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annamay1021's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Lady Macbeth is author Ava Reid's reimagining of Macbeth- but from a woman's perspective. Reid's writing made this a super fun read, albeit dark. Roscille is sent away by her father to be married to Lord Macbeth, in a completely different country with a different language, customs, without the support of her handmaiden. We get a glimpse into Roscille's secret, which the reader knows more and more about as the book goes on.
The best part of this book is Roscille's intelligence, masked (no pun intended) behind her position as a mere Lady. Ava Reid's A Study in Drowning was one of my favorite reads of last year, and the writing style does not disappoint in Lady Macbeth. I really enjoyed her reimagining of the classic, and this book contained the perfect touch of fantasy.
Parts of the plot are a bit muddy, but this could be due to Ava's writing style (which I enjoy regardless of the content). Others may say that her writing is pretentious and too flowery, but her take on this Shakespeare classic will definitely wow her fans!
Lady Macbeth is author Ava Reid's reimagining of Macbeth- but from a woman's perspective. Reid's writing made this a super fun read, albeit dark. Roscille is sent away by her father to be married to Lord Macbeth, in a completely different country with a different language, customs, without the support of her handmaiden. We get a glimpse into Roscille's secret, which the reader knows more and more about as the book goes on.
The best part of this book is Roscille's intelligence, masked (no pun intended) behind her position as a mere Lady. Ava Reid's A Study in Drowning was one of my favorite reads of last year, and the writing style does not disappoint in Lady Macbeth. I really enjoyed her reimagining of the classic, and this book contained the perfect touch of fantasy.
Parts of the plot are a bit muddy, but this could be due to Ava's writing style (which I enjoy regardless of the content). Others may say that her writing is pretentious and too flowery, but her take on this Shakespeare classic will definitely wow her fans!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Rape, Torture, Violence, Blood, and War
Moderate: Suicide and Abortion
the_rainydayreader's review against another edition
dark
slow-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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Murder, and War
Moderate: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Miscarriage and Abortion
designatedbanana's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
“If she cannot have safety, if she cannot have love, at least she can have this. Vengeance.”
Lady Macbeth is a magical, devastating, and beautiful retelling of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. It walks a thin line between being inspired by the original text and retelling the story, as it exists within the same world but varies greatly from the original story. I believe this makes the book perfect for anyone, whether they are fans of the original play or not.
Lady Macbeth has always been one of Shakespeare’s most interesting characters, even from the male-centric story of Macbeth she shines through and captures the audience's attention. Hearing the story from her point of view is so interesting, it gives voice to her manipulations and schemes and helps us understand that she never wanted to be a monster but that is the role the men in her life forced her into. In this story she is even able to find comfort and love in the other outcasts of the world and find a way to forge a new path for them.
I have so many wonderful things to say about this book but if I continue I’m sure to spoil something so I’ll end with saying; this book is a must read for anyone interested in stories that give voices to women that have previously been drowned out by men. It also doesn’t hurt if you enjoy Shakespeare, but having knowledge of the play is not instrumental to the enjoyment of this book.
Thank you to Ava Reid, her publication team, and NetGalley for allowing me to enjoy an advanced copy of this magnificent book!
Lady Macbeth is a magical, devastating, and beautiful retelling of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. It walks a thin line between being inspired by the original text and retelling the story, as it exists within the same world but varies greatly from the original story. I believe this makes the book perfect for anyone, whether they are fans of the original play or not.
Lady Macbeth has always been one of Shakespeare’s most interesting characters, even from the male-centric story of Macbeth she shines through and captures the audience's attention. Hearing the story from her point of view is so interesting, it gives voice to her manipulations and schemes and helps us understand that she never wanted to be a monster but that is the role the men in her life forced her into. In this story she is even able to find comfort and love in the other outcasts of the world and find a way to forge a new path for them.
I have so many wonderful things to say about this book but if I continue I’m sure to spoil something so I’ll end with saying; this book is a must read for anyone interested in stories that give voices to women that have previously been drowned out by men. It also doesn’t hurt if you enjoy Shakespeare, but having knowledge of the play is not instrumental to the enjoyment of this book.
Thank you to Ava Reid, her publication team, and NetGalley for allowing me to enjoy an advanced copy of this magnificent book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Abortion, and Murder
Moderate: Suicide and Suicide attempt
dontreadinsecret's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, and War
Minor: Abortion
ceruleanshelves's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-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? It's complicated
4.5
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."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement and Violence
Minor: Animal death, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and War
isaroy's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
5.0
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!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Abortion, and Murder