Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell

59 reviews

bethshuff's review against another edition

emotional informative 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness

Moderate: Pregnancy, Child death, and Medical content

Minor: Mental illness

gretasbookshelf's review against another edition

relaxing sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

Quick and fun read, nothing special

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death

Minor: Sexism and Medical content

linesiunderline's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

A sensitive exploration of loss and grief, with masterful prose. This is an immersive and incredibly moving slim novel. And that ending is perfection.

“Every life has its kernel, its hub, its epicentre, from which everything flows out, to which everything returns.”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Grief, Medical content, Pregnancy, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse

gigimussolin's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring mysterious 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Grief, Medical content, and Death

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

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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

kerrygetsliterary's review against another edition

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Medical content, and Pregnancy

beautifulpaxielreads's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Pregnancy, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, and Physical abuse

Minor: Dementia and Slavery

oliviafaye's review against another edition

dark emotional informative 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Medical content, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexism, and Terminal illness

claudiamacpherson's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-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

Did I buy this (partly) because it’s just an absolutely beautiful cover? Yes. But I love historical fiction and this was beautifully, heartbreakingly good. Maggie O’Farrell’s writing style was wonderfully descriptive and felt almost dreamy. I often don’t like when stories jump around in time, but it didn’t bother me in this book.

I especially loved the chapter tracing the plague from a monkey in the Middle East to Italy and finally to England. I love when books deal with big or important historical events by breaking them down to the tiniest actions, and this was an amazing example.

I found it fascinating that O’Farrell managed to write the entire book (or almost the entire book? I don’t remember exactly) without ever mentioning the name William Shakespeare. It was such a good way to keep the reader’s attention on his role as a father rather than a literary icon.

Happy ending meter (no specific spoilers, just the vibe—although this is historical fiction so you really should know the ending already): Sad, but also a little bittersweet. I love the idea of tragedy and loss being turned into something beautiful, as so many artists have done.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Death

Moderate: Grief, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Sexual content

Minor: Infidelity and Suicidal thoughts

mscalls's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Physical abuse