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Hamnet

By Maggie O'Farrell
Series: Modern Plays
0.0 (0 reviews)
3.76 goodreads logo

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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell is a poignant exploration of grief and resilience in the face of personal tragedy. Set in the late 16th century, it centres on the life of Agnes, a woman with mystical healing abilities, and her family, focusing on the premature death of her son, Hamnet. The narrative intertwines historical and emotional threads to delve into themes of love, loss, and the enduring power of memory within the context of Elizabethan England.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$2799
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're fascinated by the untold stories behind historical figures and appreciate beautiful prose that brings the past to life. The author masterfully weaves a poignant narrative of a family in 16th-century England, deeply rooted in themes of love, loss, and the human experience. This novel will appeal to readers interested in an intimate exploration of the impact of personal tragedy on artistic inspiration and legacy.

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Based on Maggie O'Farrell's award-winning novel of the same name, and adapted by the Olivier-award winning Lolita Chakrabarti, Hamnet is a fictional account of Shakespeare's youngest son.

Based on Maggie O'Farrell's award-winning novel of the same name, and adapted by the Olivier-award winning Lolita Chakrabarti, Hamnet is a fictional account of Shakespeare's youngest son.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

She’s like no one I’ve ever met... She’s like fire and water all at once.

Warwickshire, 1582. Agnes Hathaway, a natural healer, meets the Latin tutor, William Shakespeare. Drawn together by powerful but hidden impulses, they create a life together and make a family.

As William moves to London to discover his place in the world of theatre, Agnes stays at home to raise their three children, but she is the constant presence and purpose of his life.

When the plague steals 11-year-old Hamnet from his loving parents, they must each confront their loss alone. And yet, out of the greatest suffering, something of extraordinary wonder is born.

This new play, based on Maggie O'Farrell's best-selling novel and adapted by award-winning playwright Lolita Chakrabarti (Life of Pi, Red Velvet, Hymn), pulls back a curtain on the imagined family life of the greatest writer in the English language. Hamnet is a love letter to passion, birth, grief and the magic of nature.

This updated and revised edition was published to coincide with the West End transfer of the original RSC production in October 2023.

Series: Modern Plays

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell is widely praised for its lyrical prose and emotional depth. Critics commend the novel's exploration of grief, love, and family, centred around the life of Shakespeare’s son. The narrative is lauded for its vivid historical detail and rich characterisation, drawing readers into a poignant reimagining of a pivotal moment in literary history.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781350455498

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 10 October 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Methuen Drama

Contributors:

  • Adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 12.0mm

Width: 116.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 105g

Pages: 112

Collections

Arts & Culture Maggie O'Farrell Non-Fiction Series: Modern Plays

About the Author

Lolita Chakrabarti is a British actress and writer who has worked extensively on stage and screen. Writing credits include The Goddess for Woman's Hour on BBC Radio 4, Faith, Hope and Blue Charity, also on BBC Radio 4 and Last Seen - Joy for Slung Low and the Almeida. In 2012, Red Velvet was the first play performed under the Tricycle's new artistic director Indhu Rubasingham. It returned to the Tricycle in 2014 before having its US premiere at St Ann’s Warehouse New York. Lolita Chakrabarti also runs Lesata Productions with Rosa Maggiora.

Maggie O'Farrell was born in Northern Ireland in 1972. Her novels include Hamnet (winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award), After You’d Gone, The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox, The Hand That First Held Mine (winner of the Costa Novel Award), and Instructions for a Heatwave. She has also written a memoir, I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes with Death. She lives in Edinburgh.

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