Oxmoor Page Turners – Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell

Join us as author, Maggie O'Farrell, delivers a luminous portrait of a marriage, a family ravaged by grief, and a boy whose name was given to one of the most celebrated plays of all time. The year is 1596 in rural Stratford, England. Eleven-year-old Hamnet lives with his mother, Agnes, and sisters Susanna and Judith (his twin) while his father - whose name is never mentioned - resides in London, finding great success as a playwright. One day, while the rest of the family is out, Judith falls ill with the plague. Within a day, her loving and devoted twin will play a trick on Death, exchanging places with Judith, and ultimately sacrificing his life so she can live. What follows is an exquisite tale of unbridled grief, of learning to survive when a part of you is missing forever, of forgiveness and healing and bearing life, and of turning loss into inspiration - in this case, inspiration for one of the most famous tragic plays of all time. Place the book on hold at hpl.pub/catalog.