I really enjoyed this book! Ava Reid is truly gifted at bringing out the darkness and oddities and Roscille was no exception. I know that this book will be very popular on BookTok and I can't wait to see what others think of it.

Wow, if there’s one thing I love about Ava Reid it’s that she’s I can tell she’s a lil weirdo at heart.
I really loved this book, it’s a great show of Reid’s ability to create incredibly complex characters that you aren’t sure if you should be rooting for or not.

With that being said, the one thing that bummed me out in this book is that it’s a more feminist retelling of Macbeth. In the original Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is usually played by a middle aged/older woman, but here she is replaced with a seventeen year old girl. While Roscille is still girlbossing, gaslighting and gatekeeping her way through this, it’s still obvious that she’s naïve and inexperienced. I understand that it’s a new take on the story, it’s just so rare that we get to see older FMC’s, and I would have loved to see a more matured, conniving Lady Macbeth.

With that said, I still loved the story, and wasn’t bothered by any of the other liberties Reid took. If anything, I loved the mystical/fantasy elements that were added, and am always here for a character who is accused of being a witch.

P.S. Looking through all these other reviews has me terrified for where our media literacy is heading in the generation. I’m seeing a lot of comments saying this book is xenophobic/Reid is xenophobic towards Scottish people because Roscille speaks negatively about the Scots in this book. I think people are forgetting that this is set in the 1600’s and sadly people were prejudiced against others and were ignorant. Just because people are informed about these issues today does not erase that history, and writing from that point of view does not mean that the writer has those beliefs.

A big thank you to Del Ray for selecting little ol’ me to receive an eARC in exchange for an honest review!!!

I absolutely loved the slow burn vengeance and anger that this brings, the feminine rage, the twists of deception laid out like spider web. this was a fantastic take on Macbeth.

thank you Netgalley for allowing me an ARC!

Ava Reid has never written a book that I didn't absolutely love.

The way that she deconstructs old stories, and creates such meaningful commentary about the "role of women" historically always stuns me.

I haven't read the original play, but I'd say this book was infinitely better!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC

I would give Lady Macbeth 10 stars on this page if I could. I love this book soo much. This story given to Lady Macbeth is heartbreaking and captivating at the same time. I could not put this book down. The world created is so brutal and yet Lady Macbeth does not back down. As she must face the cruel Macbeth. Reid’s writing is stunning and will stay with me for a long time. This is a must-read for Ava Reid fans.

Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid
Rating: 4 ⭐️’s

This was my first read by Ava Reid and I was so happy when they announced it was a retelling of one of Shakespeare’s works. I was one of those people who dove into his work after the mandatory reading of Romeo & Juliet in high school. Although Macbeth was one I was enthralled by when I was younger, so I won’t do much comparing.
*
Reid’s writing pulled me in immediately! It made me feel like I was actually Lady Macbeth- Roscille, in the castle suddenly being picked up by men who strip off my shoes, quickly shivering from the ice cold water being thrown on my bare feet. Likewise, I was constantly uncomfortable because I felt like I was experiencing Roscille’s pain and struggles. Given her age of seventeen and her encounters with conflict or need to be cunning being close to none, I felt Roscille was portrayed as a strong feminist source. She knew she had to learn skills to protect herself and position she was in. Even though we got a lot of schemes and manipulations not playing out the way she had wished, she showed her adaptive and cunning instincts and her unwillingness to be a victim to men.
*
In the beginning I often found myself rooting for Macbeth, hoping that maybe he was a misunderstood character. That immediately changed when he took unconsented advantage of Roscille. I did feel like Reid was a little harsh in her descriptions of the Scottish men as a whole, repeatedly describing them as brutal ,uncaring, etc. I assume it was to justify Roscille’s actions, to give her a greater danger and fear to what she had to endure. Still, it seemed just a tad too much.
*
The speed of the book was okay to me until the end. I was happy with the actual events that occurred, just not the rushed execution of it all. And because of the hastiness the events that lead to the conclusion almost felt given. I would have been happier if we got a real chance to see the worth of all these moments of outwitting, cleverness, and bravery we’ve seen from Roscille. Instead of just an “aha” moment and silly mistakes made from the antagonists.
*
In all, I did enjoy the book and the immersive experience I got from Reid’s writing. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

3.75 stars. I was a theatre major in college, and while that doesn't mean anything in the real world, it DOES mean that I've had my fair dose of Shakespeare. MACBETH is one of my favorites and Lady Macbeth is probably my favorite character - her "OUT DAMN SPOT" speech is top tier and her descent into madness is fascinating to witness. Sidebar, I was lucky enough to see Frances McDormand play her a few years ago at Berkeley Rep and that performance will forever live rent free in my mind. All this to say, I was rather curious to see Ava Reid's treatment of the Bard, especially because I've heard such great things about A STUDY IN DROWNING. LADY MACBETH is my introduction to Reid's work, so I have nothing to compare it to, but I was extra excited to read this one and the gorgeous cover sucked me in immediately. It's a work of art and momma that neon-pink font sealed the deal, I had to read it.

