This book was from such an interesting POV. I loved that it was written from the Lady’s eyes. Personally, I loved the language around the veil; I don’t know I just loved that touch. It definitely seemed to show the traditional patriarchy and how she handle to handle herself against that, which in those times, darn near impossible, I love Ava Reid and hope to get read more ARCs from her!

A very different title for Ava Reid, but a change I enjoyed. It takes a bit to get used to the language used, including the multiple variations of spelling each name in the different languages, but within a few chapters it becomes second nature. The retelling aspect was fantastical in a way I hadn't expected it to turn out, and made the entire concept a worthwhile endeavor, rather than just Macbeth from Lady Macbeth's perspective. Found a few typos, mostly toward the end of the book.

Wow, what is there to say? I was fully immersed in this reimagining of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Ava Reid's vision for Lady Macbeth, made me fall more in love and intrigued with her character and how she is perceived by scholars and readers alike. I feel and know that I can read this story over and over again, and not fail to be intrigued and captivated by the language and "the eyes" of Lady Macbeth.

*Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the chance to review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

A retelling of a classic tale with new twists and ideas turning the story on its head.

I really, REALLY wanted to like this book more, but I just couldn't. The pace was too slow, and I didn't feel any connection to the characters. To me they didn't have depth or redeeming qualities. However the one thing I did like was the style of writing, it is easy to see that the author is a talented writer, this book was just a miss for me.

as someone who isn't familiar with the source material, i found the pacing quite uneven. a lot of time was spent setting up the political dynamics, but i found that uninteresting to follow as i wanted more of roscille's experience as a woman surrounded by men in power. the nuggets of gold in the writing that explored this made the read worthwhile (and i will continue supporting ava reid's work), but i think this one just wasn't for me.

Absolutely loved this phenomenal reinterpretation of the iconic Shakespeare character Lady Macbeth .This Dark Gothic fantasy novel with hints of fairytale lore ( dragon/ shifter , unicorns, witches) left me in awe and wanting to not put this book down. All elements of this story made you feel like you were deeply immersed in the dark atmosphere of Scotland and “Glammis “ . Lady Macbeth was first portrayed as a meek young lady who hides behind her bridal veil , but as the story progressed she turned into a more powerful badass FMC and I love how Ava Reid wrote this character . Macbeth MFC was this brutish, insane Scot that wanted nothing to be king , and made sure no one got in his way. Overall I loved this reimagining of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth and I would highly recommend it. ~Also check your triggers, there are some barbaric torture scenes.



Favorite quotes
~Macbeth “ He chokes and falls to the ground, where he writhes for a moment and then goes still. The other men do not move as the wind ruffles their hair and beards, their tattered flags, their mismatched tartans. Macbeth raises his sword and licks the end of the blade. Blood glistens on his lips. “This is the fate that awaits any man who questions my power,” he says.

Lady Macbeth ~
“She may look a fragile flower, white-petaled, but this merely conceals her; it does not bind her.”

“If she cannot have safety, if she cannot have love, at least she can have this. Vengeance.”

Ava Reid's "Lady Macbeth" is a mesmerizing and thought-provoking retelling of Shakespeare's classic tragedy, reimagined through the lens of Lady Macbeth. Reid's narrative unfolds with gripping intensity, offering readers a fresh perspective on one of literature's most enigmatic characters.

Set against the backdrop of medieval Scotland, Reid's portrayal of Lady Macbeth is both haunting and compelling. Through her meticulous prose, Reid delves deep into the psyche of Lady Macbeth, exploring the inner turmoil and desires that drive her to commit unspeakable acts in the pursuit of power. The character development is nuanced and complex, allowing readers to empathize with Lady Macbeth's struggles while simultaneously grappling with the consequences of her actions.

