Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
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Web ID: 12620880Fantastic!
Tells the story of Shakespeare's family through flashbacks of his childhood, his courtship with Agnes, and Agnes' childhood mixed with their present day of the plague. With the death of a child, Shakespeare stays in London while Agnes mourns in her own way in Stratford. When Agnes receives a playbill of the play, Hamlet, she goes to London to confront Shakespeare about it. I loved this book. I did not think I would. I liked the flashbacks. I liked the otherworldliness of it. I liked with Agnes confronts Shakespeare with his infidelities which almost end the marriage. I liked that Agnes is outspoken and independent and otherworldly, like Hamnet and Judith (their youngest children.) I like that Agnes will not be complacent when she thinks that Shakespeare has used their child's death for money and fame. I liked that she waited before making a final judgement. Agnes' realization of why Shakespeare wrote Hamlet leads to the greatest ending line ever. Read it and find out what it is. I won't tell you.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
This book is a work of art
I picked this one up from the historical fiction table at Barnes & Noble because I was intrigued by a story about the black plague (anyone remember Fever 1793 that we read in elementary school? Pretty sure that is why I love historical fiction). Hamnet weaves two timelines to explore the childhood and budding relationship of Agnes and William, while simultaneously witnessing married life with their three children. I particularly loved reading about our young Latin tutor. Knowing he would ultimately become the most famous playwright in the world, it was entertaining to see his stifled beginnings in Stratford. He's constantly described as lazy, lacking drive and uninterested in his family business. You can't help but think: "just you wait." Hamnet is a heavily descriptive book–there are pages of detailed descriptions that I typically grow bored of and skim–but something about Maggie O'Farrell's writing kept me hanging on every word. Fair warning: this book punches you in the gut. The story is set around how the death of one child can leave a profound impact, not only on their family, but history. Pick this one up if you are fan of historical fiction, Shakespeare or are looking for an immersive reading experience.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Good but Overwritten
Agnes was always judged by others growing up for her strange gifts and way with nature. But when she stumbles across a young man who seems to be interested in her, she finds that there are some who love her as she is. But though she gains hints and glimpses of the future, little prepares her for the trials that awaits her and her small family. This story is wonderfully creative. I love how the author took the few facts that are known about Shakespeare’s family and turned it into a compelling novel. I also enjoyed the dual timeline of the work and getting to see Agnes and William meet as well as their later life with children. But I did feel that many of the secondary characters were lacking in true development and characterization; it wasn’t enough to majorly detract from the read, but it certainly made it more difficult to become fully immersed or engaged. The amount of purple prose in this read was unreal. It is very overwritten, which often got frustrating. But at other times, it was quite beautiful the way the author wove words together. I did find that it was more negative than positive for me throughout the read, as it often took the author three paragraphs to say something that could have been two sentences. I found that rather than immersing me in the story and the characters, it felt like it kept me at more of a distance. The story itself is quite wending as well, dipping off into side stories or tales that provided some background to the characters slowly and thoroughly. I did mostly enjoy this approach, though I would have preferred if there was some indication of switches between timelines, such as “then” and “now” or something of that sort. I did enjoy this read overall and the author’s creativity was apparent – if you enjoy historical fiction with a touch of magical realism and flowery prose that will make you feel as if you’re wading through a bog of similes and metaphors, then you’ll likely enjoy this book.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
A Masterpiece!
