Historical

Hamnet

Hamnet

  • Downloads：7493
  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2021-06-19 06:51:09
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Maggie O'Farrell
  • ISBN：1984898876
  • Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
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Summary

Drawing on Maggie O'Farrell's long-term fascination with the little-known story behind Shakespeare's most enigmatic play， HAMNET is a luminous portrait of a marriage， at its heart the loss of a beloved child。

Warwickshire in the 1580s。 Agnes is a woman as feared as she is sought after for her unusual gifts。 She settles with her husband in Henley street， Stratford， and has three children: a daughter， Susanna， and then twins， Hamnet and Judith。 The boy， Hamnet， dies in 1596， aged eleven。 Four years or so later， the husband writes a play called Hamlet。

Award-winning author Maggie O'Farrell's new novel breathes full-blooded life into the story of a loss usually consigned to literary footnotes， and provides an unforgettable vindication of Agnes， a woman intriguingly absent from history。

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Reviews

Victoria ，

I did enjoy this novel especially the author s focus on Agnes and the women within the novel and her descriptions of death and grief are both moving and difficult to read。 I was a little disappointed though after the rave reviews it received I did expect better。

Elena Varipatis ，

3。5 stars: I found it a very interesting read that wasn’t written in the most interesting prose。 I loved the concept， but it took me a long time to slog through it:

Liz ，

So little is really known about Shakespeare’s personal life。 O’Farrell takes some of these few facts and spins Hamnet， leading us from his marriage to Agnes （Anne） their children and through the death of Hamnet from the plague at age 11。 This is a beautifully written book， giving us insight into each of the characters using a third person POV。 But I did find it interesting that Shakespeare’s name is never mentioned once。 And he is never portrayed as the famous playwright we all now think of。 Her So little is really known about Shakespeare’s personal life。 O’Farrell takes some of these few facts and spins Hamnet， leading us from his marriage to Agnes （Anne） their children and through the death of Hamnet from the plague at age 11。 This is a beautifully written book， giving us insight into each of the characters using a third person POV。 But I did find it interesting that Shakespeare’s name is never mentioned once。 And he is never portrayed as the famous playwright we all now think of。 Here， he lacks substance。 His father thinks of him as a no-count。 He’s absent more than present。 I loved that Agnes was made almost other worldly。 “This creature， this woman， this elf， this sorceress， this forest sprite - because she is that， everyone says so， Mary knows it to be true - bewitched and ensnared her boy， lured him into a union。” The story completely captures the time and place。 A short description of how the plague spread was spot on perfect。 Who knew that there was actually a plague season each year when London theatres closed down？ I adored O’Farrell’s interpretation about how Shakespeare discovered the theatre。 But above all， the book centers on parenthood and the grief that comes from losing a child。 It shows how often grief pulls a couple apart。 This is a book meant to be savored， appreciated。 For a book in which there's not much activity， there’s a lot going on。 。。。more

Amanda ，

4。5 Stars

BEVERLY H ，

One of the best books I have ever read。

Michael Pitzen ，

I believe O'Farrell had the ending of this story in mind before she started writing。 Her task was where to start and how to make her way through。 I believe O'Farrell had the ending of this story in mind before she started writing。 Her task was where to start and how to make her way through。 。。。more

Sandy ，

People are raving about this book。 I didn't see it。 It was interesting but I guess I missed the boat because it really didn't do it for me。 I had to push my way through。 People are raving about this book。 I didn't see it。 It was interesting but I guess I missed the boat because it really didn't do it for me。 I had to push my way through。 。。。more

Mairead ，

A beautiful and painful look at a marriage， motherhood and loss that makes great use of its framing device （a fictional imagining of Shakespeare's marriage and the death of his son） without getting bogged down in its historical inspiration。 O'Farrell's writing is uniquely physical - as a reader， you are acutely aware of how characters move and where they are in relation to each other， and a lot of character development is communicated in small gestures and movements。 It felt particularly fitting A beautiful and painful look at a marriage， motherhood and loss that makes great use of its framing device （a fictional imagining of Shakespeare's marriage and the death of his son） without getting bogged down in its historical inspiration。 O'Farrell's writing is uniquely physical - as a reader， you are acutely aware of how characters move and where they are in relation to each other， and a lot of character development is communicated in small gestures and movements。 It felt particularly fitting in a novel about disease and community published in 2020。*5 stars 。。。more