One of the novel's greatest strengths lies in Reid's ability to evoke a sense of atmosphere and tension. From the eerie corridors of the castle to the windswept moors of Scotland, the setting is vividly rendered, immersing readers in a world fraught with political intrigue and moral ambiguity. Reid's skillful use of language further enhances the atmosphere, creating a palpable sense of foreboding that lingers long after the final page is turned.

In addition to its rich characterizations and evocative setting, "Lady Macbeth" also offers a timely exploration of themes such as ambition, power, and the nature of evil. Through Lady Macbeth's journey, Reid raises important questions about the corrupting influence of power and the lengths to which individuals will go to achieve their desires. These themes resonate deeply in today's society, making the novel not only a compelling work of historical fiction but also a reflection of contemporary concerns.

While Reid's reinterpretation of "Macbeth" may deviate from the original in certain aspects, it remains faithful to the spirit of Shakespeare's tragedy. By giving voice to Lady Macbeth and exploring her motivations in greater depth, Reid offers readers a fresh perspective on a familiar story, challenging them to reconsider their preconceptions and engage with the text in new ways.

In conclusion, "Lady Macbeth" is a haunting and evocative novel that will captivate readers from beginning to end. With its compelling characters, atmospheric setting, and thought-provoking themes, Ava Reid's retelling of Shakespeare's classic tragedy is a must-read for fans of historical fiction and literary reimaginings alike.

Rage. Ruin. Rapture.

Ava Reid has done a masterful job of capturing the volatile, dark nature of Macbeth while capturing feminine rage in a completely new (although very familiar) picture of the tale. It is a retelling, but not necessarily word for word. Rather a thematic one, from a certain point of view.

Reid’s prose is akin to a monument; carefully constructed, memorable in its definitive edges and curves, and a beauteous, magnificent, composite of words. All the more so, it’s unforgettable. Reid writes the sort of stories that stick with the reader, epitomized by the beatific way in which she captures them. It’s so meticulous, so much so that I feel like the nature of the story—the poignant themes looming underneath the story are unmistakable. The underlying message is impossible to turn away from, it’s reflected so precisely, imbued in the prose.

Lady Macbeth is a variety of fairytales folded into one. Dragons, Bluebeard undertones, druids, the influx of folklore’s whims. There was the soft current of Macbeth’s beats—a trio of witches, a reflective pond. And yet, each pointed theme of Macbeth was used as a device for our main character, Roscille. Traditionally, madness is a sort of reflexive, overlooked, expected thing in the thrall of Shakespeare’s play. Reid shifts the narrative, and instead of telling the story of how Lady MacBeth has been continually portrayed historically, she allows Roscille the space to portray herself. Thus, in a stroke of brilliance, reclaiming the story for us all.

And the ending? Cue, “Bad Blood” by Taylor Swift. This book is a masterpiece, a defiant stand alone with bite and grit—please be wary that this is a dark fantasy. There are elements in it that should not be without remiss—gore, violence, assault—tread lightly. I read the entire thing in a day, and it certainly is the sort of story that’s bound to stick with me for months, years on end.

Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for this ARC!

I will also be posting my review to my Instagram account, linked below.

First, thank you to the amazing author and NetGalley for the wonderful chance to review this arc! I really appreciate this opportunity.

Lady Macbeth is a dark fantasy based in Scotland. It’s inspired by one of William Shakespeare’s plays. It’s a raw story about what it is to be a female in a world of men and how women in the 11th century were mere quiet, submissive companions to their husbands.

Roscille, our FMC, is clever and determined to make the best out of her situation after getting engaged to Macbeth. Although a woman, she tries her best to hide the fact she is utterly intelligent and manipulative in the ways of court as a seventeen year old newlywed bride to her husband in a Land that isn’t her own and a Court that isn’t what she’s accustomed. Throughout the book, we see how Roscille determination to become more than wife without awakening her husband’s suspicions progress until she no longer decides to hide her own self and intentions.