A reimagining of MACBETH could go in a million different directions, but Reid utilizes her command of language and dark atmospheres to craft a moody study on gender politics, feminism and self-discovery. Ava said, "I'm going to tell this tale from the perspective of a seventeen year old Lady Macbeth, but show what would happen if she was a fierce and gorge witch that loved animals." And ya know what? For the most part, this book slays, and mainly because Roscille is a complex and endearing character. She's the kinda gal that doesn’t knock, just steps in and we love an ethereal queen that's able to manipulate men with her beauty and ooky-spooky eyes. I mean, the girl gets out of putting out for Macbeth by requesting jewelry from Cawder and he immediately leaves to declare war and retrieve the gems. THE POWER SHE HAS. I swear, I need to get me one of those Lady M veils so I don’t have to look anyone directly in the eyes on days where I’m feeling depressy.

Another strength is the surprising love story that pops up in the form of a dragon. A very sexy and charismatic dragon that Roscille has steamy chemistry with. It's not SUPER spicy, but there are some much welcomed romps. Magic and mysticism is much more prevalent in this retelling which I appreciated and honestly wanted more of. Reid's prose is indeed very beautiful, albeit a little flowery at times, but it's clear she knows how to immerse her readers into the dark world she's created. I found it interesting to read about the origins of Lady M's madness and the women in her family that were also consumed by it. It was also interesting to see what Reid did with the new and existing characters and I can confidently say that Fleance can eat rocks and there must be justice for Hawise!

LADY MACBETH is a fresh enough take on the classic that it will leave you lisping, "YAS QUEEN!" by the end. That said, it did take me a bit longer to get through and I can't figure out if it's because of the pacing or writing style. The story would slog a little and then jump around and she'd omit scenes that I wish we would've actually seen. But ultimately, I dug the grey tones and foggy castle atmosphere just as much as I dug the ending and moral of the story. Basically men have always sucked, but alas here we are still talking about them. Shakespeare purists might roll their eyes at this version of Lady M, but if you go in with an open mind you might be surprised. I might need more time to sit on this one because I can't help but feel that something was missing and I need to process what that is.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine and Del Rey for the ARC. I'll be including LADY MACBETH in my upcoming February wrap-up on my BookTok (@thebradendavis).

i unfortunately had to dnf 20% through. While that may seem slightly unfair, the characters were two dimensional and the story was thoroughly not provoking, with many dark themes that were not catching my attention. i’ve loved her other books so far so this was truly a let down. i will potentially come back to it when im in the mood for something a little darker/less romance-esque.

I absolutely LOVED this book. I wish I could give it to my 16 year old self, who used to rant about all the misogyny in high school English books.

Lady Macbeth is portrayed as a 17 year old noble-woman who is trying desperately to take back some of her agency in a world where only men are allowed to be powerful. I loved her journey and growth throughout the story.

The writing was beautiful and filled with so much unique figurative language. There were so many little details illustrating the frustration of being a woman in a patriarchal world that resonated me to the point that it made me want to shout.

Full disclosure: I have not read the original Macbeth, so I cannot speak to how Ava Reid has changed the story. I was a little nervous it wouldn’t be as impactful having not read Macbeth, but it was amazing.

Content warning - SA (off page), DV, violence, torture (off page)

Thank you to Netgalley and the author/publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3 stars for Ava Reid's writing, which is quite poetic and beautiful at times. I DNFed this book at 30% however, because it's just not for me and not what I was hoping for.

Lady Macbeth is an iconic character so I was very excited to read this book. I was disappointed to find that in this retelling, she is a 17-year-old girl whose actions are largely motivated by her desire to delay consummating her marriage with her new husband. Nothing wrong with that, but I was hoping for something a bit more adult and a lot darker.

