So grateful to NetGalley for an ARC if this book. Unfortunately, it ended up taking me forever to get through...

I didn't love this adaptation. I believe this is also my first Ava Reid book, so I have no prior opinion of this author. I wanted to love this so much and it fell flat for me in so many different ways. Parts of it kept me entertained and continuing to read the book, but there was something that felt a bit offputting throughout the whole story.

Originally, ady Macbeth is a character strong-willed and motivated. She goes for what she wants and faces the consequences. I initially thought this adaptation was an effort to ramp up this character and make her more independent and strong. A retelling from the woman's perspective where she was secretly the one running the show. Not exactly. One of the things that felt uncomfortable was how often the Scottish were repeatedly referred to as brutish and violent. As a romance reader, I'm familiar with all the big-man-small-woman tropes but with this politically motivated story, and the racial connotations, just felt really uncomfortable and purposeful in a way I didn't love.

The other main thing that left me questioning was the portrayal of our heroine. The constant references to her beauty and control over men was offputting. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for powerful women using their wiles to influence men, but this felt more like we were getting information about her through the eyes of men. Expecting this to be more of a feminist portrayal, it became more and more irritating to see our heroine objectified in this particular way. It was giving "16th-century witch that must burn," and I didn't love it.

Enough hating on it. There was quite a bit that left me bored and irritated, but obviously, I kept reading, and there were parts that held my interest. As previously mentioned, I am fond of a woman using her wiles to lure men to their end, and although much of it felt like we were seeing her through the eyes of men, the moments in which we got her manipulative side were rather satisfying.

It's a bit difficult for me to explain what I did enjoy because most of the bits I disliked were very much tied to what I didn't like. Although the writing felt too flowery, some of it was beautifully written and there were some moments that really tied the book together in a way that was satisfying to read. Although the constant harsh portrayal of the Scotts felt a bit biased and maybe racist (??) the typical arranged marriage story flpped on its head without a romantic subplot felt new and was a bit entertaining because it wasn't played out how it normally would be. I think my main problem with the book as a whole is that it wasn't the feminist rage story I think we were all expecting. The heroine felt entitled and out of her league, and was not redeemed when I think she needed to be. This is a gothic, dark story, but it wasn't done in a way that felt particularly tense or revenge-focused in the way I think this story should have been told.

I know most of this review has been negative but I'm finally writing this after a month from when I finished the book, and the parts that are sticking with me is what I didn't like. I am always in support of reading for yourself and determining if you, as an individual like the book. It just wasn't for me. Again, some moments of plot and writing were fun and unexpected, but there was a racial weirdness that very much felt uncomfortable to me and I still feel it.

It was fine, and I enjoyed it enough to continue reading without struggling through the book. Try for yourself and see what you think.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Overall Rating: 4 Stars

Lady Macbeth has the power to induce madness in men, coerce them to do anything she requests just by meeting their gaze. She is to be wed to a lord of Scotland, a man so brutish she did not imagine he had occult secrets of his own, following prophecies to ensure his rise in power. Together they are powerful, but separately she is even more so.

Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid is a reimagining of the classic story Macbeth by Shakespeare. I want to preface this review by saying I have never read or watched any rendition of the classic Macbeth story, so this was my first experience.

I'd like to start with the cons of the book first, I really loved this story but there are only a few things I feel negatively about. The story starts out very slow, a lot of time is spent inside Roscille's (Lady Macbeth's) inner monologue thinking back to her home life and worrying about the changes that will be brought about in her new home in Scotland. It took around 60-70 pages for me to really feel engaged in the story, which is a bit long for me personally.

She speaks to and thinks of Hawise her handmaiden very often and very fondly, only for her to be cast aside very soon into the story and it feels like she is only brought up throughout the rest of the book to express a certain level of Roscille's sadness or worries. Maybe this is evident in the original Macbeth story somehow that makes it make more sense, but Hawise's part of the story on its own felt very hollow.

Aside from those two things, I truly loved reading Lady Macbeth. It is a story of a woman coming to realize the power that she has despite how the society around her holds her back. She is forced and told that she was created only to fit the mold that the men around her make, she is to do what her husband says and only for his benefit, and despite the hardships she faces she aims to defy that fate. She is constantly struggling between trying to be Roscille, a strong woman who wants to pave her own way, and Lady Macbeth, a tool of destruction set inside Macbeth's hand.

For those who have read Macbeth prior to picking up this book, she is still Lady Macbeth, but the path she paves is much different and I think you would still enjoy this book. As someone who didn't read Macbeth, I can also safely say that you do not need to have read it to enjoy this reimagining.

In typical Ava fashion, this was dark and moody, subtle yet creeping like a cold that sinks into your bones and you can’t shake. While I admit I can’t speak to how close this was to the source material, I did enjoy the twist on perspective and deep dive into the female perspective.

