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kbrown's review
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
deekayfrey's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Dark, Disturbing, & Delicious.
Ava Reid breathes new life into the tragic tale of Macbeth. Through the eyes of Lady Macbeth, the tale of their demise deepens into the harsh sting of a blade. Reid's style is poetic and brutal. Devastating and delightful. The story unravels in Lady Macbeth's desire to survive the marriage bed to her foreign husband, saving herself a perceived pain; she accidentally sentences others to a grisly fate.
"Madness, of all things, is the most unforgivable in a woman."
Thank you, NetGalley & Random House Publishing, for the eArc!
Ava Reid breathes new life into the tragic tale of Macbeth. Through the eyes of Lady Macbeth, the tale of their demise deepens into the harsh sting of a blade. Reid's style is poetic and brutal. Devastating and delightful. The story unravels in Lady Macbeth's desire to survive the marriage bed to her foreign husband, saving herself a perceived pain; she accidentally sentences others to a grisly fate.
"Madness, of all things, is the most unforgivable in a woman."
Thank you, NetGalley & Random House Publishing, for the eArc!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder and Rape
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Torture, and War
garfybaby420's review against another edition
2.0
A very paradoxical book. Not strong enough to stand on its own without the original text, yet squanders the core themes and characterizations of the Scottish play. Lady Macbeth is stripped of her strength and conniving volition for the sake of creating a “rise above the oppressor” feminist retelling.
While Reid is very talented with her prose and ability to conjure an immersive atmosphere, this could not save the lack of structure and lack of a meaningful analysis of such an iconic story.
sophieb_reads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Thank you NetGalley & Cornerstone Publishing for approving my ARC request.
“I am nothing but the dagger in my husband’s hand.”
Lady Roscille, wears her viel as she must be a witch because any man who looks at her beautiful face and into her hypnotic eyes ends up enchanted to her bidding which is how her father has used her even up to the point where he sends her to Scotland to be marred to Macbeth.
Scared and alone this story tells us how Roscille became Lady Macnrth by using the way men underestimate woman, and often dont believe they can be much more than just a wife/mother. Is she a victim or a villian, is she surviving or dangerous.
I loved this book, my first Ava Reid and won't be my last. She writes so beautifully and haunting, I felt this story in my bones.
“I am nothing but the dagger in my husband’s hand.”
Lady Roscille, wears her viel as she must be a witch because any man who looks at her beautiful face and into her hypnotic eyes ends up enchanted to her bidding which is how her father has used her even up to the point where he sends her to Scotland to be marred to Macbeth.
Scared and alone this story tells us how Roscille became Lady Macnrth by using the way men underestimate woman, and often dont believe they can be much more than just a wife/mother. Is she a victim or a villian, is she surviving or dangerous.
I loved this book, my first Ava Reid and won't be my last. She writes so beautifully and haunting, I felt this story in my bones.
leanne29's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
estruch's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Rape
alexerllent's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is so much more than a retelling. Lady Macbeth is an investigation, a meditation, of Shakespeare’s most dramatic play and it’s villain. The characters are enriched, providing the reader with motives and flaws that the play was too short to explore.
My two complaints: I noticed a couple crutch phrases that could have been edited out. Also, I wish Macduff had been utilized differently.
Overall, I was floored by Reid’s prose from the first page. Original and fresh in the academic conversation of Shakespeare. I absolutely loved reading this book.
I received an e-galley advance copy but I am reviewing by my own choice.
My two complaints: I noticed a couple crutch phrases that could have been edited out. Also, I wish Macduff had been utilized differently.
Overall, I was floored by Reid’s prose from the first page. Original and fresh in the academic conversation of Shakespeare. I absolutely loved reading this book.
I received an e-galley advance copy but I am reviewing by my own choice.
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape
bookworm_nita's review against another edition
dark
emotional
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
This book takes us through the classic story, through Lady Macbeth’s eyes, revealing the magic, pain and emotions hidden behind the story of the man.
Roscille has grown up used to being shaped by men. By what her father wants and needs her to be, and by men’s need to control women and what seems unknown. She lives her life behind a veil, watching and listening intently, fooling those who think of her as solely beauty; and a wicked form of beauty at that.
I was very interested by Roscille’s character, her development and way of seeing the world, and how she schemed for her own benefit around what men made of her.
I loved how names felt so relevant throughout the book, she saw herself differently through every name change. Be it a change from how she would say her own name to how Macbeth’s people would say it, to the title Lady Macbeth itself. Each of them was a personality she wore like a cloak depending of the scene set around her, knowing how much of her she should really show and how much power those names gave her.
It is clear that research was done for this book, or at least that was the vibe I got, and there are certain scenes when it felt like the information was a little heavy within the story. This made the beginning of the book a little bit slow, but I eventually got hooked and ended up facing the opposite by the end. I feel like the final part of the book happened very quick and I wanted more interactions between certain characters (like Roscille and the witches), just when the book reached its peak for me, it started to end quickly.
I think this is a very good book, with a great take on the classic and giving us a very interesting woman coming into her power and strength. I am excited for it to be out on August!
Roscille has grown up used to being shaped by men. By what her father wants and needs her to be, and by men’s need to control women and what seems unknown. She lives her life behind a veil, watching and listening intently, fooling those who think of her as solely beauty; and a wicked form of beauty at that.
I was very interested by Roscille’s character, her development and way of seeing the world, and how she schemed for her own benefit around what men made of her.
