Everything about this should have worked for me. I love Ava Reid's writing style, I love re-tellings (especially ones where the woman in the story is made the focal point.)
But this is simply not a story about Lady Macbeth. And I didn't care for the person it was about.
The language used against Scottish people was brutal. And, considering this is about a strong female character, demoting her to whichever man she was closest to at any given time, was disappointing. Further, though I know she's a teenager, I don't think the harmful thoughts about other women was necessary to the story, either.
I just feel like this had so, so much potential and missed the mark entirely.
I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity to read this title, and I would absolutely try something from Reid again. This, however, was not for me.

So I think Ava Reid is not for me in general. I think Juniper and Thorn was probably my favorite out of the ones I've read. I like their books in theory and the vibes are always great but their books are not for me. My expectations for this book was the Shakespearian Lady Macbeth who was ruthless and manipulative and I've noticed this trend of taking villains and humanizing which I don't care for in general

4.5 Stars

Shakespeare wishes he wrote this. Like this is definitely the superior version of the Macbeth story. Fight me. Actually don't because I'm tired from staying up reading this, but also....

Ava Reid's books are so atmospheric and are impossible to put down and Lady Macbeth was NO EXCEPTION. I couldn't stop reading and the story stands strongly on its own despite being inspired by one of the most famous plays of all time. Ava nailed this and I cannot wait to read what she writes next.

2.5/5
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with the eARC. All opinions are honest and my own.

After extensive thought and thorough digestion of the writing, I feel comfortable saying that this was mediocre at best. Maybe it just had too much to live up to. Taking on something as grand as Macbeth (which I’m not particularly inclined towards Shakespeare in general), and drafting a story around the cunning, ruthless, and manipulative Lady Macbeth, is no small feat. I’m not surprised that this book didn’t measure up as I don’t think anything could have. However, there were creative decisions Ava Reid made that took the story down a path that strays from “Lady Macbeth reimagining” and towards “gothic fantasy of a witchy girl”.

The classic characterization of Lady Macbeth is one of ambition. She’s ruthless and manipulative and unapologetically so. To that end, Roscille does her dirty. Yes, she is younger and therefore accurately portrayed to have less maturity, but instead of a Margaery Tyrell, she’s an early series Sansa (without the potential beyond season 3). Where’s her ambition? Where’s her cunning? Hell, where’s her agency?!

The story was saved by the atmosphere, and I might have DNF’d this otherwise. If there’s anything Ava Reid knows how to do it’s craft an atmosphere. [Lady Macbeth] embodies the gothic and dreary; I can feel the wet mist clinging to my skin and the stifling moldy air invading my lungs through the pages. To that, it’s not very different from her other books and while she has displayed mastery of world-building this sub-genre, this one seems lifted from a known framework. Though I guess there’s nothing wrong with the tried-and-true, especially when you’re as good at it as Ava Reid.

I’ll just call this a gothic fantasy about a witchy girl and the Scottish. Because any association with [Macbeth] does both this book and the original play dirty. Is this a good read? Sort of if you like atmospheric gloomy fantasies. But is it a good Lady Macbeth reimagining, certainly not - and the Scots would agree.

Ava Reid is such a talented writer. I've been a fan of hers for a while now and this book has just made me love her more! I love a good retelling especially when it's done well and Reid completely aced this retelling. I loved the focus on Lady Macbeth's story. It might not be Reid's best work, but it's definitely up there!

Lady Macbeth is a feminists take on dark, gothic fantasy. As someone who doesn’t remember Macbeth, I can easily say this was easy to follow. I wouldn’t call it a retelling. It felt like something of its own, based on Macbeth.

I praise the way Reid made our leading lady into something authentic. She transforms Roscille from a timid Bride into Lady Macbeth, a woman of strength and god fearing. We follow Roscille as she navigates the misogynistic society created by men, and the role women play in that society. She’s lonely, isolated, yet feared. Reid of course has classic fantasy element of magic, creatures, witches, and curses. It’s no wonder I loved this dark and twisty novel.