Although this is a genre that isn’t necessarily my style and I went in blind about Scottish literature, I found myself interested at the beginning of the story but loosing interest throughout the book right until the last 40 pages or so. World building, court ethics and discontent among the Lands took up a lot of time to develop in the book. Although necessary, it made me lose interest and found myself unable pick up the story after a long day of trying. But once I pushed through it and got towards the last chapters, everything started unraveling and the story became very interesting and found myself reading every chance I could.

Eva Reid is an amazing author with beautiful writing and amazing storytelling. She writes raw characters and real emotions. I always enjoy her work and will continue to support her in the future books.

Well well well… what do we have here? Another Shakespeare retelling on my TBR? COUNT ME IN!
I’m always a down for Shakespeare retelling and I ATE THIS UP!

I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy so I can tab tab tab all those quotes! There’s so many captivating quotes that had me pausing and thinking damn that was a beautifully written string of words put together! Reid's narrative is adorned with lines that compelled me to pause and highlight on my Kindle. One such quote that resonated deeply was, - “Madness, of all things, is the most unforgivable in a woman.”.
The vibes within this book are nothing short of perfection. Sign me up for anything that iblends elements of spookiness, gothic allure, and witches! The prose was poetic and beautiful!
The story of Roscille was heartbreaking to read, it was a journey to see her growth through the hardships she faced and her eventual win towards the end of the story.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Ava Reid has done it again! I have been a MASSIVE fan of hers since "A Study in Drowning" was released last year. This book fits perfectly into my favorite niche book genre, feminist retellings of traditionally patriarchal stories, along with "The Book of Longings" by Sue Monk Kid and "Circe" by Madeline Miller

Though she diverges from the original characterization of Lady Macbeth from Shakespeare, I found the retelling refreshing. Reid's Lady Macbeth is just as powerful, cunning, and vengeful as the original Lady, with added feminist coming-of-age elements. Once again weaving the perfect amount of fantasy into her novel, Reid acutely punctuates the retelling with the brutal aftermath of feminine rage.

Less of the story of a femme fatal and more of a coming-to-power tale of fantasy, manipulation, and gender dynamics, Reid's "Lady Macbeth" focuses on Roscille, a teenage daughter to a French noble forced into a political marriage to a much older Macbeth by her father. Tainted by rumors surrounding her beautiful and bewitching eyes, Roscille wears a veil when in the presence of men. Forced to navigate the dangerous, male-dominated region of Glammis, Roscille uses her slippery status as a supposed witch to protect herself and those she loves, with bloody results.

If you are an Ava Reid-stan, a fan of liberal manipulation of source material into something of merit as a stand-alone, and/or a gothic fantasy nut unafraid of a few minor trigger warnings, I would highly, highly recommend you check out "Lady Macbeth."

Lady Macbeth is an exceptionally-written and unique reimagining of Shakespeare's Macbeth, presenting a contrast to the original's theme of the wicked, manipulative wife. Author Ava Reid continues to prove why she is one of the most consequential voices in literary fantasy.

Winston Churchill said that history was written by the victors, but it is more apt to say that history is written by the powerful. As is fiction. Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth as the impetus to some of Macbeth's most egregious deeds--a flashpoint to his paranoia. What Reid does is shift the narrative. What if Lady Macbeth got to write her own story? How well would it resemble a tale told by men?

This novel is as much literary fiction as it is a fantasy. My preferred genre is fantasy in part because it generally provides escapism. Admittedly, Lady Macbeth was not written for the way I consume stories, as its themes and on-page descriptions of misogyny and interpersonal violence are heavy and difficult. Escapism it is not. But I recognize when these subjects are handled well and the importance of fiction that questions our perspectives on why old stories were written as they were. I believe there is a large audience that will find this novel engaging, heartbreaking, and yet still hopeful.

