A loose retelling of Macbeth from the vantage point of 17-year old Roscille as she becomes Lady Macbeth. This is a very loose retelling that hits some of the same plot points, and while this might deter some, I found in to be a refreshing and fantastical take on an old story. This was my first Ava Reid novel and it won’t be my last. I absolutely loved the writing, atmosphere, and the character choices for Roscille. 10/10

4/5 ⭐️
God I’m having a hard time deciding how to rate this book. On one hand it intrigued me and kept me turning the page. On the other, I don’t think I would categorize this as my favorite of her works nor my favorite of a Shakespeare retelling. Although I liked that it is far darker than most Shakespeare retellings, fitting the vibes of the tragedy. I liked what she intended to do, although I think the execution could’ve been better. But at the same time, it was her style, this abstract darkness. Maybe her style did and did not fit this story. I liked the second half of the book. But I didn’t like how pessimistic the main character was. This dark, ugly view of gender and humanity. Maybe that’s why I liked the second half better? There were more glimmers of hope and goodness.
As you can tell from this review, my thoughts and feelings are all over the place. I enjoyed this, though I probably would give a lengthy preamble to anyone who asks about it as a recommendation.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.

Dark, gothic, and gorgeous! Amazing prose with perfect atmosphere. Blended classic literature with fresh, modern opinions. An amazing take on Shakespeare's favorite villain.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the arc. All opinions are my own.

I was really excited to read this book and I almost jumped for joy when my request for an early copy was accepted, but unfortunately this story falls really flat for me. The beginning was really good and it pulled me in from the first page, but toward the middle of the story everything started to get really muddy and there were weird plot elements that I felt came out of nowhere and did nothing to serve the story at all.

I'll start with the positives which is only the setting and the descriptions of the land. That's what drew me in the most in the beginning of the book because we are being introduced to Lady Macbeth as she makes her way across Scotland in a carriage. The way it was described, I felt like I was there with her. You really understood the tone of the book as it was reflected by the harsh landscape. That was the only thing I really liked and unfortunately, the book only takes place in Macbeth's castle so we don't get any of those rich descriptions again after the first few chapters.

This is supposed to be a retelling or reimagining of the character of Lady Macbeth from Macbeth, but it feels more like weird fanfiction if anything. None of the characters are similar to their play counterparts. They feel like completely new people that had the original characters names slapped on them. Lady Macbeth is the one that suffers the most from this. I adore her in the play. I love her scheming and her ambitions for power. The way this book is described, I thought I was going to get a version of her where she still schemes and plots, but we get her side of the story in a more feminist light. Instead, the character was dulled down beyond belief. She really didn't have any motivations for doing what she did except for the fact that she didn't want to consummate the marriage with Macbeth and become a baby maker for him.

I have no idea what to say about the dragon. That came out of nowhere and it served no purpose whatsoever in the story. I also didn't understand the sudden love interest. It just felt like it was tacked on at the end with barely any care.

The way the other characters are described is really odd. Once you meet one Scotsman, you've met them all and all of them are brutish, bloodthirsty, and pigs. There was absolutely no nuance between any man in the story except for the love interest and he wasn't even full Scot. I don't know if this was the author's intention to just show how the protagonist sees Scotland through her eyes, but the way she writes about Scottish people is uncomfortable to say the least.

Also for a feminist retelling, there were almost no women in this story. The few women we get are not even full characters. They come and go or are never seen at all. Lady Macbeth is a shell of what she is on the stage and she seems to have even less agency here. Instead of guiding her husband's hand to murder, it's her husband that is using her as the tool.

In conclusion, I am not a big fan of this book and it's a shame because I had really high hopes for it. I wouldn't recommended it to others either. Just go see the play honestly.

