by Maggie O’Farrell

I love Shakespeare and loved teaching his works. When I taught Hamlet, I also explored Shakespeare’s life and the play’s historical background with my students.

Because of this, my review is personal and shaped by my love for Shakespeare and his famous play.

The novel begins as we meet Hamnet, the son of William and Agnes. He is desperately looking for an adult to help his twin sister, Judith, who has suddenly become very ill. We see the story through Hamnet’s eyes—his worry for Judith, his confusion when he can’t find help, and the pain he feels from his grandfather’s abuse.

I loved this book. The main character is Shakespeare’s wife, Agnes. (Shakespeare’s real wife was named Anne, but that detail doesn’t matter here.) Agnes has become one of my favorite female characters in literature. We first meet her as a young girl, witnessing her mother’s traumatic death during childbirth. Her mother was gentle, mystical, and almost otherworldly. Later, we learn about Agnes’s abuse by her stepmother, who always knew that Agnes’s mother was her husband’s true love. Like her mother, Agnes is a healer, a bee whisperer, and sensitive to the spirit world. Because of this, both her stepmother and the townspeople see her as odd and unmarriageable.

But when a young man arrives to tutor her brothers and takes a particular interest in her, she cannot help but recognize that beneath him, his hidden mind and a soul that is unlike any she’s known.

Spoiler alert!

We find out that poor little Judith has the plague, and Agnes uses every bit of learning she has gleaned over the years to cure her child. In the meantime, William, who is off with his players entertaining audiences with his plays, is sent. The attention is focused on Judith; all the while, we should be concerned about young Hamnet. Young Hamlet is the sweetest son/brother, selfless, smart, and incredibly brave. We, the readers, are indeed heartbroken over his death. 

The novel then explores the grief of Agnes and William. Agnes’s deep heartbreak stands out, especially since we have followed her life so closely throughout the story.

I am bewitched by O’Farrell’s writing. Its lyrical style is enchanting and impactful. She brilliantly varies timelines and various character points of view to keep the reader mesmerized with the story and empathetic towards her characters. 

I would definitely use this novel as a mentor text and as a literary study for my students.