Thank you to Del Ray and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

*I want to preface my review by stating that I have very little knowledge of the source material, which likely affects my interpretation of the text.*

Roscille is a 17 year old girl who is married off to a large, brutish man. She wears a veil, for the men fear she is a witch, and her gaze can ‘ensorcel’ them. (A word which is used almost as much as ‘ermine’). The men in the novel see her as nothing more than an object, a burden, though her conniving ways manipulate some of her circumstances. This is a witchy, fantasy retelling, which is an aspect I enjoyed, but I struggled to get into the story.

To start off, the text is in present tense third person. I do feel if any story can execute this really off-putting combination, it is this one, but it still gave the story a lot of choppiness that could have been eliminated with past tense. This is the second book I’ve read this year (it’s only March) with present/third and I hope it doesn’t become a thing because I Do Not Like It.

As a writer, I have to acknowledge the artistry of the language Reid uses in this novel. It reads very much like a classic (not that I read much of those 🤷🏻‍♀️), but i did find that the complexity of it prevented it from being a page-turner.

Additionally, I feel that the book was very plot-driven and not in a great way. Whilst I know very little about this character in Shakespeare, I expected Lady M herself to truly push the story along. Instead, stuff just happened to her and not really because of her. She felt kind of flat to me, and I had a hard time connecting with her, other than the fact that she is a woman, which seemed to be her whole identity throughout the story.

Let’s talk about content warnings. I have only read one other book by Reid, but it seems to be a common thing amongst other readers to get blindsided by some of the darker aspects of Reid’s books. It has come to the point where I now expect it, and I definitely appreciate darker novels when it comes to compelling character development or even strong metaphor, but I feel like this really missed the mark.

***Kinda Spoilery CWs Ahead***
*
*
*
CW: Misogyny, mentions of rape, threats of rape, sort of vague but on page rape, pedophilia/child bride, and violence against women.

(It also has your classic standard violence and mild gore, but I feel that is standard in a lot of fantasy these days.)

Let me continue:
As this takes place in ancient times, I would expect some level of misogyny and mentions of sexual assault, but I really feel what Reid included it served no purpose to the overall story or character development. I feel it was more of a poorly executed plot tool (icky) and was far too drawn out in the descriptions of the aftermath. I understand this might reflect reality, but the flat way the characters respond to it was not at all empowering for those of us who have had our agency robbed, and I think it was just wholly unnecessary.

Resolution? There was none. The end was very abrupt and showed me little of who Roscille became after the fact.

On a more positive note, I did really enjoy the fantasy aspects of this story. I thought a witchy, dragony interpretation of a classic was a fun idea, I just wish there was way more of it, since it is why I picked it up in the first place.

Overall, I think Reid has crafted something unique, and the poetic cadence of her words fits well with the story she tells, but it is not likely something I will reread.

This is a hard one for me to rate, but unfortunately Lady Macbeth just didn't do it for me. It's been described as "an A24 movie of Macbeth that a prolific ao3 author helped write", and for me, that just isn't my cup of tea, though I'll agree 100% that's how it feels to me. Let me quickly say I do still love Ava's writing style and character work and romantic dynamics, and I did enjoy reading LM and am glad I was given the chance to, so thank you NetGalley for my first Ava Reid arc. I just have Thoughts that have marinated, and I think this will be the most polarizing of their works so far, maybe ever. It feels the weakest of their bibliography, underdeveloped as to what it could be.

Lady Macbeth does feel like a fanfiction, and not in a positive way. It's beautifully written, grim and atmospheric and horribly bleak, but it is focused on a character study solely of Roscille (which is okay, she is the titular character after all). I liked the many usages of her name, as well as the fantasy/fairytale rule of threes that was brought back in force (Reid last used it in abundance in Juniper & Thorn). But the story felt like it did not have enough to it, like there was not enough substance to carry it along. A very pretty skeleton, but no meat on the bones.

I did like Roscille and Lysander's instant attraction to each other, which others may complain about, but I have no problem with. They are two young attractive introverted people who are attracted to each other, and if I was in their shoes, I'd want to get it on too. I just wish there was more cohesion by the end. So he's a dragon? That's cool, but what purpose does it serve? So Macbeth keeps his wives chained up in the water-logged basement dungeon, and they literally do his laundry and eat the blind fish in there, for ages? So Roscille does in fact have the power to bewitch men, but in the end, that's not how she undoes Macbeth? The ending felt very abrupt and unresolved.

