Ava Reid's Lady Macbeth winningly fuses the scant facts we have from the historical record and adds magic, ambition, and rage to create a protagonist worthy of the title of Shakespearean villainess.
Roscille has been treated as unnatural and strange since birth - her beauty is otherworldly, and her eyes are said to drive men to madness.
When she marries the intimidating Macbeth, she asks for a couple of items that are nearly impossible to get in order to delay the wedding night and her possible death in childbirth. He may humor her, but he has already heard the prophecies of the three witches uses Roscille in order to achieve his foretold destiny.
Various side characters come into the story, mostly men, each posing a different type of danger to Roscille.
While I don't think the magical elements of the story were necessary to make this a wonderful read, I appreciated the way the author blended it along with the human aspects of the story. There is nowhere Roscille is safe throughout this story, except within the power she holds, and we see her relentless quest to harness it, along with that of previous victims of Macbeth.

Overall: 3.5/5
Characters: 4/5
Plotline: 3.5/5
World-Building: 3.5/5

Romance: NA
Spice Factor: 1
Themes: 4/5
Writing: 3.5/5
Enjoyment Factor: 3.5/5
Review: The reads very much like a Shakespearean tragedy. There is a lot to take in with the places, nobility, and how all the politics fit together in the beginning, but it eventually comes together. Roscille is a fascinating character as she has a mix of timidity and ruthlessness, leading to many interesting aspects of the story. The story didn't go in the direction I anticipated. I do wish the climax was longer as I feel like it sped through near the end, and I wanted her to have her revenge in a longer, more satisfying way.

In this captivating read, the author masterfully weaves a narrative that is both engaging and thought-provoking. Through a blend of richly developed characters and a meticulously crafted plot, the book offers a unique exploration of its central themes, inviting readers to immerse themselves in the story's depth and complexity. The narrative is paced perfectly, balancing moments of intense action with thoughtful reflection, ensuring that readers are hooked from the first page to the last. The author's ability to evoke emotion and create a vivid, immersive world is truly remarkable, making this book a must-read for anyone looking for an exceptional literary experience.

Beyond its compelling storyline, the book stands out for its insightful commentary on the human condition, weaving philosophical questions into the fabric of its narrative. The author's skillful use of language not only enriches the text but also elevates the reader's experience, offering new perspectives on familiar themes. Whether it's the intricate dynamics of relationships, the exploration of identity, or the confrontation with ethical dilemmas, this book tackles complex issues with sensitivity and intelligence. It's a testament to the power of storytelling to illuminate the nuances of life, making it a valuable addition to any book lover's collection. Regardless of genre, this is a work that resonates on multiple levels, affirming the enduring impact of well-crafted literature.

I so very rarely rate books this low, but this was honestly a huge disappointment. I can’t speak on the similarities to the original, but I was under the impression that this would be a more magical retelling. Roscille’s magic had the potential to be really interesting, but she barely did anything useful with it.

I felt for Roscille and the situation she was forced into, but I didn’t really find her to be an empowering female character. A lot of the bad things that happened were partly due to her own poorly thought out plans, and her husband actually treated her better than expected. The romance was extremely random and not believable at all, and what was even the point of the dragon? The only positives for me were the witches and the fact that this was a quick read.

Thank you to Random House Publishing for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley & Random House Publishing for an ARC in exchange for honest feedback.

I had high expectations for this one - I am a huge fan of Billy Shakespeare, I love his original works and typically fangirl over any retelling. When I read the description for this one I was so excited to consume it ... however, once I started reading it was apparent that this was going to be a huge let down.

I enjoyed A Study In Drowning by Ava Reid and found the way she writes to be beautiful - so I was hopeful that she would bring that magical prose into this piece.. I was disappointed to say the least.

Lady MacBeth, Roscille, in this reimagining is a huge let down. We are told that she is going to be a strong feminist character, but she seems like anything but. She's so young (17) and has a hard time navigating the new marriage that she's in - she's being abused and tormented. She is anything but empowered, she keeps getting knocked down over and over again. I thought there might be some salvaging with the romance between her and her the dragon, but unfortunately that also is a flop. The characters don't have much depth and it was challenging to care about what was going on. I wish that Roscille used more of her magic throughout the story.

