Maggie O'Farrell's Hamnet is a beautiful novel that transports readers to Elizabethan England and delves into the tragic story of William Shakespeare's family. Hamnet is a meticulously researched, well-crafted work of historical fiction. The novel's exploration of love and loss is particularly poignant, as O'Farrell explores themes of parental devotion, marital bonds, and the devastating impact of death. Hamnet's tragic death and its aftermath portrays a profound meditation on the fragility of life and the resilience of the human spirit which draws readers into the heart of the Shakespearean household. Hamnet is a must read that will linger in the minds and hearts of readers long after they've turned the final page. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, all opinions are my own.

I was one of approximately 2 people that wasn't wowed by Hamnet which, imo, just never got as deep as it thought it did. But The Marriage Portrait? Wowwwwwwww! Loved Loved Loved that!

I read Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell while on a mini vacation in the mountains. I don’t normally really like historical fiction, but I love Maggie O’Farrell, so I wanted to read this anyway. I’m so glad I did, I loved it!

Something about O’Farrell’s writing gets me invested right away, even if I know the outcome, and in this case, we know the outcome from the beginning: a husband and wife, Shakespeare and Agnes, have three children - Susanna and twins Hamnet and Judith. Hamnet dies, and a few years later, Shakespeare writes a tragedy, Hamlet. Hamnet and Hamlet are the same name, interchangeable.

This was one of those books that had me googling everything about the time period - late 1500s/early 1600s England, all the towns that were named, the old London Bridge (did you know there were buildings and vendors ON the bridge?!), falconry, what is a kestrel, who WAS Shakespeare, really, and of course, the plague.

If you are like me, and you feel meh about historical fiction, I’d still give this one a shot. A favorite of the year for me, for sure!

This is a very creative look into the early life of William Shakespeare and his family. While it is fiction, O'Farrell does a magnificent job of bringing this unknown part of Shakespeare to life. I enjoyed reading about Agnes and the relationship they shared as well as the lives of their children.

I really thought I would love this book. I have read so many great reviews, so my expectations were high, but I just could not. This is the story of William Shakespeare's son Hamnet, who died at a young age. Shakespeare is never mentioned by name, but there are many allusions to his career as a playwright and the Globe theater. His wife Agnes has a supernatural element to her which took away from the historical aspects of the story, and in the end, even the explanation of why Shakespeare wrote the play Hamlet could not redeem him from his faults as a cheating husband and absent father.

This book was a beautiful, lyrical imagining of the life and death of William Shakespeare's beloved son, Hamnet.

Before Shakespeare was a famous playwright, he was a son of the town glover, an extremely abusive man. He wed Agnes, a local farm girl, bewitching the much younger Shakespeare and became a father to Susanna and twins, Hamnet and Judith. Maggie O’Farrell captivates readers with the unveiling of this historic tale of two families, tragedy, and triumph. This novel is simply stunning.

When is the death of a child beautiful? When it's a story written by Maggie O'Farrell.

It is 1585 and the woman Agnes settles with her husband in Stratford. They have three children - a daughter, Susanna, and then fraternal twins, Hamnet and Judith. Her husband is gone more often than not, to London, where he works with some players.

In 1596 the boy, Hamnet, dies at age 11. Agnes would like to curl up and disappear in her sadness, but still has her daughters to care for. Her husband has been virtually estranged from the family, living and playing in the larger city, where he has even gained attention from royalty. But word gets to him of something bad having happened and he hurries home to learn of his son's death. Grief hits him, just as it did Agnes at the time, and the reader experiences a parents grief over the loss of a child for a second time.

Four years later, Agnes sees her son's name as the title of a play, Hamlet, written by her husband. So often the death of a child tears a family apart. Can Agnes and her husband find forgiveness and repentance in the shadow of their son's death and rebirth as what will become one of the most famous -theatre characters of all time?

Who we are talking about is pretty evident. If you are confused because you thought William Shakespeare's wife's name was Anne Hathaway, she was named "Agnes" in her father's will. Also, the names "Hamnet" and "Hamlet" are considered to be interchangeable.

Although the book is named for the young son who dies at age 11, this could just as easily be titled, Agnes, as it really focuses on her as wife, mother, and the holder-together-of-family while her younger husband is carousing and most likely living an adulterous life some distance away.

Author Maggie O'Farrell's prose is hauntingly beautiful, and it's this writing that will draw the reader in. It is the recognition that we are reading about the family of William Shakespeare that will make us feel like we're reading something pretty special, and it's the reactions surrounding the death of a child that will bridge the divide between the modern reader and life in the 16th century.

And while I enjoyed my reading of the book, three days after I've finished it, I can't tell you too much about the other characters or the motivation for the story. Do we read a book like this to experience grief? To experience the skill of a writer's prose? To catch a glimpse of life 400 years ago? To note that what it means to be human hasn't changed much? A little bit of all of these?

I enjoyed the read and I would recommend it, but ultimately this book is exactly what it seems to be on the surface and it's the writing, not the story, that makes this a strong read.

Looking for a good book? Hamnet, by Maggie O'Farrell, is a poetic novel of a parent, a child, grief, and the ode to a child that will never let anyone forget the child's name.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

So beautifully written, and yet so tragic a story. This book isn't for Shakespear fans, as he and his profession as just side bars. And I wouldn't say this is for historical fiction fans as the time period isn't a major component either. Its for fans of family drama.

