stunning gothic fantasy, focusing on the Lady Macbeth. Yes, that Lady Macbeth. We know what happens to her husband, the power hungry Macbeth, but Shakespeare doesn’t tell us much about his wife. Ava Reid dives into the tale of Macbeth, and gives so much life to not only the Lady, but also the witches, and the power of their prophecies, and the fine line women have always had to walk in a world dominated by men who wish to control and use them. Highly recommend reading this when it’s released if you enjoy gothic fantasy

Devastatingly and hauntingly beautiful! A retelling of one of the great tragedies but from our Lady Macbeths POV. You could feel her pain and her love and her strength just leaping off the page. I had high expectations for this and it lived up to them all. Ava Reid has done it again!

Thank you to NetGalley & Del Rey for the arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I have to confess, I went into this completely ignorant of the story of Macbeth and I am completely blown away. This is not a light story, but rather a dark gothic tale bordering on horror that completely wraps you up in the story. It was equal parts poetic and horrific as 17 year old Roscille/Rosele/Rosalie/Roscilla/Lady Macbeth delved deeper and deeper into the darkness of her power and navigated the cruel world she was born and sold into. Even the giving of her many names, which at first I thought would be confusing, only added to and enriched the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this Advanced Reader Copy.

Pros: This is marketed as a gothic retelling of Macbeth, and this is where the book was most successful. Ava's prose are breathing taking and like all her other work she has the ability to transport the reader to the world she has created. Few authors reshape the world around me so that alone earns high marks.

THE WITCHES!!!!! I loved the twist with the witches and overall was a highlight of the book.

Some nods to the original play were done well, my favorite one being the length of the book.

Cons: The book is marketed as a feminist retelling and minorly marketed as a monster romance and it really fails to do either. To start off on the simpler one there is very little monster and what we do get is NOT monster romance and it was hinted A03 vibes and instead you get the vaguest hint of monster. Now, on the issue of it being a feminist retelling we get very few women and all of the ones meet are all described as: plain, mad, simple, mannish bodies which is a bit concerning since those are the thoughts of our lead(hero??) Roscille who is the only female who gets to be called beautiful or clever. The interactions we do get with them are mainly spent talking about men and its clear they all have very limited agency if any at all. The story also would have likely ended up very similar with or without Roscille failed attempts at scheming since Macbeth was simple just ~Power hungry mad~ which leads to my issues with...

The characters/motivations. Unfortunately, by the end I never connected with any of the characters, understood their motivations, and ultimately even though we get battles/murders/etc. it almost felt like nothing substantial happened. I wonder if this is a nod to Shakespeare work since that is how his plays feel at times?? I could Lady Macbeth being more interesting on stage.

The witches :( [They are just stuck doing laundry (hide spoiler)] (less)

3.5 stars
I received this novel as an ARC in exchange for an honest review:
I haven’t read the original MacBeth since high school, and honestly don’t remember too much about the original tale, so I’m sure I missed a ton of references and callbacks, but it didn’t really matter- this novel stands alone from the original work, giving a new voice to an important character. I’ve read one of Ava Reids novels before, and I’d describe her style as “vibe heavy, plot light, a little weird”: and this fits well into that . She is really a master of curating the tone within a book- the dark and moribund air in this one comes across in every line and intentional word choice, creating a haunting atmosphere of loneliness and feminine rage.

It’s filled with gorgeous writing, but I’m learning Ava’s style just isn’t quite right for me (I always want to love it, but end up feeling like I need a little more in terms of plot) . I got kinda bored. I think if you’ve liked her other books, this one is also going to be for you.

An unforgettable novel. I will be thinking about this story for weeks to come. Words cannot describe the feelings I have for this piece.

Ava Reid cannot write a book I will not devour. Everything blends so seamlessly pulling you in to the atmosphere and story. All the elements were just so well written and beautiful. I loved Roscille and her character arc was so interesting to read, the choices she made and her motivations.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the advanced copy of the book.

This is an absolutely amazing retelling of Macbeth. It takes all of the madness and eeriness of the original story and makes it something even better. It shows masculinity at its worst. It is brutal and hard to read at times, but Lady Macbeth’s strength and Ava Reid’s beautiful prose pulls you through. This is beautifully written and you can see every scene in all its gory, dark detail. I had extraordinarily high expectations for this book (Macbeth has always been my favorite Shakespeare work and I enjoyed A Study in Drowning) and this somehow surpassed it. This is one that I’m going to come back to again and again. The way it balances the rage of womanhood with the fear of men is incredible. A must-read for sure!!