What I did like about this piece were the witches in the basement. They provided a sense of comedic relief.

I was beyond thrilled to receive this as an ARC through NetGalley and I thank Random House Publishing so much for providing me with this opportunity.

I have to admit....I was disappointed by this book. I absolutely love Shakespeare and historical fiction novels and so I went into this with super high hopes! I also adored Reid's ASID book last year and it was one of my favorite reads of 2023. However, this fell short. .

I think Reid tried to do way too many things in a short book, mermaids/witches, dragon, murder, deceit, all while trying to get us to have empathy for Lady Macbeth, or at least have some amount of compassion for her. I don't think the characters were developed very well, and it was disappointing to see many of the times I wanted to know more about the characters and know more about "WHY" things were the way they were or what was happening.
For example, with the dragon....like I understand the basis of the 'monster within' metaphor but it was only a part of the book for like 3 chapters and then that was it. I was wanting more development and more storyline. Lady Macbeth is a strong feminine character in Shakespeare's history and unfortunately, I feel like Reid missed it.

I did enjoy the book overall, but would not recommend this book to lovers of the Shakespeare play.

This book is lyrical and mysterious and dark. It breathes life into the classic story of Macbeth and sheds a new light on the darkness that lay beneath the tale. It serves as a reminder that not all is as it seems and, perhaps, there was more to the story than what was originally told.

It pulled me in and kept me enraptured in the journey of survival of Lady Macbeth. This book is haunting and riveting. It’s a stunning retelling of a worldwide classic of the side that had failed to be told.

Absolutely beautiful.

Wowwwwww.

Thanks delray and netgalley for letting me review this book.

Lady Roscilla is married to MacBeth by her father as a token of alliance. After growing up in a court both beautiful and vicious, she travels to the cold shores of alba to take her place as Lady of Glammis. Young and scared, oft whispered about and veiled to protect the minds of men, Roscilla knows what place she should fill in this new court- silent obedient wife. But it seems MacBeth was called to this marriage not just for allegiance or beauty, but for the strange power the girl possesses. Their futures entwined, MacBeth plans to wield this power to make himself King Hereafter.

I read A Study in Drowning earlier this year and really feel in love with the ...gothic whimsy of it all? I loved the style and looked forward to whatever Reid would write next...and then to hear it was going to be this? I. WAS. HYPE. And I was not disappointed. This retelling gave me everything I didnt even know i wanted. If you come to this hoping for a behind the scenes thay follows the plot of the play from the lady's eyes, this is not that faithful retelling. I would honestly have been fine if Reid leaned into lady macbeth being as evil as the bard created, but giving Roscilla this character arc, the development of her sense of herself and the dangers of female life and power in that time period, the growth she experiences through so much pain...it was a journey and i LOVED IT. This book was just SO GOOD.

it would be a tough read for some though, so cw for murder, injury, imprisonement and assault-physical/emotional/sexual.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an arc of this book! Lady Macbeth is a retelling of the Shakespearean play 'Macbeth'. It follows Lady Roscille rather than her husband in the original. We get to see the story through her eyes and what she went through in order to become the so called villainess in the play. I wouldn’t call her a villain rather I would say she is more of a victim getting revenge for all she’s been put through and rightfully so. I loved how the book read like a play at times too. It is a page turner of a book. I had to stay up consecutive nights to finish; I could not put it down. When I did finish it, it left me staring at a wall reflecting on what I had just read. This novel is a literary masterpiece and Ava Reid did a wonderful job of bringing Lady Macbeth to life. She gave her the justice she deserved.

𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 8/6/2024
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ⭐️⭐️
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Fantasy / Shakespeare Retelling

𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬: Roscille, the witch-touched daughter of a Duke has been married off to Macbeth, Thane of Glammis, at 17 years old. The veil she wears over her face keeps men safe from her magic stare, but it doesn’t hide that she is shrewd and cunning. She becomes her husband’s blade and weapon. Her wits are what will keep her alive in this land of brutes.

