Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell

March 1, 2021

Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell

William Shakespeare had a child named Hamnet who died from the Black Death at the age of 12. Shakespeare also had two other children, Susanna and Hamnet's twin sister Judith. Not much is known about Hamnet other than when he died, but Maggie O'Farrell took what is known about Hamnet, the Shakespeare family, and daily life in the 15th century, and wove it into a story. Shakespeare was inspired to write the play Hamlet by Hamnet's death.

Interestingly enough, Shakespeare is never mentioned by name - this is obviously his family's story, not his. He is referred to as the children's father, Agnes' husband, the Latin tutor, or John and Mary's son. The story is told through Agnes' eyes (Shakespeare's wife is usually referred to as Anne Hathaway, but her given name was Agnes). Agnes herself had an interest in nature and healing, and she met Will when he was the Latin tutor to her brothers at her family's farm, and follows her life through marriage, the move to Stratford, and the birth of her children.

The story is innovative, and the language is lyrical. You don't need to be a Shakespeare scholar or know much about Hamlet to enjoy this title.

Sarah Bernhardt in the title role of Hamlet

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC.

The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell

July 29, 2022

The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell

In the 16th century, at the age of 15, Lucrezia di Cosimo de Medici (yes, those Medici) of Florence married Alfonso II d'Este, Duke of Ferrara. Alfonso was about ten years older than Lucrezia. Less than a year later, Lucrezia was dead. Historians believe that she died of tuberculosis or some other lung ailment, but immediately after her death, rumors began to spread that the Duke had murdered her.

Maggie O'Farrell creates a fictional biography based on the limited information that is available about Lucrezia. It's an enjoyable read with a storyline that implicates the Duke but still gives Lucrezia a happy ending. But the question remains: why would the Duke want to kill his pretty young wife? Lucrezia had yet to produce an heir, but they had been married less than a year and Lucrezia was only 15. The Duke went on to marry two more times, but neither one of those marriages produced an heir either.  Was the Duke infertile or gay? He did have a very close relationship with Baldassare, his lifelong pal and consigliere.

I enjoy books about lesser known historical figures and events, and I love Maggie O'Farrell's books.

The only known portrait of Lucrezia di Cosimo de Medici.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC.