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aileen_macalister's review against another edition
- 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
I was immediately attached to the characters in this book and found myself speed reading my way through their life just to know them better. I loved the choice never to call Shakespeare by name giving autonomy to the family he left behind in the English countryside. I also lived how the book exists it two halves and the point at which is divided and the choice to remove chapter separations is just a perfect reflection of how grief impacts the people left behind.
Highly recommend for anyone with an interest in historical fiction, magic in the sense of women and nature and the retelling of Shakespeare's life from another point of view 🌿
Graphic: Child death and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Death
knitreadkate's review against another edition
- 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
After this, I was engrossed and stayed up too late to finish the book.
The writing style was something I was not used to, omniscient narration that can swap from one characters view to another by a paragraph. After a short time, I really enjoyed it and found it easy to read.
I found the writing so descriptive. I was there in the cookhouse or the garden, I could picture the rooms, the markets, the gardens. I enjoyed the focus on Agnes and her children.
I enjoyed the artistic trail of thought of the characters minds, mulling over every option of thought and following their trail of thinking to me felt like I was with the character.
I remember very little of the Shakespeare I had learned in high school and read this book without k ow much of the historical background or what the time period was like.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and hope to read more from Maggie O’Farrell.
Graphic: Child death, Grief, Pregnancy, Animal death, and Death
watykerry's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
Graphic: Grief, Child death, Death, and Pandemic/Epidemic
laguerrelewis's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death, Medical content, Animal death, Terminal illness, Child death, Grief, Excrement, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Sexual content
schorlett's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Grief, Medical content, Death, Child death, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Violence, Death of parent, Mental illness, Infidelity, and Physical abuse
Minor: Abortion and Abandonment
samkilbride's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Child death, Grief, and Death
levitatingnumeral's review against another edition
- 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
The writing style is GORGEOUS, the story is heart-rending and O’Farrell captures both joy and grief in such a magical, complex and vivid way.
Graphic: Child death and Death
Moderate: Child abuse and Alcoholism
iris3271's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Pregnancy, Pandemic/Epidemic, Sexual content, Death, Child death, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Death of parent, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, and Physical abuse
Minor: Body horror
rowy148's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Child death and Death
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Pregnancy
fanchera's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic, Grief, Child death, Death, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Infidelity