While this wasn’t a new favorite, I do think it’s successful on its tone and mission of highlighting the quiet power and force of a woman, the ways we are forced to survive the narratives and pushes around us, and how those survival decisions and actions lead to ripple effects. I did feel there was a lot of telling vs showing when it came to Roschille, without diving into her own person and psyche. She’s set upon us as just immediately trying to survive her own marriage without getting much else from her, while I can see how that’s top of mind for her and her motivations, I did want to glimpse other aspects of her desires. It felt one note and did drag a bit when she felt more symbolic and emblematic of female subjugation and the threat of violence instead of a character and person on her own.

This book felt difficult for me to read, the writing and how the names/places always changed. Unfortunately, I did not make it far and only read about 30-40 pages.

Ava's rendition of Macbeth is eerie and gripping. Her writing makes the story so captivating that it will have you turning the page before you even finished reading the first.
Ava has a way with words when it comes to writing. Which is why I fell in love with A Study in Drowning. When I heard she was writing this book I was so excited to read it, and she did not disappoint. I never read Macbeth but I do enjoy Shakespeare's other work. I was given the opportunity to read an ARC of Lady Macbeth for a review from Netgalley.

The story was compelling from the moment I started reading it, that I didn't want to put it down.
It follows Roscille, a girl who has entrancing beauty that is allegedly cursed with witchy powers. She has been used, manipulated, and then discarded without an afterthought from her father.
When she is sent off to marry a Scottish warrior, who is known for being fierce, unrestrained, and brute; she must resort to her wit, vexing beauty, and witchcraft to survive.

It is a world filled with scheming, calculated mind games, manipulation, and supernatural elements in a dark haunting atmosphere. It is perfect for readers who like a dark gothic fantasy books.

My least favorite of Ava Reid’s books, it took me a while to get into and I had a hard time understanding the main characters motivations at first. I did think it was easier and more enjoyable to read once I read the synopsis of the Macbeth tragedy even though this is a very very loose retelling of the Shakespeare play. I thought it really picked up after the Third Act, honestly who doesn’t love a vengeful woman?

Thank you netgalley for this eArc!

As usual, Ava Reid's atmospheric storytelling made this the perfect book to read heading into the fall season. As a theatre nerd and appreciator of Shakespeare, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and am glad I did. But there was one small let down for me. Every time I have studied Lady Macbeth she has been a cunning and cold hearted mastermind. The complex women pulling the strings in the background. We did not get to see much of that from this version of Lady Macbeth. Now, since this is a retelling, I actually appreciate how our protagonist is a bit younger and more demure than the character we've all come to know. Setting her up in this way would have been the perfect way to take readers on a journey of complex character development where we see how the young maiden became the calculated Lady Macbeth. We did get to see some of this, but in this aspect, the book fell a little short for me. I just wish we had seen a bit more of her cunning and cruel side towards the end of this story. All in all I did enjoy it, and I will continue to read more Ava Reid in the future.

Gothic fantasy retelling of Shakespeare’s Macbeth with Lady Macbeth as the star of the show - I’m so in. As a self-proclaimed Shakespeare girlie, I was so excited to see Ava Reid do this, but you don’t have to be familiar with the play to enjoy this book.

The Gothic atmosphere and the fantasy elements (witches of course and more) made this a perfect October/fall read.

The star was lost due to my misplaced expectations. I always imagined Lady Macbeth as a middle aged woman conspiring with Macbeth with her own agency. Reid’s Lady Macbeth is a 17 year old new bride from a foreign country just trying to survive. Again, this is a me problem.

Thank you Del Ray and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy.

If you enjoy a witchy book with a Macbeth retelling and a misunderstood character, this is for you. A feminist and a dark retelling all in one. I will say, quite a few times I also DNFd it because the pacing and the ending also went rogue for a retelling. But the writing and setting can be so atmospheric and beautiful..

Thought provoking and highly unconventional retelling of Macbeth. I thoroughly enjoyed this modern version, about woman self exploration and empowerment.

I love Ava Reid's work, but this one fell a bit flat for me! I will say that I have not read the original Macbeth, so I didn't have any idea what to expect from the plot. However, I was a little disappointed to find that this "feminist retelling" did not feature many female characters and our MC did not feel like she had any agency for most of the book. I understand that she is a teenage girl in an awful situation who is doing her best, though. My other issue was the writing style. This felt SO overwritten, I found myself re-reading lines so many times to try to grasp what was being said. While I do enjoy some flowery prose, this was just too much for me!
Overall I just wanted so much more from this, but I hope that Reid's future works will capture me in the way that A Study in Drowning did!

I enjoyed the dark, atmospheric setting, beautiful prose, and fantastical elements. I didn’t feel drawn in by the story nor feel any connection with the characters. It felt very loosely related to Macbeth rather than an actual retelling, so adjust your expectations accordingly. It was not my favorite of Ava Reid’s works unfortunately but I still think she does gothic fantasy very well.

