Thank you to Del Rey and Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review!

I was approved for this arc and read it within 24hrs of approval. I was THAT excited for this. Ava Reid is one of my favorite authors. A Study in Drowning staunching being in my top favorite books. I was worried I would not love this one as much as ASID but I was HAPPILY mistaken. I ate it up and left no crumbs. I will not be taking ANY negative commentary on this book. Yes I can see some flaws but I will not be acknowledging them at all.

This story feels very much like an Ava Reid story but at the same time it is such a different vibe. I felt more of the female rage...both quiet and loud.

This rewrite centering on Roscille (Lady Macbeth) forces you to really look at her. She is given a voice and a view. The gaze is unflinching. She is a complex creature that is deserving of her moment in the light.

I loved the prose. I loved the magical elements. I loved just how much you truly come to hate Macbeth (& others let's be honest). I loved how we come to love a monster over a man. (snippet of a great quote "...the man who acknowledges his monster is always wiser....")

If you are a fan of the "I am no man" moment. This is for you.

It has been many years (high school) since I read Macbeth, and even then, the only thing I remember enjoying about it was the line, "Double, double toil and trouble: Fire burn, and cauldron bubble. By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes." So, I would not normally reach for a retelling of the story but I was mesmerized by a stunning cover. I did like the idea of a feminist perspective, or at least, the female character's point of view. Back when the Bard wrote the original play, women were so marginalized that even the female roles were played by men so I was a bit intrigued by a turn around. The story definitely has dark gothic vibes to set a dramatic mood and it is easy to read and follow. The characters range from morally grey to outright dark but that is to be expected for anyone familiar withe the original play and there are scenes of abuse that might not be suitable for everyone but they seemed appropriate in the context of the story. The titular character is definitely not a saint but I was invested enough in her plight that I wanted her to emerge triumphant by the end. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a darker read and enjoys a retelling from a marginalized (but certainly not minor--I see you Rosencrantz and Guildenstern) character's perspective.
I received advanced digital access to this book thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

I am not religious but I will worship Ava Reid. This was phenomenal: a lush, gritty, transcendent reading experience. Her prose was stunning, she manages to toe the line so so so well of poetic prose without getting too purple. I felt our main character was one of the strongest Ava Reid has ever written, it seemed like I could feel what she was going through deep in my bones. This felt darker and slower paced than her previous works, but it worked well for the story. It gave it a much more haunting atmosphere. It doesn’t feel as “fantasy” as her other works but honestly I do not mind at all, this felt riskier and more ambitious, and I think will appeal to those whose interests are more into literary fiction, in addition to her current reader base.

ARC provided by NetGalley.