Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of gender disscrimination, illness, death, and child death. 

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The novel offers a fictional perspective into some documented events from the life of William Shakespeare. Have you read other works of historical fiction that focus on a writer or creative figure? Do you think that works of historical fiction can provide new insights into a well-known writer and their works?

2. Hamnet and The Marriage Portrait (another novel by Maggie O’Farrell) both focus on the experiences of women in historical eras where women had little agency or public power. Does reading these types of novels help you to feel a connection to women from other eras? What themes or aspects of life remain relatable in these novels?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Agnes grows up feeling very alienated from her family, especially her stepmother, Joan. What do you think is the impact of growing up feeling like you do not fit in? Conversely, how does it shape someone’s character if they feel accepted and loved within their family of origin?