I must confess, historical fiction intimidates quite a bit. Maybe because I associate it to old classics where I've found the writing complicated and inaccessible. Thanks to this, I avoided Hamnet's longer than I should have. The story in this book is quite simple: Hamnet's, Shakespeare's 11 year old son, dies of the plague. If you're already rolling your eyes, stick with me for at least, these 2 reasons: the writer never once mentions this famous name and secondly, this is a portrait of a grief, tragedy and loss with feminist lenses on. The author presents two intertwined timelines starting with Judith's, Hamnet's twin, becoming ill and in paralel, the evolving hurricane love story between their parents, 15 years ago. I quickly fell in love with Agnes, the mother, her free spirit guts and strong head. Agnes brings somewhat of a supernatural mystical element to this story and I think it was essential the time that took to tell her story , like a tapestry being woven, culminating with the unavoidable loss of her son. The description of Hamnet, a sweet boy on the cusp of manhood, running desperate around the empty house looking for help like an actor on stage without any other characters, is an interesting view into the ending that we know - a play written by his dad, where he dies and his son lives, a way to deal with his grief. This book made me cry in the middle of the street. I fell in the love with the writing, poetic and sad, the way the women in Hamnet's family have to learn how to cope with his death and the portrait of how a loss of someone important impacts our daily lives. I couldn't help draw comparisons to the recent "plague" we experienced too. A book for life.

A very human story. You can’t help but fall in love with Agnes. I read the first part galloping towards the inevitable and cried my heart out with Agnes for her loss. A beautiful and very believable story.

The topic of grief and loss is reflected so beautifully it had my bottom lip quivering and my eyes blurred at several key moments in the story. O’Farrell has a whimsical, prose like way of writing that is utterly captivating. We know what is coming, we know Hamnet’s fate, but that doesn’t lessen the blow. Flicking between timelines and characters builds an electric sense of foreboding and tension that is so fantastically crafted. I couldn’t get enough.

Maggie O'Farrell has thoroughly broken my heart with this book but in the most amazing way possible. Her writing hits all the key feelings and really makes you want to cry with every emotion. Words cannot describe how absolutely soul shattering this book was, I had to keep putting it down for a breather. The ending makes up for a bittersweet sensation that leaves you hoping for better after coming through tragedy. 10/10 have and will continue to recommend this book to everyone I know regardless of what books they enjoy!

Best read I’ve had in many years. I’m a great fan of the bard and this was quite superb.