Justyna Aleksandra ，

What a great book。 I especially recommend audiobook version with Daisy Donovan narration which made this experience exceptional！ I was totally immersed in that world and mesmerized by the story。

Ciara ，

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 ‘He carried messages for them， petted their dogs， stroked the backs of their cats as they slept on sunny window-sills。 And now their lives are carrying on， unchanged， their dogs still yawning by the fireplaces， their children still whining for supper， while he is no more。’This book made me ugly cry。 The way Maggie O’Farrell wrote was heartbreaking beautiful。 While I wasn’t sure if I’d like the style of writing， in the end I found it absolutely stunning。 It was completely different to anything I’ ‘He carried messages for them， petted their dogs， stroked the backs of their cats as they slept on sunny window-sills。 And now their lives are carrying on， unchanged， their dogs still yawning by the fireplaces， their children still whining for supper， while he is no more。’This book made me ugly cry。 The way Maggie O’Farrell wrote was heartbreaking beautiful。 While I wasn’t sure if I’d like the style of writing， in the end I found it absolutely stunning。 It was completely different to anything I’d usually read but I loved it。 A devastating tale of the death of a young boy and the grief experienced by his family after he’s gone。 。。。more

Jenny ，

Meh！

Alison Adamsky ，

I had a hard time getting into this book。 Use of the third person put unnecessary distance between the reader and the characters。 Everything seemed to be viewed from afar instead of experienced by relatable characters。 The author’s overuse of lengthy Shakespearean descriptions got so annoying I nearly stopped reading。 I pushed through only because I like to finish what I start。 Given all that， imagine my surprise by tearing up at the end。

Koivula ，

About the Shakespeare family （although we are not told that until in the end）。 Present tense makes the text somehow efficient。 Good。

April Ripley ，

4。5。 So beautifully written， and I really enjoyed the audiobook narration。

Chris Nash ，

“Anyone…who describes dying as ‘slipping away’ or ‘peaceful’ has never witnessed it happen。 Death is violent， death is a struggle。 The body clings to life…will not surrender its grip without a fight。”This book has some beautiful moments。 It’s description of the bond of twins， and of grief， are powerful and moving。 And yet， overall I found it a disappointing read。 Moving and engaging plot was interspersed with wandering thoughts and there were large chunks that just felt like the book had lost it “Anyone…who describes dying as ‘slipping away’ or ‘peaceful’ has never witnessed it happen。 Death is violent， death is a struggle。 The body clings to life…will not surrender its grip without a fight。”This book has some beautiful moments。 It’s description of the bond of twins， and of grief， are powerful and moving。 And yet， overall I found it a disappointing read。 Moving and engaging plot was interspersed with wandering thoughts and there were large chunks that just felt like the book had lost its way （especially in the first half of part 2）。 At times it’s a great read， but overall it just didn’t feel as good a read as I’d hoped。 。。。more

Max ，

A beautiful， gripping and heart-rending novel about how one deals with the tremendous impact the death of a child can have on the parents and how to come to terms with it。 The title might also have been 'Anne' or 'Agnes'， for she is really the central character in the story。 O'Farrell has written a well-researched and original story about a possible source for Shakespeare's play 'Hamlet'， focusing on the grief over Hamnet's death。 O'Farrell's poetic style and detailed descriptions of domestic li A beautiful， gripping and heart-rending novel about how one deals with the tremendous impact the death of a child can have on the parents and how to come to terms with it。 The title might also have been 'Anne' or 'Agnes'， for she is really the central character in the story。 O'Farrell has written a well-researched and original story about a possible source for Shakespeare's play 'Hamlet'， focusing on the grief over Hamnet's death。 O'Farrell's poetic style and detailed descriptions of domestic life in 16th century England， the effects of the Black Death make for a wonderful and intriguing tale。 I was moved by this book。 。。。more

Joan ，

It is lyrical filled with love and a touch of magic。

Stephanie Marks ，

Never really caught my interest

Merryn Allingham ，

A stunning book。 I enjoyed the period/setting， the way in which the book immersed me in everyday Elizabethan life and loved the delicate exploration of the various family relationships。 It was beautifully written， too， the style flowing and lyrical。 And at times， the narrative was desperately moving。 Utterly brilliant！

Camèlia Rodríguez Balagué ，

María tú ganas

Rita Cruz ，

Absolutamente fantástico。 O atrevimento de colocar Shakespeare no fundo da história， e trazer para o papel principal a esposa。 Uma mulher sem educação。 Uma mulher que， como quase todas as mulheres não tem lugar na História。 E contudo， é ela que brilha。 Muito mais que ele。 Escrita absolutamente maravilhosa， para ir lendo devagar， um dois， três adjectivos， para absorver todos os cantos de um momento。

Hanlie Pieterse ，

4。5*

Erica ，

While I recognize I’m not the average voice on this book… I have to say this felt so weighted down by its own expectations of itself。 Struggled to get into this & came very close to not finishing it…

Gail Richmond ，

I began this book， then had to return it to the library and was able to finally finish reading it today。 Without the background of knowing Shakespeare’s life and the play Hamlet， I would think this would be a difficult read。 However， as a student of the Bard， I found it compelling reading。

Paul Whitla ，

Wow！I was somewhat tentative n approaching this book， fearing:1。 I dont know my Shakespeare and have only a passing acquaintance with Hamlet （you don't need ANY such background knowledge to read the book）2。 I feared lots of Olde Worlde language which I find kind of a pain to read through （there is a little bit of old vocabulary， but thankfully no such dialogue）3。 （And apologies in advance to those who may be offended） I thught this may be very much a 'woman's book' （in the event I found the book Wow！I was somewhat tentative n approaching this book， fearing:1。 I dont know my Shakespeare and have only a passing acquaintance with Hamlet （you don't need ANY such background knowledge to read the book）2。 I feared lots of Olde Worlde language which I find kind of a pain to read through （there is a little bit of old vocabulary， but thankfully no such dialogue）3。 （And apologies in advance to those who may be offended） I thught this may be very much a 'woman's book' （in the event I found the book moving， incredibly sad， but accessible to anyone， male， female or other）。One of the best novels I have ever read， I want to recommend it to others （my mum for example）， but fear that it is just too sad for some。 Something that will stick with me for the rest of my life。 。。。more

Kaleigh ，

Did not finish The most interesting part was when the author describes the flea carrying the plague from ship to port 🙄🙄🙄🙄

Betsy Starks ，

O’Farrell’s Hamnet is masterful in depicting the grief of losing a child， and the psychological impact of loss on the lives of her characters。 And her ability to put the reader in the setting， by allowing the reader to see， taste， feel， hear， and especially to smell the scene is amazing。 The theme of the complexities of marriage， grief， and love is one to which many of us can relate。 If you want action and adventure， this is not your book。 But if you enjoy exquisite sentences and a thoughtful lo O’Farrell’s Hamnet is masterful in depicting the grief of losing a child， and the psychological impact of loss on the lives of her characters。 And her ability to put the reader in the setting， by allowing the reader to see， taste， feel， hear， and especially to smell the scene is amazing。 The theme of the complexities of marriage， grief， and love is one to which many of us can relate。 If you want action and adventure， this is not your book。 But if you enjoy exquisite sentences and a thoughtful look at relationships you will love this。 。。。more

Shelley Ross ，

Enchanting！ I miss the characters already， especially Agnes。

Nancy V。 Klein ，

I Can’t Find Words Strong Enough to Praise ItEvery so often， a novel melds a superior story with gifted writing。 This is such a book。 Maggie O’Farrell creates magic in these pages。

Christen ，

This is a beautifully written book about Hamnet， William Shakespeare’s son who died young and was the inspiration for Hamlet。 As well as the whole family。I had read a review and a friend told me that it started slow but got really good。 I was glad to know that…I didn’t think it was awfully slow but definitely got better as it went along。

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Hamnet

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Hamnet&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Hamnet&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0