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A review by kathywadolowski
Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I eased my way pretty slowly into "Hamnet," but Maggie O'Farrell's beautiful prose and character work won me over page by page.
It was easy to forget that this was a (fictional) telling of Shakespeare's early adulthood, given that his name was never used and he was frequently absent from the events of the story. In fact, I found myself wondering how said events were even going to be tied to the famous "Hamlet" as promised. But when the link was finally revealed, it was devastating and impactful and shone a new light on how seminal works—not just Hamlet—might be interpreted when viewed through a different lens.
More than an exploration of Shakespeare's life, this book was a rumination on grief and the myriad ways it can affect people. It wasn't necessarily an uplifting read, but it was a moving and worthwhile one all the same.
It was easy to forget that this was a (fictional) telling of Shakespeare's early adulthood, given that his name was never used and he was frequently absent from the events of the story. In fact, I found myself wondering how said events were even going to be tied to the famous "Hamlet" as promised. But when the link was finally revealed, it was devastating and impactful and shone a new light on how seminal works—not just Hamlet—might be interpreted when viewed through a different lens.
More than an exploration of Shakespeare's life, this book was a rumination on grief and the myriad ways it can affect people. It wasn't necessarily an uplifting read, but it was a moving and worthwhile one all the same.