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Hamnet
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
England, 1580: The Black Death creeps across the land, an ever-present threat, infecting the healthy, the sick, the old and the young, alike. The end of days is near, but life always goes on. A young Latin tutor--penniless and bullied by a violent father--falls in love with an extraordinary, eccentric young woman. Agnes is a wild creature who walks her family's land with a falcon on her glove and is known throughout the countryside for her unusual gifts as a healer, understanding plants and potions better than she does people. Once she settles with her husband on Henley Street in Stratford-upon-Avon she becomes a fiercely protective mother and a steadfast, centrifugal force in the life of her young husband, whose career on the London stage is taking off when his beloved young son succumbs to sudden fever. A luminous portrait of a marriage, a shattering evocation of a family ravaged by grief and loss, and a tender and unforgettable re-imagining of a boy whose life has been all but forgotten, and whose name was given to one of the most celebrated plays of all time, Hamnet is mesmerizing, seductive, impossible to put down--a magnificent leap forward from one of our most gifted novelists.
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review
YasmiNova
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
Pickpick

Heart-breaking and beautiful. It was tough reading it knowing how it will end. I love that Shakespeare is never named - like his name and fame are irrelevant, because this is a family story, a story about how people face tragedy and deal with grief. I'd like to read The Marriage Portrait next...

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KCofKaysville
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
Pickpick

Very well done speculation about Shakespeare‘s wife, Agnes, usually called Anne, and her life in Stratford as a herbalist. They lose their young boy, a twin, Hamnet, to Plague. His sister is Judith. His best play in London is an attempt to bring him back to life. A great book.

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KCofKaysville
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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Starting a novel about Shakespeare‘s son.

29 likes2 stack adds
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Lizwarnerpdx
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
Mehso-so

Better than I expected, but at times confusing and I felt the ending was too abrupt. I would‘ve liked to see how things would play out after the play, when they come face to face.

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kspenmoll
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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These are six of the women‘s prize for fiction long/short lists that are unread on my shelves.I am sure I have more. I just have to dig them up. I have decided to try to read one per month starting in February.Ones that I have read so far in the past few years are:
The bookshop
The Silence of the Girls
Sing Unburied Sing
Circe
An American Marriage
Black Butterfies
#womensdozen #womenshalfdozen

Ruthiella Great idea! 👍 2mo
vivastory Loved the Lockwood. The Shipstead & O'Farrell are high on my TBR. I'm looking forward to your thoughts on these! 2mo
Tamra There are several in your stack that are wonderful! 😍 2mo
TheKidUpstairs What a great idea! I loved loved loved Hamnet, Trespasses, and Great Circle. You have some wonderful stories ahead of you! 2mo
70 likes1 stack add4 comments
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fredthemoose
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 Another great #AuldLangSpine pick from @JenReadsAlot ! I don‘t know what I expected, but this was not it! Totally different from what I usually read, but it was very well done. I loved the characters, especially Agnes and the tie-ins to actual people and events was so clever.

JenReadsAlot Yay! This was a surprise for me as well! 2mo
AmyG I loved this one. 2mo
47 likes1 stack add2 comments
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JenReadsAlot
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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Andrew65 Hamlet is a very popular book. 3mo
29 likes1 comment
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julieclair
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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My favorite book of June was Hamnet, which I read with my IRL book club.
#12Booksof2023 @Andrew65

Andrew65 A popular book! 3mo
JuniperWilde She is such a great writer. One of my favourites. I read the Marriage Portrait this yr. A fab story. 3mo
32 likes2 comments
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MeJeMiller
Hamnet | MAGGIE. O'FARRELL
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Pickpick

I don‘t know why this took me a while to understand what was going on with the time jump. I liked it when I got in the groove. I really loved how some passages were written. It drew you in and made you love the characters.

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Soubhiville
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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I decided to open these today @AmyG so I could get them packed. I‘ll be at my new home in less than a week now!