Ell Potter reads very well for the audiobook; lyrical voice for a melodic novel.

O'Farell's writing is truly unbelievable. The descriptive language is excessive in the best way. I was hooked by the fascinating way she unspooled the story slowly.

I have to say, I was apprehensive about this one. Period piece books can go either way for me. But this was quite a surprise! Well-written, an engrossing story...the hype is real for this one! The only reason I'm giving this four stars instead of five is because there were some moments where the pacing was a bit slow...but outside of that, I thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait to read more of O'Farrell's books!

I absolutely loved this book. It's one of the best I have read in a long time. The subject matter is heartbreaking and unimaginable to us, yet O'Farrell weaves this story in a way that makes us feel every ounce of worry and grief that the characters feel. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or Shakespeare. It is a book you won't forget.

What a fascinating read! The plot centers around the death of William Shakespeare's young son, Hamnet. Not much is known about this and O'Farrell has woven a sensitive, heartbreaking story about it.
The writing is just magnificent. The loss and grief resulting from the death of a child has been put on paper innumerable times but O'Farrell has done this so eloquently. Not once is Shakespeare's name mentioned. Yet, it is obvious that it is about him. which further reinforces the author's talent. The plot is so intriguing. Yet, is is historical fiction and with that genre, a vivid imagination is necessary and the author certainly delivers!

This is a novel about Shakespeare that never mentions his name. He is the son, the husband, the father and even the playwright, but never William by name. It is a book that focuses on his relationships with his parents, wife and children. I have personally visited his unmarked grave in a Stratford church where a sign says that anyone who would dare to move the bones (Shakespeare’s), would be cursed. This is a man who made that declaration in order that his remains would forever be near the grave of his son Hamnet who died at age eleven. Like the book, the grave has no name, just the note of the curse. As a result, Shakespeare’s bones were never taken to the hallowed Westminster Abbey like other famous literary greats.

O’Farrell has written a compelling story of the personal side of the famous writer. His children and his wife are key players and they show the human side of someone who has risen to the highest heights in the world of literature. The story is masterful and wonderfully rendered, telling of domestic abuse, dangers of the plague, the difficulties of making a living in 16th Century England, and the love of a couple and their children. It tells of Agnes, his wife, who captured his heart when he was quite young. Most engaging is young Hamnet (another variant for the name is Hamlet). He is a sensitive boy and very close to his twin sister. But Hamnet dies at eleven and is buried in the churchyard in Stratford.

There’s so much to love here. The writing and the presentation of events weaves a fantastic story of family interactions and the loss of a child. Based upon real people and events and using a creative touch to re-imagine the life of William Shakespeare and his family, O’Farrell has written a tour de force. It deserves all the accolades it has been getting.

Hamnet (or Hamnet and Judith as my North American arc is titled) is a very stirring historical read. I started reading it when the world (or my world) shutdown because of COVID, mid-March. Living through this pandemic while the characters are living through the plague made me feel connected to the story in a way which seems silly because of the incredible differences in situation, but still, it was a lens I wouldn't have otherwise had when reading this story. The story itself is beautifully told, very female-centered and Shakespeare himself is really hardly in it. The real protagonist is Agnes, the mother of Hamnet and Judith and Susanna, wife of Shakespeare. The life she puts up with, living with her in-laws, raising her children practically alone, is so well-drawn and I felt a deep empathy for her. I don't think it's a secret that Hamnet eventually dies from the plague and I had a good hard cry during that part of the novel, with Agnes having to grieve for her son, even as she prepares his body for burial. This is a very emotional novel and I cried again at the end, which you will just have to read to experience.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

Eek. I'm a Shakespeare Person. This is...not really a Shakespeare book. So if that's what you were expecting (I was), look up "My Father Had a Daughter" by Grace Tiffany.

Otherwise, this was not my type at all. Motherhood, marriage, lost children. Without the Shakespeare connection, there's no way I would have ever picked it up.

HAMNET
By Maggie O'Farrell

A fascinating rich and immersive read that I loved and enjoyed. I just bought the beautiful hardcover from Book Depository and just dove in head first and was truly captivated by O'Farrell's writing and storytelling style.

The setting is in the late 1500's fictional story based on William Shakespeare's family, his wife Agnes and their children. Agnes is highlighted in this story and what a fascinating woman she is. The story is written in a beautiful and exquisite way that you will get lost in the prose of this book. There is a lot of grief and it is an emotionally heavy story but oh so well done.

If you enjoy Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction and exploration into the life of historical biographies, then this book is for you and should not be missed.

This is my first time reading a work by Maggie O'Ferrell, but when my favorite author recommended Hamnet on her IG I just had to jump on board. This is a beautifully written, eloquent, haunting story about family, love, and grief. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I'm a sucker for historical fiction and this certainly fit the bill. This family must deal with the aftermath of losing a child to the plague, and concurrent storylines provide flashbacks of how the family came to be. The ending is striking and poignant and has been reverberating in my heart for weeks after finishing the book. Stunning.

Different than what I expected. Very well written and intrigued me to learn more about Agatha. Enjoyable

A dark, depressing novel, .and I loved it!!! A book that I had to let “soak” and still cannot put my emotions in writing! Devastating but beautiful!!!