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avitakaur's review against another edition
emotional
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? No
4.5
Little is known about Shakespeare’s personal life, he had a wife named Anne Hathaway and three children, one of whom passed away from unknown causes at the young age of eleven: Hamnet. A few years later, Shakespeare released his famous play, Hamlet. Was his late son the inspiration for this play? No one knows, but Maggie O’Farrell has attempted to weave together her own fictional interpretation of Shakespeare’s family life. Although, the most interesting part about this novel is that is focuses not on Shakespeare himself, but on Anne, the women behind the Bard.
This book certainly wasn’t an easy read, the content was heavy, writing style extremely descriptive, and it was slow paced. It was, however, masterfully written. It never dawned on me to consider Shakespeare’s life and its potential impact on his famous works; this novel brought a whole new side of the Playwright to life. Thought-provoking and relevant.
Recommended
This book certainly wasn’t an easy read, the content was heavy, writing style extremely descriptive, and it was slow paced. It was, however, masterfully written. It never dawned on me to consider Shakespeare’s life and its potential impact on his famous works; this novel brought a whole new side of the Playwright to life. Thought-provoking and relevant.
Recommended
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Child death, and Grief
Moderate: Sexual content
jennipea382's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Death, Grief, Child death, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Child death, Death, Infidelity, Medical content, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Alcohol, and Animal death
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.
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
divinehealer14'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
4.75
An absolutely outstanding novel, that brings to light the (unfortunately) less-known story of William Shakespeare’s family, in particular that of Agnes (or Anne) his wife, and his son Hamnet.
I really really enjoyed this: the story is well told, gripping, well paced and the characters are fleshed out. I loved to see Agnes’ journey through motherhood and grief, and also liked to see the historical setting that surrounds her.
A well deserved, solid 4,75 stars
“Death is violent, death is a struggle. The body clings to life, as ivy to a wall, and will not easily let go, will not surrender its grip without a fight”
I really really enjoyed this: the story is well told, gripping, well paced and the characters are fleshed out. I loved to see Agnes’ journey through motherhood and grief, and also liked to see the historical setting that surrounds her.
A well deserved, solid 4,75 stars
“Death is violent, death is a struggle. The body clings to life, as ivy to a wall, and will not easily let go, will not surrender its grip without a fight”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Child death, and Death
Moderate: Child abuse and Physical abuse
Minor: Sexual content and Infidelity
benegesserwitch's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Grief, Pregnancy, Death, Terminal illness, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Body horror and Child abuse
itsredandread's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Child death
sarahallez's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Child death
Minor: Child abuse
georginathelibrarian's review against another edition
emotional
sad
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? No
5.0
I first added Hamnet to my collection on hearing Maggie O’Farrell talk about the story during the digitised Hay festival in 2020 during the covid pandemic.
To hear her talk about a child that I hadn’t even known existed, despite studying Agnes’s husband at university, a child who may have died of a deadly epidemic, during that time of my own life secluded from our own deadly sickness captured my attention.
I immediately ordered a signed copy, and then it sat on the shelf as they often do, biding their time until the moment is right.
Finally the time had come to read it, prompted by my book club, and I am so glad I have. It was chosen for April as that is the month of Agnes’ husband’s birth and death, but the story is not just about that famous playwright, it is more about his family, and their grief at the loss of one of their own.
This story captured my attention anew, transporting me to Elizabethan Stratford, and had me riveted from start to finish, a feat that many books have failed to deliver of late.
I warn you, you will need tissues, this is not a happy story, but it is one that leaves a feeling of wholeness at the end, that all is as it should be.
In the words of Agnes’s husband “give sorrow words; the grief that does not speak knits up the o’er wrought heart and bids it break”.
To hear her talk about a child that I hadn’t even known existed, despite studying Agnes’s husband at university, a child who may have died of a deadly epidemic, during that time of my own life secluded from our own deadly sickness captured my attention.
I immediately ordered a signed copy, and then it sat on the shelf as they often do, biding their time until the moment is right.
Finally the time had come to read it, prompted by my book club, and I am so glad I have. It was chosen for April as that is the month of Agnes’ husband’s birth and death, but the story is not just about that famous playwright, it is more about his family, and their grief at the loss of one of their own.
This story captured my attention anew, transporting me to Elizabethan Stratford, and had me riveted from start to finish, a feat that many books have failed to deliver of late.
I warn you, you will need tissues, this is not a happy story, but it is one that leaves a feeling of wholeness at the end, that all is as it should be.
In the words of Agnes’s husband “give sorrow words; the grief that does not speak knits up the o’er wrought heart and bids it break”.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Pregnancy
Moderate: Death of parent, Child death, Death, and Miscarriage
Minor: Sexual content, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, and Pandemic/Epidemic
molly_kate's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Grief
viewfromthespire's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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
This book is a crescendo if there ever was one.