Thank you my sweet friend, these books will be enjoyed and I love the bookmarks. Sending big holiday hugs. 🥰

AmyG You are so welcome. Ha…I want to read North Woods so bad I almost got another one for me! Wishing you a good, easy move. 😘 3mo
BiblioLitten Hamnet 🩵 3mo
Tamra I hope you love Apeirogon as much as I did! (edited) 3mo
Hooked_on_books Those bookmarks are awesome! 3mo
Suet624 So many great books!! 3mo
63 likes5 comments
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CMB
Hamnet | MAGGIE. O'FARRELL
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Pickpick

Maggie O‘Farrell writes beautifully expressive lines throughout the book. Pages 217-233 are profoundly moving and hard… to forget. Pages 140-151 illustrates how The Plague traveled from one place to, in this case, specifically Stratford, England. The dominoes all had to fall into place to facilitate The Spread. And, the historical research is solid. ✔️

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Amor4Libros
Hamnet | MAGGIE. O'FARRELL
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In the middle of 5 books, but started this last night 😅

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Karisa
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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Pickpick

Maggie O‘Farrell‘s historical fiction books are a joy and a wonder. I finally got my turn with this one after the longest library hold wait time ever. It was worth the wait and I loved every minute of this look at Shakespeare‘s life and times through the eyes of his family. Just a beautiful read!

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REPollock
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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Bailedbailed

I wanted to love this book but it‘s so relentlessly sad and slow that I couldn‘t spend any more time with it.

julesG Thank F, I'm not the only one. 🤣 1mo
REPollock @julesG I was on the library waitlist for it for so long and then when I got it I was like wow no thank you. 1mo
julesG I skimmed through it after three chapters, because I wanted to tick a box for a challenge. Not my style. 1mo
23 likes3 comments
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LukeP167
Hamnet | MAGGIE. O'FARRELL
Pickpick

A beautifully told story which made me cry more than once.

8 likes1 stack add
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Bevita
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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Pickpick

All that I expected. What a great author. Loved it!

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JenReadsAlot
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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1. Tagged!
2. My pick for #authoramonth
Thanks @Kshakal @TheSpineView #two4tuesday

TheSpineView Thanks for playing!👍📖📘 8mo
16 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Melismatic
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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Mehso-so

This novel was slow. But meaningful. The switching between timelines added context but definitely bogged down the first “half” (read 3/4ths) of the novel, esp given the focal aspect is Hamlet/Hamnet, his death, and the ripple effect of grief on the rest of his family. I think it‘s worth pulling through, but it is indeed a slow go. #AuthorAMonth

Soubhiville What a gorgeous flower display! What‘s happening here? 8mo
Melismatic @Soubhiville right?!? It‘s new wall deco at one of my fave local breakfast spots 8mo
Soubhiville I love it 🌸🤍 8mo
25 likes1 stack add3 comments
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BookwormAHN
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed this fictional account of the life of Shakespeare and the death of his son Hamnet. This book is told in a few timelines. The most interesting is of Shakespeare's wife, Agnes, who is presented as a healer or witch.
Warning: this story is quite tragic and the last 4 hrs or so may cause crying, grief and wanting to strangle a number of men in the book 😿
#AuthorAMonth @Soubhiville
#Pantone2023 #Macchiato @Clwojick

63 likes1 stack add
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Bluebird
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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Pickpick

I had high expectations because I loved reading The Marriage Portrait. However, I found this one slow to start and uneven at times. I had so much trouble following all the characters that I had to look for a list of them to help me keep up. Nevertheless, parts of the book were so compelling I couldn‘t put it down. My favorite part of the book was following the journey of the flea that brought the Plague—fascinating!
#authoramonth @Soubhiville

32 likes1 stack add
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BarkingMadRead
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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This was intense and so so good! Read for #authoramonth with @Soubhiville

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JenReadsAlot
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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Pickpick

I loved this so much and honestly never would have read it if it wasn't for #authoramonth @Soubhiville

Soubhiville I‘m so glad! I haven‘t read this one yet but enjoyed the two of hers I did read. 8mo
50 likes1 comment
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Texreader
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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Pickpick

This book is a fictional account of the death of Shakespeare‘s son Hamnet and how it inspired his play, Hamlet. Clear from the beginning, O‘Farrell is an exquisite writer. It was a sheer pleasure immersing myself in her writing like a warm blanket. Until Hamnet died; then the book felt endless as the family copes with the pain of it. I had to put the book down for days. O‘Farrell also has a penchant for lists, which became a bit much. And, ⬇️