Ava Reid's "Lady Macbeth" is a bold reimaging that leans full tilt into the speculative aspects of the tragic play. In this rendition Lady Macbeth is given a name, a background, and is cursed? gifted? as a hagseed, a witch, who can ensorcell any man with the look of her eyes. Reid stays true to the play's central themes of power, gender politics, masculinity (both toxic and fragility), and of course ambition all while focusing on the bottled feminist rage boiling inside her female characters. All of her characters are treated with complexity, showcasing their strengths and weaknesses. Lady Macbeth is not just manipulative and cunning, but a survivor in a brutal patriarchal world, a very keen observer, and who can feel remorse and guilt along with being very self aware of her gender limitations. Reid's writing is lush and captivating. Though the book is mostly faithful to the events of the play, Reid does take some big risks and is mostly successful. If you aren't married to the original source but rather want to engage it with a different lens, this will offer a lot of thought provoking questions, which for me is what makes a great retelling/reimaging/adaptation.

Thank you NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My first Ava Reid’s book was ‘A Study in Drowning’ so of course I was excited to read her new work. Unfortunately I was left disappointed.

I will start off that I have briefly read Macbeth, so I had no loyalty to original work. However I can say that by reading other reviews, this is a very loose based retelling of that.

Some issues I had while reading this was that there was a constant need to tell you how big Macbeth is. We all know those books where the main female characters are described as small & you are hit over the head with this. That is what it felt like with the description of Macbeth. It felt very unneeded & not what I expected of Ava Reid’s writing.

My other issue is the constant hate on ALL Scottish men. We are given as readers a view on some vicious men that happen to be from Scotland, but I didn’t see how it was warranted make constant statement on hating all. While we’re also talking on vicious men, I felt like Macbeth wasn’t made into much of a villain until about more than halfway. So at the beginning I couldn’t bring myself to hate him. (Don’t worry, he does become horrible.)

Now on my issue with Lady Macbeth’s retelling. I agree with other people that her actions were more accidentally than the clever woman Lady Macbeth has been known to be. She is constantly put in these situations because of Macbeth & she just happens to be able to spin them. Not to mention that every time she makes a decision, she immediately regrets it. And when she finally learns to own her actions, it feels not a natural progression of the character. Maybe it’s because Ava Reid usually likes to write quieter, strong female character. But at the same time, why choose to retell Lady Macbeth, who is known not to be that way.

Now the things I liked. My favorite character by far was Lisander. I thought his character was very complex & intriguing. I liked the relationship with Lady Macbeth & him. I would love to know more about his character. While we’re on the note of that,
I also found Senga to be a character with lot of potential.

At the end of reading this book I still love & will read anything Ava Reid writes. Her writing is beautiful & is so smooth to read. This read just was not as enjoyable as her other books.

Lady Macbeth will be published August 13, 2024. Much thanks to Del Rey and NetGalley for my copy. All views are my own.

I’ve been sitting on reviewing Lady Macbeth, not sure how to rate it but knowing I read something I appreciated and enjoyed. Prior to this book, my knowledge about the Shakespeare play came from If We Were Villains, Marion Cotillard’s “out spot” performance, and the tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow quote. So, prior to reading, I looked up the basic plot premise to get an idea for the retelling.

Lady Macbeth is not a traditional retelling. If you go into this book with reimagining as your understanding, you will enjoy it more. If you’re a Shakespearean purist, this might not be the book for you because Reid deviates from the play’s plot.

In Lady Macbeth, Reid brings to life the gothic, atmospheric vibes for which she is known. I felt like I was in the dank, drafty castle, the cold, wet cave where the witches prophesied. A book that’s witchy and filled with female rage? Sign me up.

Reid’s prose is also lovely; I highlighted quite a few passages in my read with quotes that resonated with me. I also appreciated how Roscille developed into and ultimately embraced being Lady Macbeth. Her machinations resulted in some brutal outcomes and deadly ramifications. I liked Lisander’s character and the fantastical elements there as well. The book featured descent into madness, adultery, betrayals, and war.

I did not care for the inclusion of Roscille as the only beautiful woman; all the others that are not French are older, described as ugly or large (there are just the witches, a mad duchess, and two hand maidens). But, the plight of women during that time period is central to the book. I didn’t love that Macbeth was portrayed as a larger-than-life, violent man, who only had an appetite for blood and destruction, but it is what it is. I found myself satisfied at the ending. I’m going to read Macbeth (adds to the TBR) to see how the two compare and where Lady Macbeth diverges from the original.

