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A review by mikarala
Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This was a beautiful and fascinating portrait of the impact grief can have on a marriage and a family, with some poignant insights and stunning prose. At times I was utterly captivated, however there are elements that prevented me from giving this 5 stars. This novel, being a character-based drama, can only go so far as the characters will take it, and unfortunately there were times when I felt like the narrative kept me at arm's length from them. The author frequently opted to describe speech rather than turn it into dialogue, and personally I found that unengaging. The choice to never use Shakespeare's name, while a fascinating one whose purpose in centering his wife and children I completely understand, is something that came across as somewhat ham-fisted at times to me as it seemed like the prose went out of its way to do so. I also found the start, perhaps the first 75 pages or so, to be fairly slow.
However, while these elements keep the book from being perfect, overall I did find this to be a fantastic novel. Shakespeare holds such a preeminent place in the history of English language, literature, and culture, and exploring how he might have drawn from his own personal life experience to write absolutely timeless works of art is something I find very fascinating. There were quite a few scenes that were incredibly stunning and affecting due to the word choice and brutal honesty expressed within, but this novel really saves the best for last with the final scene. Knowing that Shakespeare's (possibly) most famous creation shares a name with his deceased son, you'd think there would be more explorations of how Shakespeare wrote the play in honour of him. In any case, I really loved reading Maggie O'Farrell's interpretation of that and I think this novel is enjoyable even if you aren't interested in Shakespeare.
However, while these elements keep the book from being perfect, overall I did find this to be a fantastic novel. Shakespeare holds such a preeminent place in the history of English language, literature, and culture, and exploring how he might have drawn from his own personal life experience to write absolutely timeless works of art is something I find very fascinating. There were quite a few scenes that were incredibly stunning and affecting due to the word choice and brutal honesty expressed within, but this novel really saves the best for last with the final scene. Knowing that Shakespeare's (possibly) most famous creation shares a name with his deceased son, you'd think there would be more explorations of how Shakespeare wrote the play in honour of him. In any case, I really loved reading Maggie O'Farrell's interpretation of that and I think this novel is enjoyable even if you aren't interested in Shakespeare.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Minor: Infidelity