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A review by sarahholliday
Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
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? No
4.25
A truly beautifully written story of love, grief, and how we all experience the two in different ways. This is a slow-moving story focused on emotional development, so if you're looking for a plot-driven story this won't be the one for you.
But if you like the idea of pulling back the curtain on a historical time and place to catch a glimpse of what life might've been like, you'll love Hamnet. I appreciated that the story revolves around Shakespeare, but that the famed playwright is a supporting character, largely absent from the story. His rise to fame is put in the context of the demands of everyday life for his wife and family.
Agnes is amazing and I loved her and would fight dragons for her. If you love a wild, do-what-she-wants protagonist, you're gonna fall pretty hard for her.
But if you like the idea of pulling back the curtain on a historical time and place to catch a glimpse of what life might've been like, you'll love Hamnet. I appreciated that the story revolves around Shakespeare, but that the famed playwright is a supporting character, largely absent from the story. His rise to fame is put in the context of the demands of everyday life for his wife and family.
Agnes is amazing and I loved her and would fight dragons for her. If you love a wild, do-what-she-wants protagonist, you're gonna fall pretty hard for her.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Misogyny, Child death, and Death