Overall, I enjoyed Lady Macbeth. While I was disappointed that there were some big deviations (again, if you go into it knowing it’s a loose reimagining, that could be remedied for you), I still really appreciated the book and read it quickly.

loved this in theory, but as someone whos not a super fan of the topic, i felt lost at points. i think this book is for people who appreciate this niche— not for a light interest in it. definitely not a bad book, just not right for me personally.

Hell hath no fury like Lady Macbeth scorned. This was a very intriguing and fun read. I was disgusted with Roscille for the first half of the book because of her seemingly random manipulation and lack of confidence. I like how she evolved by the end and owned her “curse.” Reid painted a great picture of the stuffy setting and developed each character in fascinating ways throughout. I am still shocked at how much I loathed Fleance by the end. As I was reading other reviews, someone mentioned Outlander as research material. I can see where comparisons may be made surrounding Scotland, brute men, and witchery. This isn’t a bad thing by any means. It’s just part of a shared fantasy genre. I look forward to reading more of Ava Reid’s work.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.

** 3.5 STAR READ
Thank you NetGalley and Del Ray for the eARC of Lady Macbeth!
This was my most anticipated book of the year. The day it was announced, I really judged a book by its cover because WOW, I just love the design. The day I got accepted for the ARC??? I SCREAMED.
Yet, despite my anticipation, my rating really fluctuated throughout my time reading and post reading. I found the beginning confusing and slow; it also took me a long time to grasp Ava Reid’s writing. Once I did, I could see the beauty in the prose; lyrically, this is a beautifully written book. Reid’s writing is vivid, descriptive, and I found myself enchanted. This story is gothic, gloomy and dark; it felt strange being so immersed in the book only to put it down and see that it is summer and not the middle of a rainy, frigid winter in Scotland.
In my opinion, you should not go into this expecting a retelling or an accurate representation of Lady Macbeth. This book is a reimagining. It follows the plot points of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, but Lady Macbeth’s role is far from the original source. In Macbeth, she is deceptive, cunning, a gaslighter, and overall a strong female villain. In Reid’s portrayal, Roscille (Lady Macbeth), is a seventeen year old girl who is the victim of an arranged marriage to an older man, forced to be quiet and timid to survive, and supposedly may or may not be a witch. Her only goal (besides surviving) is to not consummate the marriage between her and Macbeth (due to fear), so she requests three tasks Macbeth must do before bedding her. If you are a huge fan of the original Macbeth and Shakespeare, you will most likely NOT enjoy this book. Otherwise, if you’re going in with no expectations of accuracy, definitely give this book a chance.
There is a dragon, a very small amount of romance (which seemed unnecessary imo but I guess it’s nice to know Roscille will have some happy moments), dark themes, Lady Macbeth’s “poisoned eyes,” and witches!
Originally, I was going to rate this book a 4 or 4.5 star read since the accuracy was not a make a break for me. However, there were two major themes that were hard to overlook and what essentially caused my star rating to knock down some points. While I always enjoy a strong FMC who goes against the misogyny of men, this story gave off “all men are BAD and all women are AMAZING” vibes, yet Roscille was the ONLY female character. We had the three witches (maybe like 5 seconds of screen time), and two handmaidens for Roscille (2 seconds of screen time). No other woman was in Macbeth’s castle besides the three witches (who were locked away and, like I said, 5 seconds of screen time), and Roscille. There was *MAYBE* a mention that some of the kitchen maids were women. All this because the men in Reid’s “retelling” did not need women to do anything. Men could do everything. This also plays a major role in my next point: the CONSTANT xenophobia directed against Scottish people. Every Scottish man in this book was a savage brute, a grimy barbarian – their only goal was lust for killing and the throne. Roscille herself was not even Scottish like the original Lady Macbeth, she was a French-born bastard of a Lord, and her “love interest,” a half ENGLISH man! **MAJOR SPOILER: The only man in this book who was a monster (dragon) but not an actual MONSTER like the brute, violent men of Scotland!** At one point in the book, she is relieved to speak in her native tongue again with her half-English boyfriend because it washed her of the grimy dirt of the Scot’s language. I saw one reviewer on here say that Reid’s research for this book consisted of watching Outlander and Braveheart LOL. The constant bashing on the Scottish people just seemed very unnecessary and targeted, and I have seen in other reviews that Reid has done similar stereotypical characteristics with Scottish characters in their other books??
Overall, 3.5 seems like a good spot to be in as a rating. I did enjoy it, despite my most negative parts of the review. Overlooking the misogyny and xenophobia, there is a solid storyline that I enjoyed and found fun to read. This is my first Ava Reid book and I would be interested in reading their other books. Thank you again to NetGalley for the eARC!

