3.75 ⭐️

Hamnet is a stunning portrayal of grief, loss, and love, all the more highlighted by Maggie O'Farrell's writing. i was so impressed by it in the beginning, by the haunting introduction to this young boy, Hamnet, that i felt convinced this story would have me weeping. even though in the end i didn't shed a single tear, its emotional impact (and hence, all the books praise) was not lost on me entirely.

i see where the criticism for O'Farrell's writing comes from but personally, this was the kind of excessive and overwrought prose i could get behind (and there were some truly beautiful and melancholic lines). i do admit the writing eventually lost some of its effect on me, but my main issue is that i never quite warmed to the characters. this emotional distance is what prevented me from fully resonating with them and the moments of grief. for a story centred around the loss of Hamnet, i think there was a missed opportunity to explore more of the connection with his twin, Judith, and her anguish over his death, rather than focusing so strongly on Agnes' grief. and this is something that surprised me, by how much of the story's perspective came from Agnes and how it revolved around her marriage to Shakespeare, who is never named himself. i actually liked the choice to not explicitly state his identity; rather we get to know him through the lens of how others saw him, such as the Latin tutor or the glover's son. another controversial choice was the inclusion of the flea, which i rather liked despite how unnecessary and random it may have seemed. throughout the story and based on my sparse remembrance of Hamlet, i was also constantly wondering how Hamnet's death could have inspired Shakespeare's play, and the ending, which finally reveals this connection, was mostly satisfying despite a few points of confliction.

overall, i'm a bit saddened by the lacklustre effect the characters ended up having on me as i think the portrayal of the books themes was done so well. i'm still highly impressed by Maggie O'Farrell and found this to be a strong introduction to her writing and craft. i will certainly be reading more of her works.