Hamnet: a novel of the plague, by Maggie O'Farrell

 

I loved this novel about Hamnet, Shakespeare's son who died at a young age. His cause of death is unknown, but imagined here as a result of the plague, which was prevalent in England at that time. Maggie O'Farrell's writing is superb; her descriptions of life during the 16th century and her characters' actions and emotions are wonderful. One of the interesting aspects of the book is that the author never mentions William Shakespeare by name; he's always described by his role in the family or community: the Latin tutor, the father, the husband. Hamnet's mother is called Agnes in this book; she was apparently referred to as Agnes in some older records, rather than Anne. This books makes the reader feel like they are right there, observing the action and scenery. You really feel how the death of Hamnet affected everyone in the family so deeply, something that's easy to overlook when reading a dispassionate history. This was a hard book to put down, and I will be looking for other books by Ms. O'Farrell.