Hamnet

This was exactly what I was in the mood for: historical fiction that is narrowly domestic and quotidian. Unfortunately, I didn't like this AT ALL.I mean, I feel like a jerk saying that, since it is about maternal grief, but oof. I just really didn't like Agnes. Another critical review noted that she's a sort of caricatured magical wise woman you see in historical fiction. Indeed she is. I would go even further: she's basically a manic pixie dream girl, wood elf edition, who emancipates a (very boring) Will Shakespeare from his overbearing family. She's like those basic ladies on Facebook groups talking up all-juice detoxes and essential oils. The white ladies that say “namastay” unironically. Oh man did I get tired of hearing which herb she was going to grind up for which ailment. Oh dear did I stop caring about her mystical, magical, dreamy feminine Earth mother powers.There was just something about the way this was written. Everyone was exactly as they appeared - the characterizations just felt so flat and godawful boring. Agnes is faced with not one but two old gossipy crones (her stepmother and mother-in-law). How very cliche! There are bodice ripper-style sex scenes complete with jiggling apples which... okay, that did make me laugh. But I dunno, man, I just found the whole thing kinda trashy and lame. Of course, YMMV - this book has a kabillion glowing 5-star reviews, so I'm def in the minority. Let's just say: it is what it says on the tin, but not much else. Please never speak to me of comfrey again. Though I guess this did inspire me to make my own potpourri. :