Texreader finally, I felt like O‘Farrell didn‘t give her brilliant, unique, strong main character—Hamnet‘s mother—justice I felt she was due. I think there were a number of directions the story could have taken and the one chosen is my least favorite. I hate to harp on the negatives but the plot is pretty straightforward, and it‘s a tremendous book. So all I have left are those few negatives. Highly recommended. #authoramonth 8mo
70 likes1 comment
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Texreader
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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I finished both books last night & I learned a valuable lesson: not to read 2 books by the same author at the same time. I‘d never read anything by her before and her writing can be exquisite. But little things about her style that bug me, and wouldn‘t be too much of an issue, are compounded when it happens in both books. Then it‘s just irritating. O‘Farrell likes to list things. Sometimes I felt I was reading shopping lists! #authoramonth

Soubhiville Oh interesting. I read two by her back to back and didn‘t notice, but I‘ll be looking for it in the next I read by her! 🙂 8mo
Texreader @Soubhiville She did it a ton in Hamnet, not nearly so much in the other one but enough to be noticeable and somewhat irritating 8mo
47 likes2 comments
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Larkken
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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Pickpick

I saved this book from my #AuldLangSpine list (thanks again, @jhod !) knowing O‘Farrell was July‘s #authoramonth pick bc I knew it might be devastating.
It did not disappoint! I won‘t lie, parts dragged & others felt oddly anachronistic? Maybe? In tone, but that ending!!! And the way O‘Farrell seemlessly pulls in/references theories about Shakespeare were awe-inspiring. Would anyone want to do a Shakespeare readalong? I‘m finding myself inspired!

Soubhiville Glad you liked this. Looks like a good day for a walk 🙂. 8mo
jhod I haven't read this one but am going to see the play in November so def will before then! Glad you enjoyed! 8mo
Larkken @Soubhiville it‘s always a good day for a walk with that little guy lol 💃🏻🦮 8mo
Larkken @jhod ah, man. I had this one on my kindle and thought for sure your list inspired me to buy it! I‘ll have to look for the marriage portrait! 8mo
33 likes4 comments
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vlwelser
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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Pickpick

This is so good. Genuinely impressed. Even better than The Marriage Portrait.

#AuthorAMonth @Soubhiville

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Soubhiville Oooo, is it? I‘ll have to move it into my sooner-TBR! 8mo
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 8mo
57 likes1 stack add2 comments
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BarkingMadRead
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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Starting my choice for #authoramonth @Soubhiville

55 likes2 stack adds
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Texreader
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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TheLudicReader Such a magnificent book. 9mo
60 likes1 comment
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Texreader
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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Not quite two weeks from returning home from Venice, I can say this description of Venice in 1595 is still accurate! #authoramonth @Soubhiville

Soubhiville It really is! Though we didn‘t see any fog while we were there. I definitely could have gotten turned around in the alleys. 9mo
Texreader @Soubhiville I didn‘t see fog either. Our first day there we got lost in the alleys. 🤣 9mo
46 likes2 comments
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DrexEdit
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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Pickpick

Beautiful, sensitive story, mostly fiction, about Shakespeare's young son who died. This book imagines he died of the plague. I just loved Maggie O'Farrell's writing. It reminded me of Lauren Groff or Hilary Mantel. 5⭐
#AuthorAMonth

Soubhiville Wow 5 star! That‘s great! 9mo
59 likes1 comment
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LitsyEvents
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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repost for @Soubhiville:

Happy July #AuthorAMonth readers! Time to pull out our Maggie O‘Farrell books for #AuthorAMonth. What are you planning to read?

#AuthorAMonth is a no-pressure, no-commitment Litsy challenge. The goal is to celebrate the works of a particular author each month. Authors were chosen through polls by Litsy participants. Read as many as you like, skip months when needed, it's entirely up to you!

LitsyEvents details about prizes on the original post:
https://www.litsy.com/web/post/2605233
9mo
Soubhiville Thank you for sharing! 9mo
33 likes3 comments
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Texreader
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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I‘ve started this one for July‘s #authoramonth

The writing style is beautiful.

