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midwifereading's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Everything about this book feels real. Shakespeare is never once mentioned by name, and that's because he's not the center of this story. Instead, we find Agnes, his wife, at the center. Everything revolves around her--an intelligent, intuitive, and strong healer and mother who could not save her son.
Hamnet is a book about grief. Especially the grief of losing a child. It's very human, very rich, and very poetic. There's a dreamlike quality to it that suits the story, and it should be ready on a gloomy, rainy day.
O'Farrell paints a vivid picture of both the characters and the setting. The book has a strong sense of place and time, and the setting is almost a character itself. In addition, each character stands out as a richly colored portrait with depth and color and feeling. I found myself utterly lost in the pages.
I loved it.
Hamnet is a book about grief. Especially the grief of losing a child. It's very human, very rich, and very poetic. There's a dreamlike quality to it that suits the story, and it should be ready on a gloomy, rainy day.
O'Farrell paints a vivid picture of both the characters and the setting. The book has a strong sense of place and time, and the setting is almost a character itself. In addition, each character stands out as a richly colored portrait with depth and color and feeling. I found myself utterly lost in the pages.
I loved it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Terminal illness
Minor: Sexual content
lizfields's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This was a super interesting novel about what could have happened to William Shakespeare’s son, but even more importantly, it’s a story about family and grief and how strongly they can be intertwined. I feel like the way the story was broken up was very back-half heavy, but I think that may have been O’Farrell’s intention, to hone in on the emotions of the Shakespeare family as they cope and transition to a new normal. I was very on and off with this book over about a month and a half, so it’s not the most engaging/engrossing book from start to end, but overall, I enjoyed this interesting read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Grief
Moderate: Sexual content
nreyno's review against another edition
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Sexual content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, and Pandemic/Epidemic
hjb_128's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Infidelity and Classism
Minor: Sexual content
avitakaur's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Little is known about Shakespeare’s personal life, he had a wife named Anne Hathaway and three children, one of whom passed away from unknown causes at the young age of eleven: Hamnet. A few years later, Shakespeare released his famous play, Hamlet. Was his late son the inspiration for this play? No one knows, but Maggie O’Farrell has attempted to weave together her own fictional interpretation of Shakespeare’s family life. Although, the most interesting part about this novel is that is focuses not on Shakespeare himself, but on Anne, the women behind the Bard.
This book certainly wasn’t an easy read, the content was heavy, writing style extremely descriptive, and it was slow paced. It was, however, masterfully written. It never dawned on me to consider Shakespeare’s life and its potential impact on his famous works; this novel brought a whole new side of the Playwright to life. Thought-provoking and relevant.
Recommended
This book certainly wasn’t an easy read, the content was heavy, writing style extremely descriptive, and it was slow paced. It was, however, masterfully written. It never dawned on me to consider Shakespeare’s life and its potential impact on his famous works; this novel brought a whole new side of the Playwright to life. Thought-provoking and relevant.
Recommended
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Sexual content
grboph's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This one took me a really long time to get through, but I'm glad I stuck with it. I've never been a fan of Shakespeare, but this book definitely gave me a new appreciation for his plays. I also really liked the descriptions of the time and place - they made the whole book feel very transportive. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction or Shakespeare.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, Pregnancy, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Gore, Infidelity, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content and Abandonment
divinehealer14's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
An absolutely outstanding novel, that brings to light the (unfortunately) less-known story of William Shakespeare’s family, in particular that of Agnes (or Anne) his wife, and his son Hamnet.
I really really enjoyed this: the story is well told, gripping, well paced and the characters are fleshed out. I loved to see Agnes’ journey through motherhood and grief, and also liked to see the historical setting that surrounds her.
A well deserved, solid 4,75 stars
“Death is violent, death is a struggle. The body clings to life, as ivy to a wall, and will not easily let go, will not surrender its grip without a fight”
I really really enjoyed this: the story is well told, gripping, well paced and the characters are fleshed out. I loved to see Agnes’ journey through motherhood and grief, and also liked to see the historical setting that surrounds her.
A well deserved, solid 4,75 stars
“Death is violent, death is a struggle. The body clings to life, as ivy to a wall, and will not easily let go, will not surrender its grip without a fight”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Child abuse and Physical abuse
Minor: Infidelity and Sexual content
szuum's review against another edition
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Misogyny, Grief, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, and Death of parent
Minor: Infidelity
georginathelibrarian's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I first added Hamnet to my collection on hearing Maggie O’Farrell talk about the story during the digitised Hay festival in 2020 during the covid pandemic.
To hear her talk about a child that I hadn’t even known existed, despite studying Agnes’s husband at university, a child who may have died of a deadly epidemic, during that time of my own life secluded from our own deadly sickness captured my attention.
I immediately ordered a signed copy, and then it sat on the shelf as they often do, biding their time until the moment is right.
Finally the time had come to read it, prompted by my book club, and I am so glad I have. It was chosen for April as that is the month of Agnes’ husband’s birth and death, but the story is not just about that famous playwright, it is more about his family, and their grief at the loss of one of their own.
This story captured my attention anew, transporting me to Elizabethan Stratford, and had me riveted from start to finish, a feat that many books have failed to deliver of late.
I warn you, you will need tissues, this is not a happy story, but it is one that leaves a feeling of wholeness at the end, that all is as it should be.
In the words of Agnes’s husband “give sorrow words; the grief that does not speak knits up the o’er wrought heart and bids it break”.
To hear her talk about a child that I hadn’t even known existed, despite studying Agnes’s husband at university, a child who may have died of a deadly epidemic, during that time of my own life secluded from our own deadly sickness captured my attention.
I immediately ordered a signed copy, and then it sat on the shelf as they often do, biding their time until the moment is right.
Finally the time had come to read it, prompted by my book club, and I am so glad I have. It was chosen for April as that is the month of Agnes’ husband’s birth and death, but the story is not just about that famous playwright, it is more about his family, and their grief at the loss of one of their own.
This story captured my attention anew, transporting me to Elizabethan Stratford, and had me riveted from start to finish, a feat that many books have failed to deliver of late.
I warn you, you will need tissues, this is not a happy story, but it is one that leaves a feeling of wholeness at the end, that all is as it should be.
In the words of Agnes’s husband “give sorrow words; the grief that does not speak knits up the o’er wrought heart and bids it break”.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Pregnancy
Moderate: Child death, Death, Miscarriage, and Death of parent
Minor: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, and Pandemic/Epidemic
emerentina's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Sexual content, Antisemitism, Grief, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Violence
Minor: Infidelity