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A review by speculativeshelves
Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid
dark
medium-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
4.0
Once again, Ava Reid's atmospheric, gothic, and lyrical prose hooked me from the beginning and I was enthralled with this story from the first page. It felt like the intersection of two kinds of storytelling I almost always enjoy (and I know Ava Reid writes well) - dark fairy tales and haunting gothic novels and I thoroughly enjoyed this reimagining of Shakespeare's play.
Roscille is a kind of female protagonist I always love to read about - a girl willing to do whatever it takes to survive in the harsh world she is born into. She's complicated and flawed and only 17 years old (and feels accurately written as a 17 year old). She's cunning, clever, and occasionally ruthless but also scared and gentle-hearted. I loved the layers explored with her character - even if it wasn't the characterization most people would expect in an exploration of Lady Macbeth.
Writing style-wise and thematically I found a lot of overlap between this and A Study in Drowning (one of my favorite books from last year and honestly of all time) but I didn't love it quite as much. I wanted a little more depth from the other side characters - particularly Lisander and the romance between him and Roscille. I really enjoyed what we got but it felt a bit rushed for my liking.
I think a lot of people (particularly those who have read Ava Reid's other work) will wonder if they need to be knowledgeable about Macbeth to enjoy it. The answer is no. In fact, it may be better if you don't. I only have vague knowledge of the play myself (tragically it was not one I studied in school) and, based on the polarizing reviews I've seen, I think that worked in my favor. It's a loose reimagining that can stand on it's own and if you've enjoyed Ava Reid's writing in the past you'll likely enjoy this as well. If you're looking for a 100% faithful retelling featuring a more typical characterization of Lady Macbeth, you'll likely find this to be disappointing. However, I think if readers who are more familiar with Macbeth go in with the expectation that this story will be different, they could enjoy the references, themes, and reinterpretation of the story.
Roscille is a kind of female protagonist I always love to read about - a girl willing to do whatever it takes to survive in the harsh world she is born into. She's complicated and flawed and only 17 years old (and feels accurately written as a 17 year old). She's cunning, clever, and occasionally ruthless but also scared and gentle-hearted. I loved the layers explored with her character - even if it wasn't the characterization most people would expect in an exploration of Lady Macbeth.
Writing style-wise and thematically I found a lot of overlap between this and A Study in Drowning (one of my favorite books from last year and honestly of all time) but I didn't love it quite as much. I wanted a little more depth from the other side characters - particularly Lisander and the romance between him and Roscille. I really enjoyed what we got but it felt a bit rushed for my liking.
I think a lot of people (particularly those who have read Ava Reid's other work) will wonder if they need to be knowledgeable about Macbeth to enjoy it. The answer is no. In fact, it may be better if you don't. I only have vague knowledge of the play myself (tragically it was not one I studied in school) and, based on the polarizing reviews I've seen, I think that worked in my favor. It's a loose reimagining that can stand on it's own and if you've enjoyed Ava Reid's writing in the past you'll likely enjoy this as well. If you're looking for a 100% faithful retelling featuring a more typical characterization of Lady Macbeth, you'll likely find this to be disappointing. However, I think if readers who are more familiar with Macbeth go in with the expectation that this story will be different, they could enjoy the references, themes, and reinterpretation of the story.