This retelling of Shakespeare’s classic is a dark and haunting version that follows a seventeen year old witch-kissed Roscille as she arrives in Scotland after her father arranges her marriage to Macbeth.

First off, Ava Reid’s writing style is simply superb. Her ability to use the simplest of sentences to land an impactful statement is such a treat to feast on. And while many of the sentences seem abrupt, the flow of the overall book is so seamless that you cannot help but to keep reading.

I particularly enjoyed the reversal of many of the characteristics that the Lady and Lord Macbeth possess in this version as compared to the original. Perhaps if this Roscille was allowed to age, she may well grow into the villainous woman of versions past. But in this retelling, she is a young woman forced to fight her first battle of life with nothing but the wits she has honed since childhood in order to survive.

As you are reading, the distinct lack of women and the manner in which those surrounding her are cast as brutish and evil forces you on a lonely, bone-chilling walk through the halls with Roscille. Through her haunting eyes, you see the infuriating plight of a woman unfold.

Sprinkle in the trifecta of witchcraft, dragons and prophecies and you’ve easily found yourself a five star read.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read an eARC in exchange for an honest review, which will also be posted on GoodReads.

This was probably one of the most unique and fascinating stories I’ve read! I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect when getting into this. I LOVE Ava Reid, but Macbeth has never been a story that particularly interested me. This retelling, however, was so incredible! To me, it feels like this is the way the story of Macbeth was meant to be told. Definitely a story that I’ll be thinking about for a long time (as I do with every Ava Reid story I’ve read) and I highly recommend checking it out when it comes out on August 6, 2024!

In true Ava Reid fashion, a magical experience where you are lost to the words. This is a true re-imagining of the story that keeps the same themes present of power and gender and so much vengeance.

This book is all gothic vibes in a medieval setting with witches, pious rulers, prophecies and a dragon. Reid sets the stage in an isolated castle full of foreign and brute men, and only men. Rosecille is sent there to be married and become Lady Macbeth. Rosecille is described to be of such beauty that she is rumored to be a witch who must be veiled to protect men from her witchy gaze. Through the beautifully written prose you doubt whether Lady Macbeth is indeed witch or just a preternatural beauty. “It is an unearthly Beaty that some in Wrybeard’s court call death-touched. Poison-eyed. Witch-kissed.” This feeling winds itself throughout the book leaving you as the reader struggling to define what is real and what is fiction, until the truth is revealed. (Side note: This is a similar feeling I had when reading A Study in Drowning, so if you enjoyed that story, I highly recommend this book) Roscille believes herself to be cunning only to discover she is quite the novice in this world of political scheming men, leading her on a winding path of guilt and vengeance alike. This book is a 10/10!! The prose is stunning, the themes of gender and power strike a chord even in today’s world. There is no delusion of justice in this book, instead vengeance becomes the plot. Be warned there is graphic violence and SA, however I felt it was utilized in an impactful and honest way that are central to the themes in this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ava Reid, and Random House Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’m impressed by Ava Reid yet again, a Macbeth retelling that actually managed to be new and exciting, sign me up! Did I mention there is a dragon? Macbeth, my lord, I am now your number one hater. My only complaint was that I wanted more towards the end for Lady Macbeth who in this version goes by Roscille or Roscilla. But such is life.

Dark and gothic as is all of her works, this proves to be a dazzling addition to her previous novels. I don’t want to go too into details about this already well known story, but Reid does a stellar job at reviving a much hated villainess’ story into something more than what we get from Shakespeare. She sweeps you off her feet with her gorgeous atmospheric writing, making you feel like you’re in Scotland, smelling the mildew and salty air whilst reading. I found myself highlighting so many passages as I’m sure many others will do once they get their hands on this wonderful novel!

Thank you to Ava Reid, Random House Publishing Group, and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

“Lady Macbeth” is a reimagining of Shakespeare’s most famous villainess. I had not read much about her story before so I was interested in learning more about this noble woman who is rumored to drive men to madness with her eyes. Once married to Macbeth, she soon learns she can navigate a world built for men if she wields this strange power of hers to her advantage.