Thank you Del Rey books & Ava Reid for this ARC.

Ava Reid is always good for a spooky vibes book this time of year. This was a group read where we were more divided on our opinions.

Lady MacBeth is loosely based on the play (although you don’t need to read it first) where the main character, Roscille, can harm men with her gaze.

I enjoyed following her wield her power and come into her own. There was a strong theme throughout the book of misogyny and pushing back against the male power.

While the slower pace of this book was not for me, I can’t wait to see what Ava writes next.

Thank you to @delreybooks and @netgalley for a review copy.

A unique retelling that I did enjoy. Incredible prose that draws you in to keep reading. It is quite atmospheric and immersive and will draw you into the world from the beginning. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this e-arc.
3.75

I love Ava Reid's writing.

Her writing is always creepy and thought provoking and retelling of Macbeth. I always enjoy the way that the author writes here novels so that they stay with you long after you finish the books.

I enjoyed the book and will read more from this author.

Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review.

Ava Reid never disappoints. Lush, beautiful prose set upon a Gothic atmosphere that kept me hooked from the first page. Reading this book puts you in a trance, in the best way possible.

many thanks to random house publishing group and netgalley for providing me with this e-ARC. this review is my opinion and mine alone.

*actual rating: 3.5/5

the thing about this book is that it is NOT a lady macbeth retelling.

i must clarify that this is my first ava reid books, but i have heard a lot of opinions about her other books (since my friend thea cannot stop raving about them) so i feel like i have a solid understanding of what her books are usually about and how she treats her recurring theme. that was the reason why i was so excited at the announcement of this, as i know how important of the potential ava reid has in her hands. lady macbeth is one of my favorite characters in the shakespeare canon, even in all literature in general, and i have hardly seen any retelling of her story.

"lady macbeth" by ava reid is not a bad book, per se. on the contrary, i find it to be quite good, very well-written and most of the time compelling. now that i have a taste of reid's prose i can't help myself but savor it, as ava reid writes with much charm and bravery. i really appreciated how she crafted the story in a way that each part/chapter lays down the path for the next (i found myself fighting against my midterm revisions to read this because of how i was drawn to the story) i would say that this book is a decent, 4-star material if it stood on its own, but the problem is that it didn't

from my understanding of ava reid's books, one of her most used narrative is that of women breaking out from patriarchal chains and reclaiming their power despite their pain, and that's an honorable topic to write about. the thing is, i really dislike the way ava reid keeps forcing elements from macbeth into this cleary original story. i suppose the way it was marketed was more of a publisher thing but advertising this as a macbeth retelling is an injustice to both shakespeare's character and this book. i find that her references (which, mostly, were there just to keep the presence of the etiquette and not actually contributes to the story) were very forced and hammered into the story, when it didn't need to. also, i found that some of the imagery related to the narrative of female empowerment was very handed and not in tune with the overall beautiful writing of the book. i guess it was because of the "gothic" part of the retelling?

overall, i think this book is best read as an original story and not as a macbeth retelling (because it's not) there are some elements that i dislike in this book, independantly of the "retelling" or not, but this compells me to seek out more ava reid's works.

Unfortunately, I would not recommend this to people who are fans of Macbeth, mainly because while a “retelling,” it did not feel like one. I went into this expecting it to be very similar to the actual Macbeth, and for the main female character to be an absolute trailblazer, and ended up disappointed, unfortunately.

This was such an atmospheric, imaginative, feminist retelling of Macbeth—I loved the lore Reid baked in in terms of geopolitical dynamics, and loved seeing Lady Macbeth as an underestimated woman who used the tools available to her. A unique, gripping, insightful retelling.

I was insanely excited to read this book, but am super disappointed by it. The grandiose way of writing was honestly so terrible. Ava was both saying everything and nothing in one sentence.