𝐌𝐲 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞: I've read other Ava Reid books and I have really liked them and liked her prose. I…I don’t think this was a book for me. It felt like fan-fiction that had a few (bad) changes from the original play to make it into more of a fantasy. Basically Lady Macbeth is the heroine?? and the magical main character.

This book is a retelling, but insists on making her a child bride even though she’s been played as a Middle Aged woman since the 1700’s. You could have done anything with a retelling but this just didn't do it for me. It also totes the “feminist” take which I think is WAY off.

I thought that Roscille acted like a semi-cunning, conniving, and selfish child. She truly only cared for herself. She’s a villain and not a hero, which maybe is the point? Anyway…She’s okay with sacrificing entire towns to maker her half-cocked plans “work out.” Her hands will never be clean of the blood shed she’s caused, and for what purpose? Is she actually magic, because from what I gather her father made up the fact that she is witch-touched because she's pretty?

I have some other issues; The Scottish men are shown as brutes but there’s no reason as to why. We’re just suppose to accept that these people are heartless heathens. Is her companion actually killed or is she just imagining that? Don’t get me started on the laundry-Witches and the freaking dragon (which seemed to have no real reason to be in this book).

Lady Macbeth tells the story of one of Shakespeare’s most infamous characters, but from the female gaze.

I’ll be honest, I’m not well versed in Macbeth. I remember reading it in high school, but I don’t really remember all of the details of the story.

I enjoyed Reids more magical interpretation of the story. Truly embracing Lady Macbeths connection to the supernatural. This book also humanizes her in a way that we don’t get to see in the original.

I found the pacing of the story odd. It would drag at times, and then feel like it’s speeding through the plot. This reimagining in my opinion could have taken more risks. It felt more like a reinterpretation or retelling based on Reid’s interpretation of the source material versus a true reimagining that could have expanded the story, lore, and world.

Ultimately I liked this book, but I didn’t think it did anything remarkable.

Thank you to netgalley, Random House Publishing, and Del Rey for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Macbeth remains one of my favorite works of the Bard, an intriguing tale of fate, ambition, and the supernatural. This book, however, fell somewhat short of encapsulating the magic Shakespeare was able to imbue in his work. A flipped version of the story, pulling from the original and painting Lady Macbeth in a more cunning light, sounded like an absolute must-read; yet, Lady Macbeth’s growth throughout the novel is disjointed and fails to put forth the conniving, ambitious woman that Shakespeare alludes to in her famous monologue (“Screw your courage to the sticking place!”). Reid’s Lady Macbeth does influence the story, pushing Macbeth into his battle and using tricks to set a trap for his folly, but at no point did I feel the character's true feelings and ambition find their way into the plot.
One thing I can truly commend the author on is her research and use of language to set the scene, I appreciated the nod to old dialects throughout the involved countries. The acknowledgment of far older tales of Lord Macbeth, including first wives not mentioned in the Bard’s retelling, added a layer to the story that could be exciting to those unfamiliar with the original historical accounts. The incorporation of themes such as women’s exploitation and the nature of a monster really added to the experience of reading this book.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this novel, though it fell short of the advertised female rage-centered plot. I would encourage anyone who enjoys the Shakespeare retelling of the play to give this book a go!
*** While I received a free ARC from NetGalley, all thoughts and opinions given in this review are 100% honest. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC***

I want to start this review by saying, I love Ava Reid as an author. Her writing so beautiful, crisp and precise and the writing in the novel is just as good as her previous novels, but this book just did not connect with me. The characterization of our heroine in no way reflects a young version of one of my favorite Shakespeare characters. I also don’t think the book should even be considered as a prequel in anyway shape or form. The characters were really just stereotypes which disappointed me so much since her characters in her previous books are so dynamic. The two stars are purely for the writing and that’s it.

I was really intimidated to read this book because I haven’t read Macbeth since I was in high school, and I was worried that I wouldn’t understand this book because of that, but I was wrong. This book is an incredible read, whether you’ve read the play or not. Roscille feels so real and I was so compelled by her story. Once I started the book it was difficult to put down. What a seriously beautiful story. I will be thinking about this book for a long time.

I DNFed at 20%. It might be a better audiobook but I just didn’t like the take on the characters and the writing was bordering on pretentious. I also dislike the new cover on Goodreads and I really hope the original one is what is published because it’s so stunning and was what made me actually want to read this book.

Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid was so atmospheric - gothic, dark, magical, full of female rage. Therefore, I absolutely devoured it. Reid's prose paints such a picture and it's not always a pleasant one, but always enjoyable to read. This retelling of Shakespeare's Macbeth from the perspective of Lady Macbeth, or Roscille as she's known here, is truly captivating. This is my first novel I've read by Ava Reid, and I will be reading more. I loved learning about the witches in this book and their backstory. Lisander and his enigmatic ways, Macbeth's savage cruelty, Roscille's scathing thoughts on the way the world works for women - all of it kept me reading and wanting more. I now want to go back and read the source text and then read this book again. I also appreciated the present-tense writing and how sometimes the dialog was at times presented after a characters name and a colon; it felt like an homage to how scripts like Shakespeare's are written. Absolutely brilliant!

Getting approved for this ARC was the highlight of my January, so thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this amazing ARC, and thank you Ava Reid for this masterpiece.

Wow! I didn’t want this book to end. In this retelling, Lady Macbeth is giving a voice and I loved every second of it. I can’t wait for the release date to get a physical copy of this stunning novel and stunning cover. Reid’s writing is so beautiful and powerful. She offers a fresh feminist take on an old classic and does a great job of bringing this period and Lady Macbeth to life. The details and descriptions are so vivid, you feel like you are right there. I loved every single interaction Lady Macbeth had with the characters. They were very complex and made the story more interesting. I highly recommend adding this book to your August TBR list, if you are a fan of historical fiction, strong female protagonists, and of course Shakespeare.

Ava Reid’s writing is stunning; however, I wanted more from this book. I’m not sure if my expectations were just too high but Roscille was a disappointment. Hopefully, I can reread this book another time and find it more enjoyable.

This is my first Ava Reid book and I will say that I loved the writing, gothic atmosphere and fantasy elements in this book.

I loved the power they that gave Roscille however, we did not get to see her use it much. I wanted more from her.

I did love the three witches story. Their story and how they came to be was a great twist to the story.

This book was also described as a monster retelling of Lady Macbeth, without giving spoilers I feel like this missed the mark with the romance portion.

Overall, I felt left wanting more. Wanting to dive deeper into Roscille’s power and deeper into her romance with the monster. However, I still did enjoy reading the book

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for this eARC.

A witch does not need a reason, only an opportunity...
Most men do not need a reason, either. Only an opportunity.

ava reid's macbeth retelling is dark, gothic, haunting, and even more brutal than its source material. while the scottish play examines lady macbeth in tandem with her husband, taking on (what was then seen as) masculine traits so they may succeed, this lady macbeth leans in to her strategy, her careful tactician in hopes of staying ahead of her husband.

"And now you are the dagger in my hand."

this marriage does not resemble shakespeare's couple who are typically revered as the most loving couple of all his work. lady roscille is sent to a wed a violent warrior as a peace offering for allegiance.

To cause lustful madness is one thing - any beautiful woman has that power, if she wishes to exercise it, even if she doesn't, even if such a thing can be called power. To mold a man to her will is another.

Madness, of all things, is the most unforgivable in a woman.

ava reid examines a woman's role in these harsh times; their duties, their roles as pawns, their powerlessness, their sufferings. this was an excellent addition to the evolution of witches in storytelling from cautionary tales & embodiments of sexism to icons of feminism and women's reclamation of strength.

Vengeance is not a wooden cup that empties. It is a jeweled chalice which endlessly spills over.

i appreciated her choice in the juggling of languages; she chose to be more true to the time period, where language was more fluid and constantly changing in domination. her vivid imagery and details truly set me right there in that damp, cold castle with piercing, briny winds. She calls in the symbolism of the iconic bloody hands as well as her own new ones: the unicorn, the eels, the necklace, the snake.

"I prefer a monster that shows itself openly."

(fyi, you don't *need* to read macbeth before this, but i reread it recently in prep for this arc and it was cool to have a clearer understanding of the delineations reid made and the similarities ! if you prefer to go in a bit more blind plot-wise though, you could easily skip it!)