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kaanda's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Alcoholism, Gore, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Minor: Animal death, Confinement, Misogyny, Sexual content, Blood, and Abandonment
georginathelibrarian's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
To hear her talk about a child that I hadn’t even known existed, despite studying Agnes’s husband at university, a child who may have died of a deadly epidemic, during that time of my own life secluded from our own deadly sickness captured my attention.
I immediately ordered a signed copy, and then it sat on the shelf as they often do, biding their time until the moment is right.
Finally the time had come to read it, prompted by my book club, and I am so glad I have. It was chosen for April as that is the month of Agnes’ husband’s birth and death, but the story is not just about that famous playwright, it is more about his family, and their grief at the loss of one of their own.
This story captured my attention anew, transporting me to Elizabethan Stratford, and had me riveted from start to finish, a feat that many books have failed to deliver of late.
I warn you, you will need tissues, this is not a happy story, but it is one that leaves a feeling of wholeness at the end, that all is as it should be.
In the words of Agnes’s husband “give sorrow words; the grief that does not speak knits up the o’er wrought heart and bids it break”.
Graphic: Grief and Pregnancy
Moderate: Child death, Death, Miscarriage, and Death of parent
Minor: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, and Pandemic/Epidemic
enchantedelfie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Child death, Grief, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Medical content, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
bookycnidaria's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Grief, Gaslighting, and Pandemic/Epidemic
celey's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Grief
Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Gore, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Medical content, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Minor: Alcoholism, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Abandonment
Many challenging topics and ideas are explored in this book. It is all done very thoughtfully.wrackcity's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Physical abuse, Grief, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Confinement and Medical content
honeycrispp's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, Grief, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Child abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Xenophobia, Blood, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Animal death and Gaslighting
mshusky's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This novel has so much detail as though the author had lived the every day domestic life of this family. In a small parochial town, Agnes is unconventional, and has a mystical spirituality.
It is an absolutely lyrical albeit tragic novel, and as an exploration of grief during plague it is wrenching but also timely in these pandemic times.
One thing, apparently in the UK this was called Hamnet. Judith IMO is an insubstantial will-o'-the-wisp character, compared to her sister, it should not have been renamed for the North American readership.
Graphic: Child death and Grief
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, and Domestic abuse