Within the dust-jacket we are told that Hamnet is a novel inspired by the son of a famous playwright. It is a story of the bond between twins, and of a marriage pushed to the brink by grief. It is also the story of a kestrel and its mistress; a flea that boards a ship; and a glove maker’s son who flouts convention in pursuit of the woman he loves. Above all, it is the tender re-imaging of a boy whose life has been all but forgotten, but whose name was given to one of the most celebrated plays every written. Maggie O’Farrell proves herself to be the master story-teller. The novel is multi-layered and each layer weaves richly from beginning to end (and what an end!) This is principally a story of loss, and love. Agnes and Hamnet are the principal actors. It seems that the story will be all about Hamnet, but then it richly and purposefully makes it clear that Agnes is the cog around whom all the other lives matter and Hamnet is the pin holding the cast together. Agnes is like a character from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and more so. Within Agnes the natural and the supernatural weave together in a rich and ambiguously satisfying tapestry. The story deals profoundly with the topic of grief, and what happens when grief arrives in your house and in your life. I admire how the author’s research and historical detail flow naturally from the page. Once you start reading the novel it is not difficult to find yourself immersed in 16th Century England. The descriptive passages – of which there are many – enhance each character and the story of what happens before and after the death of a boy. I also admire the way the narrative of the story flows back and forth. It brought me deeper into the mind and heart of each character. It also serves to deliver a rich story. The Editor’s note at the beginning of the novel states: All characters in this publication – other than the obvious characters – are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living and dead, is purely coincidental… I beg to disagree. The cast of this beautiful novel are very much alive for me and I am happy to say that this is the story of Agnes, her children, and her playwright that I will forever embrace.

Few historical details are known about William Shakespeare's life but Maggie O'Farrell has taken two scraps of information: the death of Shakespeare's son Hamnet at eleven, and four years later, the production of his play Hamlet, and spun them into an incredibly powerful and moving novel about love and grief. It is beautifully structured, flitting from Hamnet's desperate search for help when his twin sister Judith falls ill, back to the moment Shakespeare first sees his wife Agnes, and onwards. Shakespeare himself is mostly absent in the story - referred to only in reference to the other characters: the oldest son, the husband, the father. Instead the story belongs to Agnes (Anne Hathaway) a woman traditionally pitied and scorned by history as Shakespeare's older, spurned wife - left to moulder in Stratford while Shakespeare found fame in London. And I think that is what I love the most about this book, that it gives Agnes agency and a voice in her own life, and in Shakespeare's. Hamnet's death is of course heartbreaking, but the final scenes of the book are particularly stunning and devastating. Absolutely brilliant.

Historical fiction written about Shakespeare’s son lost to the Plague that inspired his greatest play, Hamlet. The author creates vivid descriptions of the medicinal plants and herbs, homeopathic cures, street scenes and farm life of Shakespeare’s world. Touching portrayal of the emotional lives of the family Shakespeare grew up in and the one he creates with Agnes(Anne). The Plague fears and tragedies are eerily relevant to today. Touching, intriguing, impactful.

Was a little bit sceptical before reading but absolutely so enjoyed the read. So well written it was easy to picture the characters, the countryside and the times of Shakespeare. Highly recommend

A study in grief and life and written so beautifully with enormous feeling and great description. I was right there in Stratford Upon Avon moving around the town, between the houses and with the characters. So clever, so beautiful and brings life to death. A study of what it is to grieve and also to be at one with nature and the cycle of life. I read Maggie O'Farrell's I am, I am, I am after this.