Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
I went to see Hamnet, the film adaptation, a few months ago.
I was absolutely floored. Emotionally wrung. Stunned. It was poetry in motion. I cannot stop thinking about it. It was the most visceral, moving portrait of motherhood I’ve ever seen.
So when I saw Hamnet on a table at the bookstore, I bought it: a.) because the cover is gorgeous and b.) because I was so curious what sort of writing had prompted the film. If the movie was poetry, did the book have that same feeling?
Happy to report that Maggie O’Farrell knows how to write a sentence. It’s the best possible combination of lyricism, compelling characters, and plot that I’ve read this year.
My Rating: 5 out of 5
Genre: Literary fiction that’s also a little bit historical fiction and sort of witchy, while also being a reader favorite.
Format: Read it book in hand every night before bed.
Read it If: You’re a sucker for a good sentence, interested in the ways history can be imagined, and have been looking for a little grace for Anne Hathaway, Shakespeare’s wife.
Steer Clear If: You get bogged down in lyrical prose or if a novel about a young child’s death would be too much.
Would I Recommend this to My Parents: Yes
Ephemera: Loved The Book Club’s take on Hamnet. If you’re not one for spoilers, watch the film and read the book before listening.
And if you’re the sort of person who wants another opinion on whether or not to read Hamnet, you’ll love Proofread’s quick take. (Such a great podcast for figuring out if a book is for you in 15 minutes or less.)
The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell
As soon as I finished Hamnet, I scrambled to get my hands on another Maggie O’Farrell novel.
I picked up The Marriage Portrait and was not disappointed.
Admission: I think I’m about to read everything Maggie has ever written. It just hits me so right.
My Rating: 4 out of 5 (because I feel like I should stop rating every book 5?)
Genre: Historical fiction with a very generous slice of imagination.
Format: Library hardback.
Read it If: You’ve been desperate to know how Lucrezia, third daughter of the grand duke in Florence, died in the 1550s.
Steer Clear If: You demand historical accuracy, and you need a tidy ending. Or you physically can’t touch a book that Reese’s Book Club has recommended.
Would I Recommend this to My Parents: Yes
Some Favorite Sentences from the Book:
She covers page after page with [illustrations of] children . . . Babies on the backs of their parents, babies in cradles, babies on horseback, babies taking flight on outstretched feathery wings, to mingle in the blue and skim over treetops.