I honestly didn't like it much at first. The pacing is very, very slow, even for how short the book actually is. It bears saying that very little happens externally within this book. It's mostly an internal/emotional exploration (which is something I'm generally not used to when reading and had to get accustomed to). This is particularly potent during the first third-or-so of the book, which absolutely crawled for me. With the style this book is written in, you frequently jump around between not only different characters' perspectives, but also different moments in time. At the start we get only very brief moments with a huge array of characters, and this makes it really hard to invest in any of them, but also makes it hard to just follow what's happening. However, in retrospect, these choices do make sense (for the most part). I do honestly wish the cast was tighter, and we focused more closely on the key characters, particularly at the start, but even the very little moments that seem totally inconsequential become important later on. As well, the jog between the past and present (when we switch between them) smooths out over time, and eventually the hopping stops altogether. By around the 50-70% mark, I actually enjoyed the time hopping. It gave very important context, and sometimes a break from the trauma of the A-plot, and kept me enticed to continue reading ("what's going to happen next in present day???").
It was around probably page 150 or 200 that this book really started to click for me. It is first and foremost an emotional and character-focused story. I would honestly say it is 100% character focused, honestly. By the 50 or 60% mark you've gotten very close with Agnes, who I would probably consider the main character, andWilliam (spoilered because his name goes unmentioned in the book, but that is indeed who he is), and developed an understanding of who their children and the rest of their family are. So, when things get worse, you feel it. When misfortune befalls the family, when Agnes struggles, when there is a loss, an infidelity, an absence, you feel as if it has befallen you. Maggie O'Farrell's writing is incredibly powerful. This is also one of the most nuanced works I think I've ever read, emotionally speaking. So much is communicated in the margins.
The only other criticism I would have is that in areas the writing really feels like it could have been tightened. There are several sections within this novel that are far, far longer than they have to be. I understand the desire to make your reader feel fully immersed with vivid descriptions, and for the most part, this book succeeds, but there are absolutely passages that tow the line from vividness into over-explaining, and I find myself not more immersed but actually dulled and taken out of it. There are at least four points where I actually skimmed full pages of unnecessary description, with much of it being re-statements of what was already conveyed succinctly in a single paragraph or even a single sentence. There are also sections that, while vivid and interesting, draw a bit too long and include a few too many inconsequential details, and could simply stand to have the fat trimmed off.
With all that said, this is an incredible book. Because of the criticisms I do have, it isn't a five star for me, but I can very very easily see why it would be for anyone else. It really is incredible. It epitomizes the concept of a "crescendo" novel, starting so quiet and slow and unassuming... but gradually, and so smoothly you don't even notice, ascends into an enveloping symphony of grief and emotion, and then carefully quiets back down. The ending is absolutely beautiful and brilliant.
I honestly didn't like it much at first. The pacing is very, very slow, even for how short the book actually is. It bears saying that very little happens externally within this book. It's mostly an internal/emotional exploration (which is something I'm generally not used to when reading and had to get accustomed to). This is particularly potent during the first third-or-so of the book, which absolutely crawled for me. With the style this book is written in, you frequently jump around between not only different characters' perspectives, but also different moments in time. At the start we get only very brief moments with a huge array of characters, and this makes it really hard to invest in any of them, but also makes it hard to just follow what's happening. However, in retrospect, these choices do make sense (for the most part). I do honestly wish the cast was tighter, and we focused more closely on the key characters, particularly at the start, but even the very little moments that seem totally inconsequential become important later on. As well, the jog between the past and present (when we switch between them) smooths out over time, and eventually the hopping stops altogether. By around the 50-70% mark, I actually enjoyed the time hopping. It gave very important context, and sometimes a break from the trauma of the A-plot, and kept me enticed to continue reading ("what's going to happen next in present day???").
It was around probably page 150 or 200 that this book really started to click for me. It is first and foremost an emotional and character-focused story. I would honestly say it is 100% character focused, honestly. By the 50 or 60% mark you've gotten very close with Agnes, who I would probably consider the main character, and
The only other criticism I would have is that in areas the writing really feels like it could have been tightened. There are several sections within this novel that are far, far longer than they have to be. I understand the desire to make your reader feel fully immersed with vivid descriptions, and for the most part, this book succeeds, but there are absolutely passages that tow the line from vividness into over-explaining, and I find myself not more immersed but actually dulled and taken out of it. There are at least four points where I actually skimmed full pages of unnecessary description, with much of it being re-statements of what was already conveyed succinctly in a single paragraph or even a single sentence. There are also sections that, while vivid and interesting, draw a bit too long and include a few too many inconsequential details, and could simply stand to have the fat trimmed off.
With all that said, this is an incredible book. Because of the criticisms I do have, it isn't a five star for me, but I can very very easily see why it would be for anyone else. It really is incredible. It epitomizes the concept of a "crescendo" novel, starting so quiet and slow and unassuming... but gradually, and so smoothly you don't even notice, ascends into an enveloping symphony of grief and emotion, and then carefully quiets back down. The ending is absolutely beautiful and brilliant.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Blood, Misogyny, Mental illness, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Infidelity