I mentioned in a previous blog that I had just read Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell – we are discussing it at Book Club tomorrow. I found the book compelling, intriguing and was totally entranced from the beginning.

For me it had echoes of a book we read at Book Club a few years ago and that was Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. Both O’Farrell and Miller took stories we all grew up with (Greek Myths and Shakespeare’s life ) but actually don’t know that much the tales about apart from the received wisdom passed on down to us. They both treated some of the characters with sympathy and gave them much more fully dimensioned characters. O’Farrell certainly develops the character of Agnes and gives her a hearing that history has denied her. I am trying not to spoil the plot to any potential readers out there but the ending is emotional!

I haven’t read anything else by O’Farrell but I certainly will now.

Quiz on some of Shakespeare’s Characters. (if you know Shakespeare it shouldn’t be that difficult although e might stretch you!)

a) Who finally killed Macbeth?    b) Who was the fat, good humoured braggart in Shakespeare’s Henry lV and the Merry wives of Windsor?  c) What is the name of the ghost that haunts Macbeth?   d) What was Romeo’s surname?   e) in Julius Caesar what are the names of the wives of Caesar and Brutus?