I loved how names felt so relevant throughout the book, she saw herself differently through every name change. Be it a change from how she would say her own name to how Macbeth’s people would say it, to the title Lady Macbeth itself. Each of them was a personality she wore like a cloak depending of the scene set around her, knowing how much of her she should really show and how much power those names gave her.
It is clear that research was done for this book, or at least that was the vibe I got, and there are certain scenes when it felt like the information was a little heavy within the story. This made the beginning of the book a little bit slow, but I eventually got hooked and ended up facing the opposite by the end. I feel like the final part of the book happened very quick and I wanted more interactions between certain characters (like Roscille and the witches), just when the book reached its peak for me, it started to end quickly.
I think this is a very good book, with a great take on the classic and giving us a very interesting woman coming into her power and strength. I am excited for it to be out on August!
nclcaitlin's review
3.5
Roscille is a bride gift to the Lord Macbeth to secure an alliance, her unearthly beauty called death-touched. Poisoneyed. Witchkissed.
Roscille knows that there are the two fundamental aspects of wifehood: Open your legs to your lord husband and bear a child.
Yet, she is determined to survive as a foreign bride in a place where she is hated as a suspected witch.
Can the canny mind of a weasel exist within a bird's fragile, feathered body?
This is unlike anything Ava Reid has written before. It encapsulates feminine rage and power and wiles, and what men will do for power to feel strong and in control. Whilst the story is more akin to Juniper and Thorn in terms of themes, the prose was more similar to a Study in Drowning. I think this will make it appeal to all her audiences.
Roscille is extremely clever, wry, and coldly strategic. However, as she becomes her husband’s weapon, she is stuck between disgust at her own guilt and her desire for survival.
Roscille isn’t physically strong, yet her manipulative wiles and the way she uses her mind makes this a riveting, psychological, haunting and dark read.
This is the greatest of men's aspirations, to — whether through love or through violence —draw screams from women's mouths.
I do think however, I wanted more. It felt too short. I could see the percentage ticking up and I couldn’t see how Ava could wrap this altogether in the time she had left. It didn’t end in the middle of the plot or anything, but it did feel rushed and incomplete. Maybe this is me saying I really wanted MORE.
Thank you to Del Rey for providing an arc in exchange for a review!
Roscille knows that there are the two fundamental aspects of wifehood: Open your legs to your lord husband and bear a child.
Yet, she is determined to survive as a foreign bride in a place where she is hated as a suspected witch.
Can the canny mind of a weasel exist within a bird's fragile, feathered body?
This is unlike anything Ava Reid has written before. It encapsulates feminine rage and power and wiles, and what men will do for power to feel strong and in control. Whilst the story is more akin to Juniper and Thorn in terms of themes, the prose was more similar to a Study in Drowning. I think this will make it appeal to all her audiences.
Roscille is extremely clever, wry, and coldly strategic. However, as she becomes her husband’s weapon, she is stuck between disgust at her own guilt and her desire for survival.
Roscille isn’t physically strong, yet her manipulative wiles and the way she uses her mind makes this a riveting, psychological, haunting and dark read.
This is the greatest of men's aspirations, to — whether through love or through violence —draw screams from women's mouths.
I do think however, I wanted more. It felt too short. I could see the percentage ticking up and I couldn’t see how Ava could wrap this altogether in the time she had left. It didn’t end in the middle of the plot or anything, but it did feel rushed and incomplete. Maybe this is me saying I really wanted MORE.
Thank you to Del Rey for providing an arc in exchange for a review!
lolocole's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Girl did her research and wanted you to know it. Could I explain to you the political and social web that built this story? No. But I certainly read it.
This was very much historical fiction with a dash of magical realism. The witches?!? Fascinating!!
I love the gothic romance of the faerie child and the dragon usurping the king hereafter. (What a sublime sentence).
The writing style felt like it kept me at arms length sometimes, so it was hard to get into. But once I did, it was so intriguing.
Favorite quotes:
“Has she been transformed? Or merely revealed?” (119).
“… her mind its own tyrant, making her body betray itself, to lust for pain instead of pleasure” (169).
“‘You will haunt me, too’ she says at last. ‘We can never be truly apart then, if we are each other’s ghosts’” (216).
“And she will be safe in her cloak and her blood-colored necklace and her blindfold, which she must now wear always in the company of men” (259).
This book really was giving Catherine in “The Great” vibes. See also: Kaikeyi vibes and also The Wrath and the Dawn and the song “all you wanna do” from Six, and the writing style felt similar to Outlander.
This was very much historical fiction with a dash of magical realism. The witches?!? Fascinating!!
I love the gothic romance of the faerie child and the dragon usurping the king hereafter. (What a sublime sentence).
The writing style felt like it kept me at arms length sometimes, so it was hard to get into. But once I did, it was so intriguing.
Favorite quotes:
“Has she been transformed? Or merely revealed?” (119).
“… her mind its own tyrant, making her body betray itself, to lust for pain instead of pleasure” (169).
“‘You will haunt me, too’ she says at last. ‘We can never be truly apart then, if we are each other’s ghosts’” (216).
“And she will be safe in her cloak and her blood-colored necklace and her blindfold, which she must now wear always in the company of men” (259).
This book really was giving Catherine in “The Great” vibes. See also: Kaikeyi vibes and also The Wrath and the Dawn and the song “all you wanna do” from Six, and the writing style felt similar to Outlander.