I can’t speak to the differences between Roscille in this novel and her original character in Shakespeare’s play since I honestly cannot remember much of the play. So, maybe this wasn’t the book for me, seeing as I didn’t have anything to compare the characters and portrayals to.

However, I did find myself a little disinterested for most of this book. Maybe if I had been more familiar with the original work, I would have enjoyed this book more. The author tells us repeatedly how smart and clever the main character is but this book, in my opinion, shows her as naive. We see clever moments here and there, but until the last 10% of the book, we don’t see any of the female rage and power that I expected. I had expected Roscille to chafe against her environment, but she became exactly what she didnt want to be for most of the book, her husband’s tool to be used and bent to his will.

I expected this book to be a great woman-empowered novel, but felt as if Roscille had little to no agency and only used her cleverness in small schemes that for most of the book, seemed to only benefit the men in her life. The last 10% of the book was more enjoyable and picked up in pace. The main character finally showed a glimpse of the female rage I was hoping to see all along.

Lastly, the writing style left me feeling extremely bored. I haven’t read any other books by this author but some of the prose came across as confusing and made it hard to imagine what was happening in the moment. I do love a good third person POV book, but the way this book was written made it hard to connect with the main character and understand her motives. We only received small glimpses of her past. I really do prefer a deeper dive into character’s pasts so I can get a better picture of character development. With this book, however, I had little reason to root for the main character unfortunately.

As someone who is a big fan of Ava Reid's writing, I cannot tell you my excitement when I heard she was doing a Macbeth retelling. That being said, I found this to be a bit of a letdown. I was expecting more of a villainous, ambitious portrayal of Lady Macbeth, and it fell a bit flat in that regard. I found myself questioning a lot of Lady Macbeth's actions throughout the book and didn't understand the motivation behind a lot of what she did. There was also a romance subplot that I felt was completely unnecessary to the plot of the book, and some of the magical elements were not fully fleshed out. For some of the positives of this book, Ava Reid's prose is truly beautiful and atmospheric in her writing, and that is no different in this book. I would still recommend reading this, especially if you are a fan of Reid's previous works, it was just a bit disappointing as a retelling of Macbeth. Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey books for this arc!

YES. That’s all I have to say. This book is an immediate yes. Thank you, Ava Reid, for what I can only describe as everything I didn’t realize I was asking for. This is the kind of book I’m going to revisit when I need a reminder about inner strength and all that business. It’s a powerful book that really puts the experience of being a woman at the forefront, rather than the romance or even the magic. It’s excellent and just what I feel like I needed.

“The white of her hair is not natural; it is like draining moonlight. Her skin–have you seen it?–it will not hold a color. She is as bloodless as a trout. And her eyes–one look into them will drive mortal men to madness.”
Ava Reid’s writing is absolutely amazing and atmospheric. I loved this reimagining of Lady Macbeth, it was dark, gothic and absolutely everything I wanted in a reimaging for her. Between the spooky atmospheric lands around her and descriptions of characters.
Roscille was an absolute gem, and although she was pretty much the only woman the entire story, she was all we needed at times. You could sense the loneliness she had from not having anyone close to her, or another woman nearby, but it added to the story. She was constantly overcoming any obstacle she had thrown at her and I loved that for her. She's a wonderful character overlooked because of the tales about her.
What I loved the most about this book was definitely the fantasy aspect, because at times you thought there was magic, but other times you didn’t it added to the atmosphere 100% because you just want to know if there's magic or not. It draws you in more and more.
Thank you to Netgalley and Del Ray for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I am still unsure how I managed to get my grubby little hands on this arc but I am SO glad I did! What a stunning, heartbreaking story. 5 stars!

I loved this book! Ava Reid is such an amazing writer and I adore their characters. I cannot recommend this book enough!!

This book, I wanted to love it. I loved the previous books from this author. But I had a really really hard time getting through the beginning. It's a total swamp of info dumping. It was so much that I couldn't actually keep up with the story. I didn't even know what was going on. so I did not finish this book as it was too much of a headache to get through,

5 star read. What a gorgeous, dark, and grimy telling of my favourite from the Bard. Ava Reid’s atmospheric Lady Macbeth transported me to a damp, cold,
Scottish castle, brimming with off kilter magic and beasts.