I was really excited for this, as retellings can be some of my favorite, but only if they’re done right. This one for me, was a miss. The biggest thing I was excited for within this story was a feminist retelling of MacBeth, giving our fmc much more of a story than is depicted in the original and unfortunately it feels like she lost all of her character in this one.

The original gives her much more personality, agency and passion than this book delivers, and I think so much of that comes from Reid’s writing style which didn’t fit right for me. The atmosphere was absolutely there, and I can appreciate the ambiance this book sets the story in, but having the main character be a huge miss for me was to damning to look past for me.

Once again, Ava Reid's atmospheric, gothic, and lyrical prose hooked me from the beginning and I was enthralled with this story from the first page. It felt like the intersection of two kinds of storytelling I almost always enjoy (and I know Ava Reid writes well) - dark fairy tales and haunting gothic novels and I thoroughly enjoyed this reimagining of Shakespeare's play.

Roscille is a kind of female protagonist I always love to read about - a girl willing to do whatever it takes to survive in the harsh world she is born into. She's complicated and flawed and only 17 years old (and feels accurately written as a 17 year old). She's cunning, clever, and occasionally ruthless but also scared and gentle-hearted. I loved the layers explored with her character - even if it wasn't the characterization most people would expect in an exploration of Lady Macbeth.

Writing style-wise and thematically I found a lot of overlap between this and A Study in Drowning (one of my favorite books from last year and honestly of all time) but I didn't love it quite as much. I wanted a little more depth from the other side characters - particularly Lisander and the romance between him and Roscille. I really enjoyed what we got but it felt a bit rushed for my liking.

I think a lot of people (particularly those who have read Ava Reid's other work) will wonder if they need to be knowledgeable about Macbeth to enjoy it. The answer is no. In fact, it may be better if you don't. I only have vague knowledge of the play myself (tragically it was not one I studied in school) and, based on the polarizing reviews I've seen, I think that worked in my favor. It's a loose reimagining that can stand on it's own and if you've enjoyed Ava Reid's writing in the past you'll likely enjoy this as well. If you're looking for a 100% faithful retelling featuring a more typical characterization of Lady Macbeth, you'll likely find this to be disappointing. However, I think if readers who are more familiar with Macbeth go in with the expectation that this story will be different, they could enjoy the references, themes, and reinterpretation of the story.

The writing on this was absolutely beautiful. But man, did I struggle with this. I really could not get past the fact that the feminine narrative read as “men bad, women good”. Where is the strong willed, stop at nothing to get what she wants Lady Macbeth that many of us love? I felt that Roscille was defined solely as whatever the men around her said. She can literally control men with her eyes - how is this world not hers. I just don’t understand. I thought we’d be getting a Lady Macbeth who is unabashedly herself. Who says what she wants and thinks. Is not scared of a man. But unfortunately that’s not even close to what we got.

Also, I felt that there was some strong xenophobia. Why are the Scots constantly described as brutish, evil, ugly, cruel, etc. but with very little actions to see this being the case in the story. The only man she doesn’t have an issue with is one that’s not fully Scottish. At all times Roscille just seems to assume the men, no matter that they do, are evil. It just leaves a weird feeling reading. Sorry to any Scottish people reading this bc I feel like you’re being portrayed unfairly

This was a DNf unfortunately. I honestly think that Reid is just not the author for me. I also think this book was marketed different than the actual plot... Which was unfortunate. I also wish there were more shakespear elements.

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Oh, Lady Macbeth, how do I talk about you? Ava Reid is one of my favorite fantasy authors, and while I think there’s plenty of criticism to be had in their work like every other author, I am usually so entranced by their writing that I can overlook a lot. Despite the mixed reviews I had seen before I picked this up for myself, I was hopeful that I’d be charmed once again by them. Things didn’t quite work out, though.