This story leans YA with a fairy tale vibe. I wasn't as emotionally gripped by these famous characters as I usually am. The iconic witches were not nearly as sinister as I wanted them to be. They were creepy, but I want to be HAUNTED TO MY CORE by these witches! They are always one of my favorite parts of Macbeth and I was just underwhelmed by them here.

I think I just went into this expecting something different overall. I'm sure this book will have many fans, and Reid has a way with words that has definitely inspired me to read more from her.

When I tell you I am obsessed….. I had to wait a full week to write this review to allow myself to process. Now, I’d like to make clear, I have never read Macbeth, I went into this blind. I could not put it down. Ava Reid’s writing is exceptional and this story is to die for. The way I was swept into the mind of Lady Macbeth, felt her every thought and fed off her every emotion, I mean, I was completely enraptured.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Lady Macbeth is the somewhat 🌶️ retelling from the feminist prospective of the lady herself. Rosille is sold by her father to the power hungry Macbeth to be his new wife.

Macbeth receives a prophecy that he will be the king hereafter, and his new witchy wife can help him reach his goal.

But his bright new wife has eyes for another man, and isn’t interested in helping Macbeth, she’s just trying to stay alive in her new court.

This one got me 🌀 ! It started slow and steady but with each Act- went harder and harder. If you’re into a classic retelling - this one is absolutely for you✨

Thanks Netgalley and Del Rey Books for the ARC!!

Lady Macbeth is my favorite of all Shakespeare’s characters. I was so hyped for this book. While gorgeously written, it fell flat for me. The strong, middle-aged Scotswoman who said “I would, while [the babe] was smiling in my face, have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums and dashed the brains out” is now a seventeen year old French girl who lacks all the charisma, intensity, and drama of her namesake. While the prose was lush and lovely, I found myself skimming, somewhat bored at times. Again, maybe my love for the original work and character clouds my judgement from being unbiased, but Roscille feels foreign from the “take my milk for gall” Lady Macbeth.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC
Ava Reid's Lady Macbeth will ring true for every angry and bloodthirsty teenage girl. Long before her hands were forever stained and she went mad, Lady Macbeth was a girl scared of what the world would shape her into. Reid's retelling does require two things from her reader: one to understand the stage version of Macbeth and two to view the panicking woman with a spot on her hands as a human. Rather than being a traditional retelling of the story, Reid looks at how Lady Macbeth became a monster; Roscille slowly transforms into the villain we recognize from her witch-cursed fate and, more importantly, her lust for power.
As someone who is already a fan of Reid and Macbeth, I found this an easy read. I now wait with blood-stained hands for publication day.

Ava Reid offers a mesmerizing reinterpretation of the iconic Shakespearean character, delving into her backstory with depth and ingenuity. Set against a backdrop of dark and isolated landscapes, the novel follows Lady Macbeth's journey before she assumes her infamous role, shedding light on her resilience and cunning in the face of adversity.

What truly sets this novel apart is Reid's masterful portrayal of the three witches. These eerie and complex characters are brought to life in a way that is both unsettling and deeply human. Their presence infuses the story with a sense of foreboding and mystery, leaving readers eager to unravel their secrets.

But it's not just the witches who shine in this tale. Lady Macbeth herself emerges as a compelling protagonist, her journey from a reluctant bride to a formidable force of nature both captivating and heart-wrenching. Reid's portrayal of her resilience and cunning in the face of adversity is nothing short of breathtaking, breathing new life into a character whose motivations have long been shrouded in mystery.

And the setting? Oh, it's like stepping into another world entirely - the dark and isolated Scotland. Reid's prose is so rich and vivid, you'll swear you can feel the mist on your skin and hear the clash of swords in the distance. It's atmospheric, it's immersive, and it sucks you in from the very first page.

But perhaps what is most impressive about "Lady Macbeth" is the way in which it pays homage to the original play while also carving out its own unique path. Reid deftly explores themes of power, ambition, and the human condition, offering readers a fresh perspective on a timeless tale.

So if you're looking for a story that's dark, thrilling, and utterly unforgettable, I definitely recommend checking 'Lady Macbeth'. With its unforgettable characters, pulse-pounding plot, and breathtaking prose, it's a book that demands to be read and reread, savored and cherished.

