Rating: 4 / 5
FTC disclaimer: I was not sent this product. I am not affiliated with the companies mentioned. All opinions are my own.
An Introduction to the Plot...
Hamnet is one half of a pair of twins. His twin sister Judith has always been the weaker of the pair.
When Judith contracts the plague at eleven years old, Hamnet doesn't know what to do, and can find no one to help her. His father is away in London, and his mother, Agnes, is busy giving natural remedies to the townspeople of Stratford.
Hamnet can only take matters into his own hands.
A few years later, his father writes a play. The play is called 'Hamlet'.
To be clear, this is a work of fiction inspired by real historical events. And before I continue, let me apologise for the number of links scattered in this post. I felt that this novel needed a fair amount of context. Maybe start here - https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2020/feb/22/alas-poor-hamnet-shakespeare-tragic-son-finally-steps-into-the-spotlight
O'Farrell's prose was one of my favourite things about 'Hamnet'. It manages to be stunning without being flowery. A pregnant woman is described as someone who has "swallowed the moon", and there is also a beautiful passage about collecting honey from beehives.
The narrative of 'Hamnet' is non-linear, but it felt extremely natural. For example, chapters detailing Hamnet's life are contrasted with those portraying the love story between his parents. This added a lightness to a novel which could otherwise have been overwhelmed by its dark themes, such as its depictions of grief.
The characterisation in 'Hamnet' is fulsome and shows great power of the imagination, specifically with Agnes. It was a clever decision to never actually refer to William Shakespeare by name, only by titles such as "the latin tutor" or "Hamnet's father".
My main criticism was that 'Hamnet' didn't have that addictive quality for me, the one that keeps me up until the early hours.
Side note - this novel has seriously heightened my interest in 'Hamlet' the play and I would recommend it to anyone else studying it.
O'Farrell discussing the novel at the Edinburgh book festival - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_eA5bfMbb8
Author Website: https://www.maggieofarrell.com/
Review written 15/02/22
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