This is an incredibly beautiful book. The thing that struck me most was how well I could picture the atmosphere and settings. The author describes things in such a way as to bring them to life without being overly wrought or long-winded. You know from the beginning Hamnet is going to die, but the way Agnes’s grief is portrayed is so visceral and raw I was practically sobbing. As a mother, it seemed so genuine, the way she described dealing with his death. A true work of art, this novel, and well worth the read.