A Study in Drowning was my favorite book of last year and I instantly requested Lady Macbeth the day it hit NetGalley.

While Lady Macbeth deals with some of the same themes as ASID, it's quite a different book altogether and Ava shows her versatility as a writer. Lady Macbeth is written in third person present with the crisp feel of a play. The book's pace felt a bit slower but I didn't mind.

I've been looking forward to the "monster romance" in this book ever since Ava advertised it, and while it's very much a subplot, it was beautifully done.

Though I've seen the original Macbeth play, I'd forgotten most of the particulars. I would recommend a Macbeth plot summary read-through. I enjoyed noting the easter eggs and where the book diverged from the play.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

I greatly enjoyed this book. Reid's writing fits the gothic style that MacBeth calls for so well, and it is captivating. Reid centers' Lady Macbeth, showing more of her struggles as well as the struggles of women in this time period. She gives Lady Macbeth back her name, Roscille, and says that she and those who care for her call her throughout the book. Reid creates Roscille and makes her a more three-dimensional character with complex layers, thoughts, and history compared to the Shakespeare original that made her out to be a cunning woman who goes mad and kills herself, showing much depth to her character because she was not the main focus her husband was. This book flips the script and also gives Roscille the power to fight against her husband in the end.

The story has gothic and magical elements in it, which I think shows respect to the original work while also adding new perspectives, elements, and scenes that make the book a page-turner even if you had already read and studied the source material.

The book doesn't shy away from showing how women were treated and spoken to in this time period, and it is uncomfortable to read but I think that is a testament of Reid's writing that she is able to make the reader feel disgusted by what is said and even send chills down their spine as she did to me with some of the lines.

This was a great read. Its haunting and beautiful writing creates a well-constructed story that I highly recommend. Reid's writing is gripping and won't let you go until the story is done and you understand the true power of Roscille that Shakespeare refused to show.

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

This book dives into the background and character of Lady Macbeth.

This book was not for me. I unfortunately was just so bored while reading this one. While it is not my normal genre, it still intrigued me and I love the cover. However, I was unable to finish this one because I was just not connecting with the characters and was just bored.

I hope others love this one but it wasn't for me.

Ava Reid NEVER disappoints. I have yet to read something from her I'm not absolutely obsessed with almost immediately.

Lady Macbeth is a MUST read for any lovers of the following two things - Shakespeare and feral women.

From beginning to end there is a very specific dark atmosphere to this book- it almost looms over you from the very first page.
This story is heavy so make sure to check trigger warnings but it is also thoroughly enjoyable watching how Lady Macbeth goes about her machinations. To put it lightly and reference the original Lady Macbeth from Shakespeares play - what? its just murder.

I almost wish I hadn't read it already so I could enjoy it for the first time again. I am definitely planning a reread via audiobook the first chance I get.

Oh, this was so much fun. I am biased. I love Ava Reid. She is a writer that really pushes on a "serotonin" button in my brain so I am not surprised that I absolutely loved this. Everyone better get their copy on August 13 - you will not be disappointed ~

I really liked Lady Macbeth. I am very familiar with the play and am a fan of retellings. I really how she was the sympathetic character and the emphasis on the witchcraft and magic was really interesting. It was a hard book to put down and I ended up reading it in two sittings. I think that it would be a great book for teens who are struggling to get into Shakespeare. I would read more titles like this for sure.