I struggled a bit with this one. The writing in this was very flowy and artistic and made you think of Shakespeare’s original, but the beginning seemed to drag on without much happening. The character of Lady Macbeth, which is interesting and discussion worthy in the original story, has been whittled down to a scared teenage girl floundering for any semblance of control or dignity in her life. The last 20% of the book was better than the first 80% and is probably the only reason this book got a second star. I can appreciate the attempt to give a classic female character her chance to shine but then let her shine. So many of the characters were one dimensional I felt nothing for a single one of them. Honestly I enjoyed Ava Reid’s A Study In Drowning, but the few weaknesses to be found in that book completely overtook this one.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Ava Reid does it again! The prose, the setting, the romance, EVERYTHING. Amazing! Full review will be posted to Goodreads on release!

This was quite a letdown for me as I so love Macbeth and the poetic prose of Ava Reid. I expected a lyrical, cutting and powerful retelling. What I got was lyrical but somehow lackluster while being extremely brutal. I will start with what I did appreciate. The bleak atmosphere was relentless and gothic. I loved the historical detail and especially the etymological attention throughout the novel. Reading it on my Kindle allowed me to look up words, places and people. Some were not even in Wikipedia, and I had to do a deep dive to find out more. This shows the research Reid put into this work. This lifted my rating.

The three witches were brilliant and by far my favorite part of the story. Eerie, unsettling and then later human, comedic, redeeming. I would read a book centered on them, for sure.

Now on to my critique. I found this overall to be overwritten and heavy handed with its feminist message of men are bad simple minded creatures and women are trapped. Set in the 900s it’s certainly fair to paint an extremely male controlled world, but the excessive commentary had me rolling my eyes far too often. It took away from what felt like a beautiful fairytale in the beginning - strong in metaphor, imagery and symbolism. However, every time I thought I understood what type of story I was reading I was proven wrong. 65% of the way in I had accepted that I was reading a dark historical fiction with some leaning into folklore of the time. Nope, suddenly I was to believe dragons and unicorns were absolutely real. Until that point the “magic” was more myth and superstition - fear, not reality.

So then it was a fantasy - except it wasn’t. It returned to brutal gothic drear. Then the ending surged back into high fantasy….. While I like good genre blurring, this did not work and did not feel believable. Just frustrating.

With the exception of Roscille I found most characters to be quite flat. Even her love interest as the redeeming male character was uncomplicated (save for his transformation which I will call more of an attention grab for marketing than character development…trying to be vague to not spoil the plot). Maybe this is back to the simple fairytale formatting, an attempt to make the characters archetypal - which I could be on board with if it was more consistent. The characters I did find compelling were brushed over. What a tale we could have received if we learned more about the backstory of the witches, the handmaids, Macbeth himself. But this was a world mostly devoid of females except for our heroine… a confused 17-year-old far from the fierce middle aged Lady Macbeth Shakespeare envisioned.

Taking away my comparison to the source material, I would still be underwhelmed and ultimately annoyed with how the ending didn’t match with the rest of the book. It was not convincing. So much potential here. I wanted to love it. I tried hard to love it. I could not.

Thank goodness for the absolutely gorgeous prose. Many lines I reread out loud just for their beauty or striking pain. For that reason, and for the clearly academic mind of the author, I may read more from Ava Reid. I’ve heard good things about Juniper and Thorn and ASID.

This was so great. I was not familiar with Shakespeare’s Macbeth. However, I think that just kind of made it better. I know it will be different than Shakespeare’s so that bothers you probably not for you. The writing was great. I personally did not like the main character, but I was still rooting for her.

"Lady Macbeth" was one of my most anticipated releases of 2024. After thoroughly enjoying "A Study in Drowning" by the same author, I had high hopes for "Lady Macbeth". Unfortunately, this time my expectations weren't met.

"Lady Macbeth" is a retelling of Shakespeare’s classic play "Macbeth". Given its marketing as a feminist retelling, I was particularly intrigued by Ava Reid's interpretation. However, I found this description somewhat lacking in capturing the essence of the story.

While the writing in "A Study in Drowning" was enchanting, in "Lady Macbeth" it felt overly intricate and pretentious. This created a sense of detachment that overshadowed the narrative. The book's exhaustive attention to detail, even for minor characters, made the reading experience somewhat tedious.

Moreover, I struggled to connect with any of the characters, which significantly dampened my interest in the story. Lady Macbeth herself didn’t quite embody the essence of the original character from Shakespeare’s play, which was disappointing considering my expectations for a faithful reinterpretation.

Additionally, I found the pacing of the story to be sluggish, with little significant plot development to maintain my engagement. The lyrical prose, while beautiful, contributed to the slow pace and made it challenging to immerse myself fully in the narrative. Ultimately, I had to push myself to reach the end.