Our book of the month is Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell. We give you our Big Review below.
***Our Big Reviews are written from the point of view that you have read the book. If this is not yet you, bookmark the page and come back once you have***
Hamnet – the blurb
On a summer’s day in 1596, a young girl in Stratford-upon-Avon takes to her bed with a fever. Her twin brother, Hamnet, searches everywhere for help. Why is nobody at home?
Their mother, Agnes, is over a mile away, in the garden where she grows medicinal herbs. Their father is working in London. Neither parent knows that one of the children will not survive the week.
Hamnet is a novel inspired by the son of a famous playwright. It is a story of the bond between twins, and of a marriage pushed to the brink by grief. It is also the story of a kestrel and its mistress; flea that boards a ship in Alexandria; and a glovemaker’s son who flouts convention in pursuit of the woman he loves. Above all, it is a tender and unforgettable reimagining of a boy whose life has been all but forgotten, but whose name was given to one of the most celebrated plays ever written.
He who shall remain nameless
I wasn’t sure how it would work trying to keep Shakespeare nameless throughout 370 odd pages yet O’Farrell managed it brilliantly. It felt realistic and added a certain je ne sais quoi to the story. You could get lost in the grief, the nature, the era, then suddenly little things would jump out at you and you would be reminded that it was Shakespeare you were reading about.
This wasn’t just a book about he who shall remain nameless however, it was about relationships, grief and finding your place in the world. All of which O’Farrell wrote about superbly. It was also so well researched, with little details such as the washing of the ‘monthlies’ expertly interwoven in to the story. A book can’t be about the death of a little boy without grief and emotion and I for one was moved to tears when Agnes prepared Hamnet’s body for burial. It was tender, heart-breaking and beautifully done.
Hamlet or Hamnet?
The tale meanders wonderfully flitting from past to present (well Hamnet’s present). The part where the flea travels from monkey all the way to Judith was fascinating. You read with an impending sense of doom. It was also spellbinding to read about the showing of Hamlet. I’m vaguely familiar with the story of Hamlet but now have to read it again (or at least the Spark notes!)
Hamnet is a fantastic book and a brilliant Book Of The Month to kick off the New Year with. What did you think of it?
Get Involved
If you would like to get involved with our Book Of The Month try answering our Book Club questions published every month. Just search in our footnotes section for the ‘Get Involved’ articles. We review a new book every month so keep your eyes peeled for the Lowdown on February’s book of the month soon.