Soubhiville Nice! I hope you‘ll love it. 9mo
Texreader @Soubhiville me too! Can you believe our respective trips are over? How time flies!! 9mo
Soubhiville I know 😢. It was wonderful but I would‘ve loved to stay longer. 9mo
74 likes3 comments
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cariashley
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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Pickpick

Achingly beautiful and wrenching. I‘m not usually a fan of historical reimagining but this was done perfectly. Just wow.

julieclair I‘m reading this right now and loving it! 9mo
56 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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mjtwo
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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Pickpick

14 May-8 Jun 23
O‘Farrell‘s fictional tale of the marriage of William Shakespeare and sudden death of his only son, Hamnet.
Such a wonderful account of two unconventional characters, being the playwright and his witch-like wife, and their disparate experiences of grief. It also examines the challenges faced by the family in supporting a creative and much absent genius. I cannot recall a book that has made me quite so emotional in recent years.

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Nathan_Opland-Dobs
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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Pickpick

🌼

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TheBookHippie
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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72 likes10 comments
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Erinreadsthebooks
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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Pickpick

Maggie O‘Farrell can do no wrong. Her writing is unmatched, and this gem is a testament to her talent. I still consider This Must Be the Place to be my favorite by her, but Hamnet is a masterpiece.

Follow.my.read Have you read, The Marriage Portrait yet? I loved it equally as much as Hamnet!!!!! 10mo
Erinreadsthebooks @Follow.my.read It‘s on my shelf but I haven‘t read it yet. I may need to move it up my TBR list. 10mo
47 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Tonton
Hamnet | MAGGIE. O'FARRELL
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LiseWorks
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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Eggs Great cover! 12mo
17 likes1 comment
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MeganLindell
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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Panpan

⭐️⭐️• This put me in a serious reading slump. Beautifully written, but didn‘t hold my attention.

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Sharv_Sona
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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Pickpick

This book is captivating, exhilarating, and most surely a gem. I had read this book in Swedish before, but reading it in English really had a larger affect on me. I have no words to describe how much I love the works of Maggie O'Farrell. The words, and the way everything flowed together was beautiful to read, and I would reccomend this book to whoever likes realistic fiction, and biographical fiction, because it is enchanting.

5⭐

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Sharv_Sona
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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He can feel Death in the room, hovering in the shadows, over there beside the door, head averted, but watching all the same, always watching. It is waiting, biding its time. It will slide forward on skinless feet, with breath of damp ashes, to take her, to clasp her in its cold embrace, and he, Hamnet, will not be able to wrest her free.

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Sharv_Sona
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
This post contains spoilers
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And there, by the fire, held in the arms of his mother, in the room in which he learnt to crawl, to eat, to walk, to speak, Hamnet takes his last breath. He draws it in, he lets it out. Then there is silence, stillness. Nothing more.

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Sharv_Sona
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell

Time only runs one way.

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Sharv_Sona
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell

Partings are strange. It seems so simple: one minute ago, four, five, he was here, at her side; now, he is gone. She was with him; she is alone.

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Sharv_Sona
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell

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.

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Sharv_Sona
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell

Never take for granted that your children's hearts beat, that they sip milk, that they draw breath, that they walk and speak and smile and argue and play. Never for a moment forget they may be gone, snatched from you, in the blink of an eye, borne away from you like thistledown.

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Sharv_Sona
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell

What is given may be taken away, at any time. Cruelty and devastation wait for you around corners, inside coffers, behind doors: they can leap out at you at any time, like a thief or brigand. The trick is never to let down your guard. Never think you are safe.

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anushree21
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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Never thought a circumstance happening over a single night can be written down so beautifully. It is said that the smallest coffins are the heaviest to hold, and that is exactly what the book is about. 5/5.

13 likes1 stack add
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Breanne1
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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Pickpick

“To thine own self be true”…Hamlet is the play that had me fall in love with Shakespeare‘s writing and to have a book make its origin and meaning so profound was simply wonderful. I loved this reimagining and was utterly entranced by O‘Farrell‘s writing. 5 ⭐️

TheLudicReader Such a beautiful book. 13mo
28 likes1 comment