Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid

18 reviews

bookwormcat's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Child death, Alcohol, and Classism

farnhamburglar's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

A great book I’ll be thinking about for a long time! For fans of Shakespeare who love lady M, this book gives a new understanding to her complex and powerful character. However, it varies so much from the play that one need not be a Shakespearean scholar to find it captivating. The gothic setting, the intertwining of magic and war, the theme of defining power in new terms are strikingly done. The writing is gorgeous. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, and War

lilmadmadz's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, and War

hann_cant_read's review against another edition

3.25

I think it's important to note that this isn't a retelling, it's much more of a story inspired by some of the lines / events / plot points in MacBeth.

Ava Reid is such an atmospheric writer and some potentially universe-jarring things I personally can overlook because of her writing style.

This book is marketed as a feminist retelling. It certainly is a book with a woman. I enjoyed it, and maybe if her coming into her own as a woman

and a witch

had been paced more evenly than I would be more inclined to agree with it. 

One thing that I initially liked, but quickly became frustrated with was the way Roscille rolled over at every turn. It started out very realistic - she was a scared 17 year old in a foreign land without a single friend. I liked that her ideas backfired a little in the beginning. But she never really owned up to that or grew from it, or had any semblance of agency in the outcomes until almost the very end. Her "plans" never consisted of more than one step, and when that one step didn't drastically improve her life she would have another panic - which is even more frustrating because we're told right from the begining that Roscille is really smart and observant. None of these things actually come through in any meaningful way in the text.

I don't really understand the reasons why MacBeth elevated her status over his right hand. She didn't do anything particularly earth-shattering, in fact she failed to

kill Lysander

after which MacBeth immediately put her in charge of

the whole fort AND getting information from Lysander?

It just didn't make sense.

Speaking of

Lysander. I detest insta-love, and that's what this was. The characters felt so flat and the connection between them was barely developed. We learn eventually that he's can't be compelled by her, which would have been an interesting dynamic to explore further as Roscille learns what it is to trust a man she can't control, but we never get that far.

The story in general was paced very awkwardly. I didn't feel any real growth in Lady MacBeth until

suddenly at the end she has a sudden drastic personality change and embraces her power to defeat MacBeth. It comes out of nowhere.

I did enjoy a lot of this story though! As always the vibes are immaculate. And I really love this version's interpretation of "no man of woman born shall kill MacBeth"

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Xenophobia, Medical trauma, and War

kaerene's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

Ok so I bought this book for the dust jacket, the bright pink hardcover and the fact that Lady Macbeth is one of my favorite Shakespeare characters. I like her ambition and her cleverness and her willingness to do what needs to be done to see that her husband’s prophecy comes true and to see him on his throne.  But Ava Reid’s book was not it. I’m disappointed in this particular interpretation. This was hella depressing and not what I was expecting at all.  I think I was expecting to read a story of how the lady and Macbeth to  fell in love and then the next part of the story was the events of the play happen (cuz you know, Macbeth truly loves his wife in the play). 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

decodethebooks's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death and Gore

Minor: Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Vomit, and Pregnancy

jazjoyner91's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

spellbindingtomes's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

𝘐𝘧 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦𝘵𝘺, 𝘪𝘧 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦, 𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴. 𝙑𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚.

Reviews for this book seem to be decidedly split, with readers either loving or strongly disliking Ava's approach - and I'm firmly in the 'love it' camp. Ava's enthralling writing pulled me out of my recent audiobook slump, transforming Shakespeare's classic Macbeth with a dark, witchy feminist lens that completely reimagines one of its central character. 

As someone who's always been a fan of Shakespeare, I was captivated by how Ava added magical elements and depth to Lady Macbeth, creating a narrative that diverges dramatically from the original play. 

The atmospheric prose and witchcraft elements make this an ideal fall read. It's a fresh perspective that turns a familiar story into something entirely new and unexpected. If you enjoy retellings that challenge your understanding of classic characters, this book delivers a provocative and immersive experience that lingers long after the final page. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and War

swagmaster3000's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

God just an incredible read. So much sexier than expected, and the power given to lady Macbeth is so so glorious. Def recommend, also ..,..,:,,.. lisander. That’s it. I’m mostly just sad that it’s over

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Abortion, Suicide attempt, and Classism

carrie_reads's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Murder, and War

Moderate: Mental illness, Torture, and Suicide attempt