I really liked what Reid did with their prose in this, and I found it easy to read. The writing itself worked extremely well for me and they made some craft choices I really enjoyed, so it’s a shame I feel so mixed about the actual content (though I will say, I think Reid’s fanfiction past shines through way more in the quality of their prose here than any of their other books. It’s got the same quality of a Yuletide fic, I suppose). There were some fun bits for sure, like the dragon, but they were ultimately few and far between, though I mostly felt neutral while reading. I would have liked this so, so much more if it hadn’t been a Lady Macbeth retelling. I’m unsure as to why the Lady Macbeth we know was reduced to a meek seventeen year old French girl, but I thought it was an odd choice that took away agency from the original character and wasn’t particularly interesting. There are important criticisms about the portrayal of Scottish people that I’m not equipped to review, but I do see what all of those reviewers are saying, and I do think it made for a weaker story, because ultimately I don’t think this was doing anything particularly new, which is usually why I’d reach for a retelling. I don’t actually hate Roscille as a character, but I think I would have liked her much more had she been a completely original character, and had this been an original story rather than a retelling. I don’t think the issues I had would have felt so apparent then, but it is what it is.

I don’t think this one is for fans of Shakespeare or people looking for a feminist retelling of Macbeth, but it’ll probably find its audience.

So grateful to NetGalley for an ARC if this book. Unfortunately, it ended up taking me forever to get through...

I didn't love this adaptation. I believe this is also my first Ava Reid book, so I have no prior opinion of this author. I wanted to love this so much and it fell flat for me in so many different ways. Parts of it kept me entertained and continuing to read the book, but there was something that felt a bit offputting throughout the whole story.

Originally, ady Macbeth is a character strong-willed and motivated. She goes for what she wants and faces the consequences. I initially thought this adaptation was an effort to ramp up this character and make her more independent and strong. A retelling from the woman's perspective where she was secretly the one running the show. Not exactly. One of the things that felt uncomfortable was how often the Scottish were repeatedly referred to as brutish and violent. As a romance reader, I'm familiar with all the big-man-small-woman tropes but with this politically motivated story, and the racial connotations, just felt really uncomfortable and purposeful in a way I didn't love.

The other main thing that left me questioning was the portrayal of our heroine. The constant references to her beauty and control over men was offputting. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for powerful women using their wiles to influence men, but this felt more like we were getting information about her through the eyes of men. Expecting this to be more of a feminist portrayal, it became more and more irritating to see our heroine objectified in this particular way. It was giving "16th-century witch that must burn," and I didn't love it.

Enough hating on it. There was quite a bit that left me bored and irritated, but obviously, I kept reading, and there were parts that held my interest. As previously mentioned, I am fond of a woman using her wiles to lure men to their end, and although much of it felt like we were seeing her through the eyes of men, the moments in which we got her manipulative side were rather satisfying.

It's a bit difficult for me to explain what I did enjoy because most of the bits I disliked were very much tied to what I didn't like. Although the writing felt too flowery, some of it was beautifully written and there were some moments that really tied the book together in a way that was satisfying to read. Although the constant harsh portrayal of the Scotts felt a bit biased and maybe racist (??) the typical arranged marriage story flpped on its head without a romantic subplot felt new and was a bit entertaining because it wasn't played out how it normally would be. I think my main problem with the book as a whole is that it wasn't the feminist rage story I think we were all expecting. The heroine felt entitled and out of her league, and was not redeemed when I think she needed to be. This is a gothic, dark story, but it wasn't done in a way that felt particularly tense or revenge-focused in the way I think this story should have been told.

I know most of this review has been negative but I'm finally writing this after a month from when I finished the book, and the parts that are sticking with me is what I didn't like. I am always in support of reading for yourself and determining if you, as an individual like the book. It just wasn't for me. Again, some moments of plot and writing were fun and unexpected, but there was a racial weirdness that very much felt uncomfortable to me and I still feel it.

It was fine, and I enjoyed it enough to continue reading without struggling through the book. Try for yourself and see what you think.