Book Review: Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid

Title: Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid

Publication Date: 6th August 2024

Publisher: Del Rey

RRP: 34.99

Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis:

A reimagining of Lady Macbeth, Shakespeare’s most famous villainess, giving her a voice, a past, and a power that transforms the story men have written for her.

The Lady knows the stories: how her eyes induce madness in men.

The Lady knows she will be wed to the Scottish brute, who does not leave his warrior ways behind when he comes to the marriage bed.

The Lady knows his hostile, suspicious court will be a game of strategy, requiring all of her wiles and hidden witchcraft to survive.

But the Lady does not know her husband has occult secrets of his own. She does not know that prophecy girds him like armor. She does not know that her magic is greater and more dangerous, and that it will threaten the order of the world.

She does not know this yet. But she will.

Book Review:

I read and really enjoyed A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid earlier this year, so after discovering that she was coming out with a new gothic retelling of Shakespeare's Macbeth, I knew this was going to be an anticipated read of mine!

I am not familiar with Macbeth and have only skimmed through the web on what the play really is about. Without knowing too much about it, I could already tell it's going to be a dark, bloody, and politically dramatic retelling. The book *immediately* starts off with a gripping introduction of our enigmatic protagonist, and quite naturally, this sets the dark yet atmospheric tone of the book.

The book is completely unhinged from the beginning till the end, something I've been anticipating knowing that it's a Shakespeare retelling. It was every bit as gory and horrific and vulgar as I would expect, both from a physical and emotional point of view. This book made me SO mad and shaky, and drove my anxiety up the roof T_T I could not pry my eyes off the disgusting and vile things that were happening in the book, but I think THAT was what made the book REALLY good. I love a book that can shake me. The rage poured out of the character and her will to do anything to survive was fierce and so palpable!! I read this book in 4 days, in between work and so many other commitments during the week, and I constantly found myself itching to pick up the book to find out what was going to happen next!

It's amazing how stirring this book was- in a good way? A bad way? I have no clue. But what I do know is that the author's writing is something... magnetic and alluring. Especially coupled with the heavy and dark themes of the book, it made me DEVOUR the story. It felt like a lucid nightmare. a vulgar painting. an enigmatic poem. whatever you would call it, it will stick with you.

If you are looking for a fast-paced, intense, unhinged, emotionally stirring and powerful novel, Lady Macbeth is THE book for you. I cannot WAIT to read more of Ava Reid's work, because wow, once you're in, you can never look back.

Thank you so incredibly much to Penguin for sending over an ARC in exchange for an honest review!