I liken this book to the finest, most decadent chocolate. It was so rich that I could only nibble on a little at a time. The narrator's accent and tonal quality only made this more apparent for me as she lent an ethereal quality that was hushed, almost hallowed. I could only take so much at a time. The story is lovely, moves quite slowly and dwells on the infinitesimal. If one is expecting high and low drama with wide swings of plot, keep looking. If you're a reader who enjoys the poetry of language, the lyricism of exacting descriptions and the slow, plodding movement of time, then this is a book for you.

One of the most beautifully written books I’ve read in years. The writing and the pacing of the narrators cadence pair up to make such a calming and uplifting story, despite the tragedy of 16th century England.

Exceptional writing. Where or to what it leads is bewildering.

I wasn't looking forward to reading this for a book group. Didn't think I knew enough about the play to be able to appreciate the story. Completely unnecessary to know about the play. The story is wonderful. The writing is beautiful. I was drawn in immediately which almost never happens for me. It's interesting cause not a lot is happening, but I felt very drawn into Elizabethan England and the lives of the characters. I missed it when I wasn't reading! The other nice surprise was that, while I don't like listening to books, I loved listening to this. I recently began listening to a few books I had enjoyed reading, so when I couldn't get this in e-book form, I tried the audio version. The narrator was outstanding and actually added to my enjoyment. Just terrific.

Excellent fictional portrayal of the son of will Shakespeare and his family. The ending could have been more thought out and not end so abruptly.

Great!

This book had me hooked from the beginning. The narration was excellent.

Beautifully written.

Incredible writer and brilliant narrator!

I found this book lacking . The author clearly can write and elicit the reader’s attention . However , my criticism lies on the fact t that the story jumps from character to character very haphazardly . It also jumps from present to past to future , from vision to reality very loosely . I particularly don’t like that, I find it disruptive to track back what is going on. The narrator does a wonderful job though. The character development of Hamnet prior to his death is weak. The relationship between his parents is elusive . The writing is beautiful , just wished it was more cohesive and interesting .

Fascinating

Immensely enjoyed the book and the narrator.

Wonderfully written. I was entranced and left with a curiosity for all things Shakespeare.

Beautifully written and narrated.

Fascinating fictional account of Shakespeare’s family with well developed characters and depiction of the era. The narration was spot on, and helped breathe life into the emotional lives of the characters. My book group loved the book.

Beautiful book. Really delicious as a literary work. But I agree with Gina M. -- it was too depressing. Too heartbreaking. Too sad. The narrator was excellent.

I thought the writing was fabulous. The author's ability to enable the reader to picture and feel the emotions of the characters was just amazing. I loved it.

I cried. Seriously great book.

Written in such a beautiful way as though it was in the present time. I felt I was living in Elizabethan England.

I selected this book for a book club and absolutely loved the book. The writing is amazing from the beginning. The story is so well told and includes many historical details. There are parts of the story that tear at your heart strings. Maggie O'Farrell draws you into the English countryside of the 1580s, transports you through the twists and turns, and leaves you richer for the experience. Most folks were not thrilled with the selection initially, Everyone loved the book.

Had I been a fan of Shakespeare or were more familiar with Hamlet, I may have found this story more compelling. It was beyond painful to live the experience of a mother losing a child. Narrator did a beautiful job but the story was too heartbreaking for me.

A wonderful listen. Beautifully written, with characters exceptionally well crafted and an unpredictable story-line. I'm sure the book would be terrific to read, but I'm glad I experienced this audio version: the narrator added much to my feeling that I was inhabiting the story.I also enjoyed the previous reviews, and I agree with everything--except that I was touched by the ending.