Reviews with content warning for Pregnancy - Hamnet

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Reviews tagging 'Pregnancy'

Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell

190 reviews

kaanda's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

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mld8's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

This was such an incredible read. I don’t know what about O’Farrell’s writing pulled me in, but it was like nothing else I’ve read before.

When I picked this book up, I was hesitant to read it because it was told to me as “a mother’s grief over a child’s plague death.” I don’t know where I got that, but it’s kinda untrue. Does that play a part in the story? Yes, but not for the first 250 pages. Those are filled with young love, teenage stupidity, familial strife, and just the right touch of magic.

Agnes's nods to being a wood sprite and almost witch-like knowledge was just enough fantasy to really pull me in, because there are people out there who you meet and you’re like, “You know a secret and I’m not gonna question how you know it.”

The only reason this isn’t five stars is because ITS NOT REAL. Sure, it’s based in what little fact we know, but it hurts me a little. I’m taking this story as history anyways, I’m not sorry.

READ THIS BOOK.

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em_the_wallflower's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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jolineliest's review against another edition

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challenging emotional inspiring slow-paced

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

Am Anfang habe ich die ganze Zeit darauf gewartet, dass das Kind endlich stirbt, damit die Geschichte losgehen kann. Irgendwann habe ich mich dann aber in der tollen Sprache und immersiven Geschichte verloren und war einfach glücklich dabei zu sein. Maggie O'Farrell beherrscht die Mythenmetzsche Abschweifung in Perfektion. Aber dadurch zieht sie die Lesenden auch mit, immer tiefer in die Geschichte hinein. Alles ist so lebhaft beschrieben und so gut mitzufühlen, dass es schwerfällt, das Buch aus der Hand zu legen.

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juchinnii's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

I’m not typically a fan of literary fiction, but I’m trying to branch out and I think this was a pretty good starting point. I did audio, which I think helped. The flow of the writing is lovely, and the narrator’s voice went well with it. The ending was wonderful, but it took a long time to get there. I liked how the story focuses on the women - William Shakespeare is never even mentioned by name, a great decision imo. My major qualm is that the entire story is basically spoiled in the blurb, and there really isn’t much beyond what they say in it. I guess they were assuming most people would know what happened to Hamnet historically, but I had no idea and I think the story would’ve hit better if I’d gone in totally blind. Also if you’re uncomfortable with long, detailed descriptions of birthing, maybe skip a couple chapters. I’m sure it resonates differently with mothers, but I sure wish I had.

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asienerbrown's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

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tashaa_t's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.25

As much as I found the writing style extremely beautiful, I didn't find the plot particularly interesting. I enjoyed the characters and their relationships with one another, and how they grow and change through the tragedy but it did feel like not a lot really happened. I would have liked to know more about Hamnet, I feel his death did not really hit as hard as it could have as we hardly know him before this happens. The book is definitely more about his mother Agnes.

I would be interested in reading more by Maggie O'Farrell after this, as I did really enjoy the way she writes.

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