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for gifting me an electronic ARC.

thank you NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review

ava reid’s ethereal writing style + layered worldbuilding + fascinating, brilliant, and, fine, *somewhat* unhinged women never misses

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine/Del Rey, and Ava Reid for an e-arc of Lady Macbeth in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This fell a bit short for me. I usually love Reid’s work, but I couldn’t really get into this one and almost quit reading part way through. I don’t know if it is because I’m not very familiar with Macbeth, or if it's something else that I can’t quite put my finger on. Lady Macbeth as a character was a little flat and didn’t seem anything like the character from the play and I think that put me off the most. None of the characters are really likable and it was hard to find anyone to root for.

I’m not giving up on Reid or her writing. I will definitely still be checking out her future works.

This book totally fit the bill. First of all, the cover is captivating, am I right? The image is so haunting, and Lady Macbeth's eyes are obviously totally going to see through to your soul. This is a retelling of "Macbeth," and let me tell you, it delivered! First of all, this book has atmosphere in spades. It was all about atmosphere. The ancient Scottish words and place names made the story feel ancient and wild. The castle was creepy, and the peripheral characters (at which point I'm going to be very vague about this to save you the exciting surprises!) are nightmare-inducing, as one might hope.

I think the strongest thing about this book really is the atmosphere. Reid does an excellent job of creating a wild and brutish feel to a very ancient time period. Macbeth himself is such a large character, both physically in the story as well as a personality and brute force that he himself creates an atmosphere that is haunting and wild and frankly, unhinged at times.

This story is told from the point of view of Lady Macbeth, and I enjoyed that viewpoint. We don't often get to see what the world would have been like in ancient history from a woman's viewpoint, and I think Reid did a good job of creating a character that felt believably intelligent and cunning but also constrained by her place in society not only as a woman but as the wife of a king.

I adored Reid's grasp on crafting an immersive reading experience. Her delicious and atmospheric writing style kept me engaged in the story. However, I was left longing for the classic character's complex nature, which felt as though it was cast aside or watered down in this retelling, leaving a Lady Macbeth lacking in agency. I was left unfulfilled with the fantastical turn this retelling took.

Men hate when you use the patriarchy against them 😔

I actually liked this! I was a bit scared by the mixed reviews, I’ve seen people saying that Lady Macbeth is not as cunning as she’s made it out to be and I think that’s the point. She’s 17 and basically sold to a scary man, but despite her naïveté she tries to protect herself. Obviously she gets ensnared in her plot, but ultimately comes into her power. The ending was a bit rushed imo but I also understand not giving a man so much attention in this version of the story. So happy that I was actually able to finish the arc before seeing Ava tomorrow 🤭

Thank you Net Galley for this e-arc.
TW: sexism, rape, violence, war, suicide
Lady Macbeth is an enchanting feminist retelling of Macbeth. In Ava Reid's rendition, the reader is in the mind of Lady Macbeth as she comes into power and finds out her true calling. This story has an incredible gothic atmosphere to it. Our Lady Macbeth in my opinion is a true anti-hero. This book is for people who support women's rights and wrongs. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I don't remember the original Macbeth so my experience of the book isn't reliant on it if that makes sense. Only one male character is halfway decent and fleshed out which IMO helps the story focus on Lady Macbeth and the trials women face take that as you will.
Please do yourself a favor and listen to If I Can't Have Love, Wantnt Power by Halsey while reading this book

dnf at 70% (will consider it as read)

this was painful to read, i was excited i'm not gonna lie, lady macbeth is one of my favorite characters and this was sold as a retelling, but this was everything but.
the character was not even a little bit of what lady macbeth was, only who she married, and that was not the important part of her, i'm disappointed but i'm not gonna force myself to finish something i'm clearly not enjoying at all.

This was my first Ava Reid book! I've heard amazing things about her work and as a Macbeth enjoyer in high school, I was excited for this one. I'm not sure if it was because I had such high hopes for this, but I found myself a touch underwhelmed throughout.

There were elements I really enjoyed; the reveal of the true identities of the three witches was kind of iconic, the inclusion and explanation of all the different names for people and places as a reflection of the complicated nature of medieval Western-European politial turmoil, the prince, the village woman she became friends with. The whole book had a really tense atmosphere and I think the dread and fear came across REALLY well on-page. I think the last 20% or so of the book was the strongest and that's when I finally felt like I couldn't put it down.

Ultimately, I just sort of feel like I wanted Roscille to do more?? I just felt like every one of her machinations had me so excited while I was reading, thinking "This is it! This is the time it works and she thwarts all these weirdos and WINS!" and then her plans kept getting foiled with such ease. It became frustrating to read because I just wanted her to outsmart all of them and make her escape. Separately, I also really wanted to know more about what happened with the prince in the final scenes????? I feel like not enough attention was paid to that transformation and frankly THAT'S the story I came away really wanting to have read.

This definitely won't deter me from reading more of her work in the future though! I feel like her other books are far more my typical vibe and have been on my TBR for quite a while.