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A review by mynameisrebecca
Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Thank you to Netgalley & Del Ray Books for the eARC.
Lady Macbeth is positioned as a "modern retelling" of Macbeth from his wife's point of view. I'd say that apart from the characters and loose direction of the plot, it's a fully independent piece of work. So if you're looking for more Macbeth like quotes and events, you might be disappointed. I was surprised that the writing itself was very Shakespearean, and had hoped for a little more modernity in it. As promised on the book jacket, there's elements of fantasy, though I think it took too long for the story to get there. The first bit of the book is quite slow, and then it gains steam. I enjoyed it overall and really liked the characterization, but it was a lot more challenging of a read than I expected. There's also a lot of historically accurate violence against women, and I wish that was toned down a bit.
Lady Macbeth is positioned as a "modern retelling" of Macbeth from his wife's point of view. I'd say that apart from the characters and loose direction of the plot, it's a fully independent piece of work. So if you're looking for more Macbeth like quotes and events, you might be disappointed. I was surprised that the writing itself was very Shakespearean, and had hoped for a little more modernity in it. As promised on the book jacket, there's elements of fantasy, though I think it took too long for the story to get there. The first bit of the book is quite slow, and then it gains steam. I enjoyed it overall and really liked the characterization, but it was a lot more challenging of a read than I expected. There's also a lot of historically accurate violence against women, and I wish that was toned down a bit.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, and War
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Confinement