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terrik_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
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
5.0
How do I describe a book that left me so utterly breathless from both awe and because I was sobbing like a baby?
Hamnet is a story that gives you everything and then snatches it away. It gives you love, affection, sorrow, and takes it all away in turn. Full of morally grey characters, grief, and the intricate relationships between family, this book is everything I loved served on a silver platter.
Throughout the book, my impressions of all the characters kept changing. As time passed in the books, all the characters seemed to grow along with them. I loved the emphasis on sibling relationships in this book, and Bartholomew, Eliza, and Edmond can do no wrong in my eyes. The parallel between Shakespeare and his daughter Susanna’s life is also very striking.
This is the type of book that WILL be analysed for literature classes. It’s the type of book that you can scan the pages over and over again and still find more ways Maggie O’Farrell made this story so hard hitting. All the words that were used, all the sentences, the way paragraphs were structured… as someone who enjoy looking at the deeper meaning behind books, I couldn’t put it down.
Shakespeare in particular was a character I never really knew how I felt about. At the start I was rooting for him, in the second half I was cheering him on, in the third and fourth half I couldn’t believe him, and in the last few pages I wept for him.
And Hamnet. Oh, Hamnet. Sweet sweet boy.
Agnes is definitely a different character from all those that I’ve read before. I wasn’t expecting any form of mystical powers during the book (I went in only knowing ‘it’s about the women in Shakespeare’s life’) but Agnes was very compelling. Despite how long I spent reading about her, I I was always being surprised with each switch of POV to her. There’s just so many layers to her that you peel away as the book progresses. She loves Shakespeare, she loves Bartholomew, and above anything, she loves her children.
I got through this book slowly (a whole month gosh) because of other commitments, but the journey was worth it till the end.
If you are looking for a book that deals with grief, the intricacies of family, and that will make you cry, this is the book for you. The writing style at the start could take a bit of getting used to but just stick it through and I promise you won’t regret it.
(Oh but Shakespeare’s father, John… he can go AWAY. I wished he had gotten retribution for what he did. Can’t believe he got away scot-free)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Death, Physical abuse, and Infidelity
Minor: Animal death and Animal cruelty
annoyedhumanoid's review against another edition
challenging
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
4.25
4% of the (audio)book's runtime was dedicated to an arbitrary, pointless generational family saga of the flea that infected Judith with the plague. finishing the chapter, then the book, and it amounting to nothing was very insulting. i fully recommend skipping the chapter that begins "For the pestilence to reach Warwickshire…"
that out of the way, it was slow at times—part I alternates between past and present, and i felt that the past dragged on while being merely drip-fed the more interesting present—but it's a beautiful character study, heartbreaking and endearing.
that out of the way, it was slow at times—part I alternates between past and present, and i felt that the past dragged on while being merely drip-fed the more interesting present—but it's a beautiful character study, heartbreaking and endearing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Child abuse, Child death, Grief, Pregnancy, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Sexism, and Infidelity
Minor: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, and Sexual content
tiemzahra's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
In 1596, an 11-year-old Hamnet searched everywhere for help when his twin sister suddenly fell ill. Everyone thought that Judith will not make it, but Hamnet died a few days later.
This novel is inspired by William Shakespeare’s son, Hamnet, whose name was given to one of the most celebrated plays. O’Farrel wrote this and made sure to stick to scant historical facts known about the short life of Hamnet. The chapters in the book alternated from the current plotline that led to Hamnet’s death and four years after that, to when the first time Shakespeare met his wife Agnes (her real name was Anne but meant to be Agnes) up until the birth of the twins.
The resilience of a woman was the main focus of this book, of Agnes who had peculiar childhood, was feared because of her unusual gifts. I got to know that nothing much is known about Anne Hathaway, and this book is an excellent take of her life and marriage to Shakespeare. Shakespeare, however, was not named at all throughout the book. He’s only called as the tutor, father, son, husband, and whatever he is to the focus of the current chapter. I love Agnes’ character, I pitied her, got angry for her, and cried for her. The real cause of Hamnet’s death was blurry, but in this book he died due to bubonic plague that should be constant in that time period. I don’t usually reach for historical fiction, but when I read one, it will be one of my favourite books of all time, and Hamnet is definitely it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Grief, and Death
Moderate: Child abuse and Alcoholism
Minor: Pregnancy, Physical abuse, and Animal cruelty
booksmoviesandstories's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Pregnancy, Violence, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Child abuse and Death of parent
Minor: Animal cruelty and Infidelity
lkbooks's review against another edition
challenging
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Terminal illness
Minor: Infidelity and Misogyny
meganisreading's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
A very beautifully written book with lovely characters.
It was however very day and the second part was all about loss and the misery that brings.
Also, Shakespeare is portrayed as a good person but a few comments about their sex is a little uncomfortable.
It was however very day and the second part was all about loss and the misery that brings.
Also, Shakespeare is portrayed as a good person but a few comments about their sex is a little uncomfortable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Child death, and Child abuse
Moderate: Animal cruelty
It is very sad - the book is about the death of Hamnet, and although it looks at everything with beautiful writing, it doesn’t escape the fact most of the book is about mourning and loss of a family memeber.allison_claire_chang's review against another edition
challenging
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child death, Child abuse, Grief, Medical content, and Pregnancy
rotatinglibrary's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Grief, and Medical content
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Racial slurs
rozereads's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Beautifully written; the story unwinds in layers by moving backward and forward seamlessly in time.
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal cruelty
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