Thank you NetGalley and Del Ray for an ARC of this book!

The book follows Roscille (Lady Macbeth), a young woman who has been cursed with beauty and the warning that any man who falls in love with her will face his own destruction. The book relies heavily on tropes of witchcraft to propel the plot and provide context for character traits.

In many ways this book felt like an attempt to portray Lady Macbeth as an innocent player, rather than a compelling and complex female character.

One issue I had right off the bat with this book, is the lack of background information and scene setting given between the relationship between Roscille and Macbeth. The book begins with their union then jumps right into the plot of the Shakespeare play. Not giving these characters space and opportunities to form a relationship outside the source material is an extreme disservice to this book. As someone who has read ‘Macbeth’ and has viewed several productions, one thing that intrigued me as a modern viewer was the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. The ability to see these characters interact would add a layer of nuance to motivations and potentially explain choices made toward the end of the play/narrative.
Having read a previous book by Reid (“A Study in Drowning”) one thing that is evident to me is the improvement of Reid’s craft in writing prose. I felt that many sentences felt less forced and were able to captivate me as a reader through the use of refined language. I wish that craft could be applied to a more compelling plot.

A big part of my disappointment is the generic structure and execution of the plot. Like many retellings, this books tried to capture what the original plot got wrong, and create lore for previously underdeveloped characters. The trap with this structure, is that when adapting a well-known text many readers expect the characters to have close resemblance to the originals. Therefore any departures can feel unfounded and frustrating. This book is in the limbo of having a large number of references to the original play, but takes one too many departures where it looses the core themes of the story.

In many ways I wish this retelling took a more drastic approach. Rather than portraying Lady Macbeth as a weak woman looking to find her own voice, I find it far more appealing to face a highly unlikeable character who is confident in their voice and their actions.

Overall I would suggest passing on this book, unless you are an avid fan of Ava Reid’s previous work.

She is blood-soaked and she is feral— LADY MACBETH has forged a path and will live at any cost.

This is an ode to womens’ survival: while men assign women the roles of pawns and broodmares, how will our Queen Hereafter reign?

Women are used and abused in this retelling. It's dark, but hopeful. Possibly my favorite shift (no real shocker here) is the way our Lady is wrapped with the witches — like the thread of water that permeates the novel, women and their strength, especially in generational terms.

If you love your retellings atmospheric, with a touch of magic, and a spot of the monstrous— then the newest Ava Reid is for you!

Where the Bard breathed life, Reid twists with a knife— leaving us raw and bloodied in her wake. You won't forget it.

Thank you to the publisher for an early copy! This is an inventive take on the classic: reframing the role of women in the legend perpepually dominated by men.

I absolutely adore Ava Reid’s writing and A Study in Drowning was one of my top reads of 2023. I was super excited to read their take on Lady Macbeth, as they have a history of giving their female characters incredible depth. With that said, this story just didn’t do it for me.

Although it has been years since I read Shakespeare’s play, the Lady Macbeth I remember was worldly and respected by her husband. She already had power and agency and directed her husband’s actions. Reid’s version is a sad facsimile of that cunning and clever lady.

If the portrayal was already far off the mark, my other issue was with the writing and pacing of the story. Honestly, I was bored. Usually Reid’s work captivates me from the very first page, but it was work to finish this novel.

While this book was not for me, I do think it will find its readers, and will by no means prevent me from reading Reid’s future works. I am eagerly anticipating both their upcoming 2025 releases and especially cannot wait to read A Theory of Dreaming!

Thank you to Netgalley, Del Rey Books, and Random House for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was a DNF at 25% for me. I struggled to connect the character with how she was shown by Shakespeare. The writing also seemed a bit overdone in sections for how simplistic the character's reasoning seemed to be. I am sure that Ava Reid's fanbase will enjoy this book quite a bit.