what is hamnet about

Hamnet is a historical fiction novel by Maggie O’Farrell that imagines the story of William Shakespeare's family, particularly focusing on his wife Agnes (historically Anne) and the grief they experience after the death of their son Hamnet at age eleven around 1596. The novel is set in 1580s Warwickshire, England, and explores themes of family, motherhood, loss, grief, and the emotional impact of the plague. Shakespeare himself is mostly "off-stage," with the narrative centering on Agnes, a woman with a deep knowledge of herbs and some supernatural inclinations. The story vividly portrays the family's life, Agnes's background, the children, and the devastating loss of Hamnet, which is linked to Shakespeare’s later writing of the play "Hamlet." The book has won multiple awards and has been adapted for stage and film, highlighting its emotional depth and literary craft.