears were making it difficult to read. Dealing with death and its aftermath in all its raw vividness was tough. My only gripe is that there were more of Hamnet’s perspective to saturate the narrative, it would’ve added even more emotional depth to an already great story. 

This was profoundly sad, beautiful, and an easy 4.5 stars for me!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, and Pandemic/Epidemic

topodibiblioteca's review against another edition

dark emotional funny informative reflective sad tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Child death

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

Minor: Blood and Death of parent

toffeebox's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.5

Beautifully written and heart-rending. I loved how the descriptors found its way back to fabrics and gloves which was their family business.

Losing a 0.5 points because the bits after hamnets death felt draggy at times

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Domestic abuse, and Grief

el_elizabeth's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Grief, Domestic abuse, Pandemic/Epidemic, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse

emmerylynn's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.75

Not my go to genre, but I really enjoyed the writing. I felt immersed in the world through the striking and careful details. The author captured the characters’ emotions so precisely. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Grief

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Pregnancy

theliterarylayla's review against another edition

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.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Child death, and Child abuse

Minor: Sexual content and Sexism