Sign in with Facebook
Antoinette's Reviews > Hamnet and Judith
Hamnet and Judith
by
by
5 HUGE STARS!!
I absolutely loved this book. Maggie O’Farrell is utterly brilliant; she is a born storyteller; she is a magician with words; she is able to evoke such emotions!
With the scant knowledge known of Shakespeare’s personal life, she has written a completely plausible story, focusing on his wife, Agnes (Anne) and their children- Susanna, Hamnet and Judith. In this book, Shakespeare is never named-he is the Latin boy, the father, the son, the husband. By doing that, O’Farrell has taken all emphasis away from him.
The book shifts between the present as Agnes tends to Judith, who is ill with what is thought to be the plague, to the past, when Agnes met the Latin boy (Will) and their life.
Love, loss and the power and nature of grief is explored. Be prepared for tears, many tears, as the author has written about death and the aftermath so evocatively, this reader felt like she was there.
“Anyone, Eliza, is thinking, who describes dying as ‘slipping away� or ‘peaceful� has never witnessed it happen. Death is violent, death is a struggle. The body clings to life, as ivy to a wall, and will not easily let go, will not surrender its grip without a fight.�
One of the best books I have read this year!!!
Published: 2020
I absolutely loved this book. Maggie O’Farrell is utterly brilliant; she is a born storyteller; she is a magician with words; she is able to evoke such emotions!
With the scant knowledge known of Shakespeare’s personal life, she has written a completely plausible story, focusing on his wife, Agnes (Anne) and their children- Susanna, Hamnet and Judith. In this book, Shakespeare is never named-he is the Latin boy, the father, the son, the husband. By doing that, O’Farrell has taken all emphasis away from him.
The book shifts between the present as Agnes tends to Judith, who is ill with what is thought to be the plague, to the past, when Agnes met the Latin boy (Will) and their life.
Love, loss and the power and nature of grief is explored. Be prepared for tears, many tears, as the author has written about death and the aftermath so evocatively, this reader felt like she was there.
“Anyone, Eliza, is thinking, who describes dying as ‘slipping away� or ‘peaceful� has never witnessed it happen. Death is violent, death is a struggle. The body clings to life, as ivy to a wall, and will not easily let go, will not surrender its grip without a fight.�
One of the best books I have read this year!!!
Published: 2020
Sign into ŷ to see if any of your friends have read
Hamnet and Judith.
Sign In »
Reading Progress
February 18, 2020
– Shelved
February 18, 2020
– Shelved as:
to-read
November 11, 2021
–
Started Reading
November 13, 2021
– Shelved as:
historical-fiction
November 17, 2021
–
Finished Reading
November 18, 2021
– Shelved as:
favorites
Comments Showing 1-43 of 43 (43 new)
date
newest »
newest »
message 1:
by
Angela M
(new)
-
rated it 5 stars
Nov 18, 2021 05:37PM
Wonderful review, Antoinette. The way that a mother’s grief is depicted is just amazing. O’Farrell is definitely a “magician with words�. I’ve read all,of her books and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that there’s another soon. So glad this was one that moved you as well.
reply
|
flag
Thanks, Angela! I, luckily, have a few more to read. I can’t express how well I loved this book.
You expressed it very well!
Thanks, Angela. Means a lot.
Such a heartfelt review, Antionette! I am one of the few that needs to read O'Farrell. And your review is so very convincing that it needs to be sooner than later!
My favourite book of last year..
Oh,Antoinette! I always put great value on your reviews . The quote you chose to share really spoke to me� how true and how beautifully expressed. So many of my reading experiences begin with your heartfelt reviews. Today is a good day to tell you how grateful I am. Thankyou, my ŷ friend.
Thanks, Lori! I can’t believe you haven’t read O’Farrell yet. Start with this one. Goes very well with Dickens:)
Totally agree with you,Roxanne.
Linda, your comment has just filled my heart. Thank you. You’ll never know how much that means to me. You know it works both ways, my friend. But please read this one and make sure I see your review when you do.
How does this compare to “Hamnet� by O’Farrell?
It’s the same book, Antoinette. Called Hamnet in UK and title changed in Canada- not sure about US.
A lovely review, Antoinette! I admire O'Farrell's writing :) Time for another one soon, I think :)
Thanks, Candi! She is a favourite of mine.
Your enthusiasm is so uplifting, Antoinette! You made my Friday night (at home), thank you! :))
Thank you, Violeta, for your lovely comment:))
Wonderful review Antoinette!! As soon as I read "utterly" I knew you were sold, the 5-stars too!! Your love of this one shone through - Maggie O'Farrell is great hey and this is a wonderful and (plausible - your word) story - loved it. The journey of the flea was one of my favourite parts - goes to show how easy it is to transmit nasty bugs. Nice one :))
I thought the flea story very clever, Mark. I love Maggie O’Farrell. The only book of hers I didn’t love was My Lovers Lover.
Wonderful review, Antoinette. This is a book I’d love to read. Glad it garnered five brilliant stars.
Thanks, Laysee. I hope you get to this one sooner- so worth it.
A very enthusiastic review. I don't get why the change of name in the American market, it's so darn confusing. The book won awards as Hamnet.
Thanks, Bianca! I don’t understand the publishing industry.
Thanks so much, Julie!
I'm glad you loved it, Antoinette. I honestly couldn't get anywhere with it, but I know I am definitely in the minority.So weird about the title change with this one. I'm actually experiencing something similar with my 4th read of the Harry Potter series (to my youngest now). We're reading the "American" version, yet there are still so many words and expressions that are British, versus American in it, so what did the "British version" look like, and who determines how dumb another culture is, to figure out context clues?
Wonderful review. I was confused initially because of the title, as I knew it as Hamnet. It made me wonder, why do publishers bother to change titles liked that? I remember Notes on a Scandal (great title) was the UK title and then they changed it to What was She Thinking? (awful title) for North America. Seems silly, doesn't it?
Sorry to hear you couldn’t get into it, Julie. Why do you think that is? I don’t get the title changes either. As they are twins, I wonder if they decided to give them equal importance. I wonder what the author’s input would be.
Thanks so much, Robin. Wow, your example of a title change is horrible. Not catchy at all. I don’t get it at all.
Thank you, Swaroop!
I will have to try one of her books soon.
I hope you do , Christine. Just don’t start with My Lover’s Lover, her second book. 😁
Loving the enthusiasm Antoinette ! So cold here today ...minus 18 with windchill which I know is a winter heatwave for you hardy Albertans lol !
I’m glad to report it is plus 6 here today. Finally, a chinook arrived. Thanks, Jaidee. What I most hate when we get the brutal cold is walking my dog. We have a fight about his boots each time.
Thanks, Jayson.
Your review has convinced me to add it to my scanty-TBR :) <3
If you have not read Maggie O’Farrell before, be prepared to fall in love, Meghna!
Oh � I was wondering what this book was as I read Hamnet last year with my book club. I know realise the same book has a different name (USA published?). ..interesting because there was a lot of commentary at the time that the book was actually more about Agnes than Hamnet but I think I still prefer the sound of the single word name. Yes it’s a wonderful book.
Hi Tundra. I bought my copy in Canada. Not sure why they had the title changed, but yes a totally wonderful book.
Judith, I’m dying to read her upcoming book- another historical fiction.
Fabulous review Antionette 💖
Thanks so much, Margaret.