I feel as though if I were to read the play, I'd have many more conflicting thoughts about this reimagined Lady Macbeth, but might see more of the homages Reid was intending. As it stands though, it will be a moment before I'm able to do that, and on its own, Lady Macbeth underperforms.

Ava never fails to amaze me with her beautiful writing and her amazingly deep main characters. This is another 5 star for me

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing team for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

One of my most anticipated reads of the year… I was so excited when I received the email telling me I got the arc… As you can probably tell, it didn’t live up to the hype… at all. This is my first DNF of the year, I just couldn’t torture myself any longer.

𝐈𝐟 𝐧𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐨 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲.

When I start a book the first thing that tells me if I’m going to like the novel or not is the writing, and this was the most painful third person POV I’ve ever read. The sentences are extremely choppy, and you would think that because the author made used 3rd person, you probably wouldn’t have to read pages and pages of the character’s “inner monologue”. The author overuses free indirect speech, and the scenes end up being longer and more boring than anything else.

Should we talk about the xenophobia in this book? The way Scottish people, specifically men, are portrayed in Lady Macbeth is honestly infuriating and disgusting. I haven’t read A Study in Drowning yet, but it’s a little “funny” that Ava Reid’s last published work is said to be filled with this particular thing, and the next one to be published suffers from that very same issue. I can’t speak on ASID’s xenophobia because as I said, I haven’t read it yet, but I still wanted to mention it because it’s a very popular critique of the book.

Every single character in this book is one dimensional and uninteresting.

All of this, and I haven’t mentioned how the author wrote a Lady Macbeth retelling while completely butchering her character. I want to keep this review spoiler free, but I’m sure someone will talk about this in detail at some point.

I struggled with this. There is so much potential in a gothic Lady Macbeth retelling steeped in feminine rage but this fell short in a lot of ways for me. I'm just really disappointed in some of the choices that were made here.

➡️ Roscille, aka Lady Macbeth: Where is the complex, cunning mastermind we were promised? We are constantly told how intelligent and masterfully manipulative Lady Macbeth is but are given almost zero evidence of this. We're told that she is excellent at remembering names and faces, but by the end of the book she still only knows four or five people in the entire castle. We're told that she is brilliant at scheming and machinations, but she is extremely un-subtle and a terrible liar–she is caught at every single turn and even blows her own cover in a hasty attempt to deflect blame. Every single plan is short-sighted and completely unconnected to a larger goal or motivation.

Every thought or feeling or action we see from her is defined entirely by the men around her–I understand that this might have been commentary from Reid about the role and realistic struggles of women in this time period, but we're never given anything MORE from her. She prickles at living under the thumb of Macbeth and her father, but WHY? What does she want for herself instead? Who does she want to be? What does she dream of? How would she live her life differently if her circumstances were different? And how are her small rebellions tied to this? I'm not a purist when it comes to retellings, but it truly feels like everything that made Lady Macbeth who she was was stripped away from this character without anything of substance to replace it. She feels like a watered down and shallow version of herself.

➡️ Macbeth: Macbeth's slow spiral into madness is one of the most memorable and nuanced parts of the original play, but where on earth was his story arc? Where was his complexity? He can barely string more than a few words together and is portrayed as a brutish caricature defined entirely by his comical largeness and thirst for conquest. There is no arc to be found here–he does not experience a single complex thought and the only change in his character throughout this book is that he becomes slightly more crazed by the end.

➡️ Every character felt extremely two-dimensional, and the third-person narration really exacerbated this. We get next to zero insight into anyone's thoughts, feelings, or motivations which makes it very challenging to read any complexity or nuance into their characterization.

