Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell is a beautifully written historical novel inspired by the short life of Hamnet Shakespeare, the son of the famous playwright William Shakespeare. Winner of the 2020 Women’s Prize for Fiction, the novel explores love, family, marriage, grief, loss, and the devastating impact of a child’s death.

Set in 1596 Stratford-upon-Avon, the story begins when a young girl falls suddenly ill with a fever. Her twin brother, Hamnet, desperately searches for someone who can help, but no one is home. His mother, Agnes, is more than a mile away tending her medicinal herb garden, while his father is working in London.

Neither parent realizes how serious Hamnet’s illness is—or that he will not survive the week.

Inspired by the little-known life of Shakespeare’s son, Hamnet imaginatively reconstructs the family behind one of the world’s most celebrated literary figures. Rather than focusing on Shakespeare himself, the novel places the emotional lives of Agnes, Hamnet, and their family at its center.