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A review by beckyjc
Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.75
This book really moved me. For anyone who knows about Shakespeare's life, you know what's in store with a novel named after his only son, but even with that expectation I was really drawn in and devastated by what happens. The life of the family and the characters of those in its bonds is so well described in the first half of the book that when the inevitable and pivotal moment comes it feels cutting in its realness; the suffering is sharp and sudden, the impact is catastrophic. It's difficult to read and I had to put it down a few times as it reduced me to tears. I think this is the book that I have taken the longest to read so far this year for that reason.
The way that the various members of the family respond to the tragedy is well explored, particularly the effect on the parents and their marriage. I felt sympathy, frustration, anger, disappointment and understanding. The nuance and complexity of grief is articulated very well and I found it interesting to compare the reaction of the famously verbose and high-minded Shakespeare with his more grounded and empathetic wife. Of course, this is a fictionalised version of a real event, but it did make me wonder what was going through Shakespeare's mind at this traumatic time in his life. How did his grief affect him and his writing? Would we have the plays we have now if he hadn't experienced such emotional devastation?
Whilst it's obvious that Shakespeare himself holds much intrigue and interest for the reader, I liked how he is never named and that the novel is really about his wife, Agnes. She is the heart of the book and we follow her as she experiences the joys and frustrations of marriage and joining a new family, her close bond with her brother, and the terrible loss she endures. In this novel, Shakespeare is simply a husband, a father, a son - albeit one that baffles those around him with his way with words and resentment of country life, and who shows tantalising glimpses of what lies in store for him. I have always loved Shakespeare and so enjoyed reading a novel set in the times and places he lived. This was a more intimate depiction of him than I have read to date.
I think Maggie O'Farrell has produced a very humanising account of the great man by focusing on those around him. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The way that the various members of the family respond to the tragedy is well explored, particularly the effect on the parents and their marriage. I felt sympathy, frustration, anger, disappointment and understanding. The nuance and complexity of grief is articulated very well and I found it interesting to compare the reaction of the famously verbose and high-minded Shakespeare with his more grounded and empathetic wife. Of course, this is a fictionalised version of a real event, but it did make me wonder what was going through Shakespeare's mind at this traumatic time in his life. How did his grief affect him and his writing? Would we have the plays we have now if he hadn't experienced such emotional devastation?
Whilst it's obvious that Shakespeare himself holds much intrigue and interest for the reader, I liked how he is never named and that the novel is really about his wife, Agnes. She is the heart of the book and we follow her as she experiences the joys and frustrations of marriage and joining a new family, her close bond with her brother, and the terrible loss she endures. In this novel, Shakespeare is simply a husband, a father, a son - albeit one that baffles those around him with his way with words and resentment of country life, and who shows tantalising glimpses of what lies in store for him. I have always loved Shakespeare and so enjoyed reading a novel set in the times and places he lived. This was a more intimate depiction of him than I have read to date.
I think Maggie O'Farrell has produced a very humanising account of the great man by focusing on those around him. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Grief
Minor: Domestic abuse and Violence