➡️ Why were the Scots written in this way? Every single Scotsman is a boorish violent brute threatening to r*pe and beat the women around them. Their language is described as ugly and barbaric at every opportunity. Every single one is written as stupid and blood thirsty without exception. They are painted with a very broad and xenophobic brush without any nuance and that way of thinking is never corrected.

➡️ The romance was... something. I think they had two interactions before that very uncomfortable and weirdly timed finger blasting scene. The pacing was WAY off to the point where it felt extremely unbelievable for me. I felt nothing for these characters' relationship. The potential was there... there was great tension and intrigue at the beginning, but they never got the chance to build on it before pledging their devotion to each other. Even a few additional scenes with them interacting or getting to know each other would have helped the pacing substantially.

➡️ I normally love a vague ending, but I don't think it works here. It felt like there were strings left untied and because Roscille's character was so underdeveloped I can honestly say that I have NO idea what she would be doing after (view spoiler) without being explicitly told.

There *were* things that I actually did enjoy about this book (the witches were the most interesting part of the whole story for me and it was very atmospheric), but the problems I had with the story and character development were distracting enough that I really had to push myself through to the end. I'm a big fan of Ava Reid, so I was really hoping to love this one and am surprised that I had as many problems with it as I did. 💔

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC of Lady Macbeth in exchange of my honest review.

First and foremost, I love Ava Reid writing. She has a way to be so immersive in her descriptions that you can feel exactly what the character is feeling and "seeing" the eerie setting she paints.

In this book Ava "uses" Lady Macbeth. I don't think it's a proper retelling but picking a character and re-imagining her story. (please not that it's different than to just change all the characters as well like a true retelling). However, this do not stop this story to be full of tension, intrigue and some sort of creepiness.
I believe Ava Reid did it masterfully in Juniper and Thorn and then in A Study in Drowning, bringing characters that look "weak" but in fact are extremely resilient when pushed to their limits. It's a story of someone that was always told what to do and what to BE turning the table and being the master manipulator. All this involved in great gothic and eerie vibes.

Ava Reid became an auto-buy author for me!

I’m starting to think Ava Reid’s writing isn’t for me. There was nothing inherently wrong with the book or the story. This is just the 3rd book I’ve read by her that was good but wasn’t great for me. Her writing is very consistent so if you loved her other books then you’ll love this

Thank you to Netgalley & Del Ray Books for the eARC!

Lady Macbeth is not at all what I had expected, and I can't decide if that was a good thing or bad thing. It's a retelling of Macbeth from Lady Macbeth's point of view with heavy fantasy elements woven in. For starters, it's not exactly a retelling. It borrows many (but not all) of the characters, some plot points, and the setting, but it really is an independent work. Some characters are renamed, and places altered. If you really like Macbeth and are looking for it to read more like the original, you might not enjoy this. One thing that is very similar is the language. Ava Reid uses Shakespearean style English, with very flowery, rich language that at times requires a reread or turn back to understand what exactly happened. I found myself looking up words more often than I typically do, and it took a while to get used to the language.

The story itself focuses on channeling your strength, power, and instinct - no matter your situation. It turns Lady Macbeth into a very sympathetic lead, making her morally gray and "villanness" ways seem logical. I really liked the characterization of her and the way we watched her grow and develop throughout. A content warning, there is a lot of violence against Lady Macbeth as she progresses through the story - as is "historically accurate" - and it can be quite graphic.

Where I really struggled with this book was the pacing, I almost DNF'ed it a third of the way in. The first third of the book is a lot of scene setting and introductions, which really slowed down the story and was a lot to take in at first. The action and plot didn't start right away, and once it did, it moved pretty quickly. But that first part is really tough to get through. On the other side, the ending is rushed and packs in so much that it can be easy to miss key pieces. Also, this book promises a lot of fantasy like elements, and those take a long time to start showing up. I think they could have been stronger if they were introduced earlier, and they'd be easier to follow.