In Stratford, Warwickshire in 1580, a Latin tutor falls in love with Agnes, an eccentric young woman who is uniquely different and perceived as strange by the townsfolk for her innate connection to nature and wildlife. The Latin tutor and Agnes quickly marry. She becomes a fierce mother, a wife, and a healer. The husband becomes a gifted writer. They have three children together: the oldest, Susanna and twins, Hamnet and Judith. The husband goes to London for his work, only to visit his family several times a year. Tragedy strikes this family when their son Hamnet dies in 1596 at age eleven from the bubonic plague. Several years later, the husband writes a play titled "Hamlet", named for his dead son... This story is an emotional read that lacks joy and happiness from cover to cover. Despite it never reaching a stroke of brightness, the authors' prose is pure beauty in the telling of this speculative story. The writing style captures the darkness and hardships of living in the time period and evokes a sense of being present in the places described, smelling the pungent odors of animals in the streets, and hearing the noises of living in close proximity to both family and neighbors. The characterizations are clever and entertaining. She paints a clear picture in the readers' mind of each of the players as she draws them fully and creatively. The details in her story are rich and robust. Listening to the wonderful Ell Potter narrate the audiobook is a breath-taking and memorable experience. I read the hardcover book in February, then listened to the audiobook in November and, to me, there is no comparison between the two. The audiobook brings more color and life to the story, its characters, and I remember it in greater detail! I'm hesitant to read another book by this author as I wonder how she will possibly top this masterpiece. At the same time, I can hardly wait to select one. I highly recommend this book! 5 beautiful stars!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Ethereal Historical Fiction...
So close to catching up on my 2021 reviews!!! Well, this book club pick was truly enchanting! I knew very little about Shakespeare's life. Of course, there is very little documented about his life in general, being that he lived well over 400 years ago. So, this novel was a skillful imagining about how a tragedy in Shakespeare's life may possibly have prompted him to write Hamlet. Along the way, Maggie O'Farrell shares a well-thought-out conceptualization of his wife, Anne, as well. There was a very ethereal quality to this novel. It somehow seemed as though I was floating above the entire tale - and when paired with the minor character of the flea, perhaps that is what O'Farrell had in mind... a somewhat buoyant experience. Historical Fiction fans will enjoy this novel, even if you are not a fan of Shakespeare (I can tell you this from personal experience). The author is certainly a unique talent!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Beautiful and compelling
This book is hands down and without a doubt the best book I have ever read. The story is heartbreaking and compelling, but the writing itself is really what made “Hamnet” shine. I found myself reading and rereading passages just to admire how beautiful the words were. I’ve never posted a review before, but when I finished reading this book I couldn’t not praise it! Such a wonderful book- it’s going to be hard to find another book that’s on this level!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
To read or not to read? I would recommend this!
I purchased Hamnet on a whim as I had no knowledge of the book, which as a reviewer of books is shocking to admit, but true nonetheless. I quite like fictional excursions that are set around the time of Shakespeare and also, those which feature him (with the exception of one F. Scott Fitzgerald short story, which marred my vision of Shakespeare for a while). As so little is known about him, he is a great character around which one can speculate; on his life, times and personality. Maggie O'Farrell takes this idea and weaves a very human depiction of the bard, his wife, their marriage and ultimately, the loss of Hamnet, their only son. I wasn't sure about this book to start and I think that it comes from the fact that O'Farrell never mentions Shakespeare by name but often in the context of the relationship he has with the person with whom he is interacting in the text i.e. when talking to Agnes, his wife, O'Farrell refers to Shakespeare as "the husband". I'm not sure why - is it to distance him from the fact that he is so renowned to us as a playwright that she wants to bring him down to Earth in our consciousness by reference solely to his familial relationships? I have to say that initially I found this distracting but once I found my reading rhythm, this was of no consequence. This was a great book. Charting when Shakespeare meets Agnes when he is a Latin tutor to his strained relationship with his father, through to their marriage and their children and then, of course, to Shakespeare's imminent departure for London to fulfil his writing ambitions, the book covers less Shakespeare and more Agnes, the wife he left behind. Agnes is a mystic, able to read people easily and this adds an extra element to the story as she senses human emotions and conflicts. In terms of the children, initially the narrative is focused on Hamnet but attention shifts from him to how his death impacts those around him. The story that O'Farrell creates around Hamnet is one of emotion: it made me cry at one point, so fully immersed was I in her word crafted world. This, to me, is a sign of good fiction: it is not the remembrance of the words themselves but the way that those words have made you feel.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Read this book.
So subtle in its references to Shakespeare, yet so evocative of the times and the place, Hamnet left me awash in tears, and in awe. I've been thinking of the novel off and on since. It's certainly not a book that drifts away the moment you finish it. But it is a book that, like Shakespeare's plays, cross the years to relate to us now. Brilliant.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com