Holding Her Breath, Eimear Ryan (Penguin, 2021), C+

Eimear Ryan’s forthcoming novel tells the coming of age story of Beth Crowe, as she starts her journey at university, shadowed by the ghostof  her potential as a competitive swimmer and as she attempts to create an identity for herself outside both her swimming career and her family history (she is the granddaughter of a famous poet). For fans of Sally Rooney, this is a fresh and exciting summer read.

Pre-order a copy here.

Hamnet, Maggie O’Farrell (Tinder Press, 2020), A+

Maggie O’Farrell’s first historical novel is the fictional story behind Shakespeare’s famous play – the story of the death of Shakespeare’s son and the effect on his life.

Read our full review here.

Pick up a copy here.

Conversations on Love, Natasha Lunn (Penguin, 2021), A+

Natasha Lunn’s Conversations on Love examines love in all of its many forms – it’s an astonishing, joyful celebration of love, from some of the most important voices in literature.

Pre-order a copy here.

The Last Thing He Told Me, Laura Dave (Profile Books, 2021) B+

The Last Thing He Told Me is a propulsive mystery. Hannah finds out that her husband Owen has gone missing and she seeks to uncover the truth behind his disappearance with her step-daughter Bailey.

Read our full review here.

Pick up a copy here.

Malibu Rising, Taylor Jenkins Reid  (Cornerstone, 2021) A

Taylor Jenkins Reid’s latest novel is as compelling and propulsive as Daisy Jones, it’s the story of siblings growing up in Malibu and the events that unfold around one night.

Pick up a copy here.

Eat a Peach, David Chang (Penguin, 2020), A-

David Chang’s phenomenal memoir is the story of a man succeeding against the odds – it’s an inspiring story even for those for whom Momofuku means nothing.

Read our full review here.

Pick up a copy here.

The Push, Ashley Audrain (Penguin, 2021) B+

The Push is a psychological drama, telling the story of the unravelling of a family – a woman whose initial experience with motherhood does not live up to her expectations.

Read our full review here.

Pick up a copy here.

The post Everything We Read in May 2021 appeared first on off the record.

Winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction, Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell is an extraordinary piece of historical fiction, reimagining the short life of William Shakespeare’s only son. Hamnet died at the age of 11 and is believed to be the inspiration for the tragedy: Hamlet.

The novel begins in the summer of 1596 where Hamnet discovers his twin sister, Judith, is ill. The plot then dives into the week that follows, leading up to Hamnet’s death. O’Farrell alternates chapter-by-chapter from this week in 1596, to a temporal shift from when William Shakespeare and his wife Agnes (typically known as Anne Hathaway) meet, get married and have their first child, Susanna, followed by the twins, Hamnet and Judith. The constant flickering between time periods adds to the pace of the novel and successfully grips the reader.

Although titled Hamnet, which is interchangeable with the name Hamlet, the central role in this novel is given to Agnes. This provides a unique and previously undiscovered perspective into this time period. Agnes is a free-spirited woman and there is a heavy focus throughout the novel on the portrayal of motherhood. In the second half of the book the key focus is upon grief and the exploration of how this emotion burdens and torments livelihoods. The raw, honest and touching portrayal of grief is one of the highlights of this novel. Interestingly, William Shakespeare is almost a ghost-like feature. His name omitted throughout the book. His absence is more prominent than his presence.

Maggie O’Farrell’s writing is intensely detailed and descriptive, allowing the reader to become encapsulated into the world of Elizabethan England. Her extensive research is evidenced throughout and makes for a really absorbing and enjoyable read.

Hamnet is available for purchase online here now. 

The post REVIEW: Hamnet – Maggie O’Farrell appeared first on off the record.