Hamnet (original 2020; edição 2020)

Shakespeare marriage to Anne who appears in this novel to have mystic abilities. To escape her family she meets and captures the younger Shakespeare who is never named except as William. Great descriptions of life in the small village and if course family grief when a child dies. Slow moving, exceptionally emotive, language and construction of novel is superior. ( )

Stunning book - birthday present from reni. Will we read one day....

Beautiful writing, heartbreaking story....I loved it...4 stars because I thought the end dragged a bit, but would still recommend, if you don't mind a lot narrative as opposed to dialogue. ( )

I decided to read this book because of the positive reviews as well as seeing how the author wove history and her own fiction. The story takes the basic historical facts surrounding Shakespeare and his wife Anne Hathaway and creates a fictional account of their relationship. Unlike many books there is no great mystery as to what occurs. The center piece of the book is the death in 1596 of their son Hamnet. From historical records we learn that Hamlet and Hamnet were interchangeable names so we can speculate about the connection between the death of their son and the play Hamlet. O'Farrell's book deals mainly with Agnes(probably Anne's real name) who is portrayed as a free spirited woman with strong ties to nature. She is a creator of herbal cures and medicines. We see life during this time portrayed in detail and with her beautiful prose we can appreciate the time. The book is told through the eyes of the different characters and Shakespeare is always referred to as a son or husband but never by name. She uses the facts that Shakespeare spent time between London and Stratford and builds her story around the known set of facts. I truly enjoyed the book and my only complaint was the way it alternated between the beginning of the relationship between Anne and William and the time surrounding the death of Hamnet. The last 3rd of the book stays on the latter narrative and it is the best part of the book. If you love Shakespeare then you should consider this book. It is a worthwhile read. ( )

Of course, I love anything having to do with Shakespeare, but this isn't really about him. Like Ahab's Wife, it is a highly fictionalized account of a famous man's unknown wife. While many of us had learned that Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway, the author informs us in the endnote that historical records suggest her name was actually Agnes. This is her story. She is portrayed as a woman of the forest, deeply connected to the natural world, talented at healing, capable of reading people's illnesses and future. She is an uncomfortable fit in the home of Shakespeare's parents in the village of Stratford, always considered odd by her father-in-law and difficult by her mother-in-law, Mary. Ultimately, the story is about the death of their son, Hamnet, who, theoretically, inspired the play Hamlet.
O'Farrell's writing is remarkable. Her rich imagery immerses you in Agnes' world. You feel her. Feel her experiences. The reader knows from the outset that Hamnet dies, but the story is more about how he comes to be and, in the end, how his death fractures the lives of those closest to him.
Don't miss this one! ( )