Hamnet

Such a touching and beautifully written book. Maggie O'Farrell used what she knew about Shakespeare's son who died suddenly as a child and turned it into an amazing, mournful, but beautiful story. I especially liked the way Shakespeare's wife Agnes was portrayed a bit like a witch or someone who can see things that happen in the future. That is to say, there definitely was some magic realism in this book. The order in which the events were told, was fascinating and catching. You start with realising that Hamnet's twin, Judith, is very sick and follow that timeline, while also learning about Agnes' and Wiliam's story, or rather of how their family came to be.

It is a story about love, family, death and grief. It is a story from the past which is still with us. The fate of a child that inspires Shakespeare to write one of his greatest works. This novel was so much more than a book—it was poetry, perfectly suited to its origin and inspiration. Even though we never read Shakespeare's name, he is there, alive in the author's fantastic writing. The story of Hamnet and Judith is one you won't forget, one that stays with you and makes you question life and death. But that's precisely what such a fate does to you, just as poetry does. It was a novel that was absolutely perfect and deeply moving.

Delicate, heartfelt and beautifully written, Maggie O'Farrell guides you through this tragedy. Absolutely extraordinary! This might be one of my favorite reads of the last couple of years.

Such a sad and emotional insight in the origins of one of Shakespeare's most famous pieces.It shows the bond between twins in an absolutely heartbreaking manner.