Scan barcode
A review by mmefish
Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.75
I expected way, way more from this book. It is well written, atmospheric... But it's lacking so much.
The characters, for one, are underdeveloped; even Agnes, who we spend most of the time with. Hamnet himself barely shows up on the page. (Why is it even called "Hamnet", when it's really not about him? Though I'm not sure what this book is really about.)
It's tropey: a weird witchy young woman, an evil stepmother, twins switching places.
So many hints and secondary plots but nothing was done with them in the end.
The ending is a big letdown. We spend dozens of pages reading about depression and grief, and then it all ends abruptly.
It's... okay.
The characters, for one, are underdeveloped; even Agnes, who we spend most of the time with. Hamnet himself barely shows up on the page. (Why is it even called "Hamnet", when it's really not about him? Though I'm not sure what this book is really about.)
It's tropey: a weird witchy young woman, an evil stepmother, twins switching places.
So many hints and secondary plots but nothing was done with them in the end.
The ending is a big letdown. We spend dozens of pages reading about depression and grief, and then it all ends abruptly.
It's... okay.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Grief, Pregnancy, and Death
Moderate: Child abuse and Animal cruelty