Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid 

A Four-Star-Book Review

Since Macbeth is one of my favorite Shakespeare tragedies, I was thrilled to hear about Ava Reid’s new book, Lady Macbeth. I am not a loyal Shakespeare fan, but this play has haunted me since I first read it in high school and then in college, primarily because of the Macbeth’s wife, who is portrayed as the ambitious villainess who falls into madness alongside her husband after she convinces him to take the throne of Scotland.

Summary of Lady Macbeth

Roscille, daughter of Duke Varvek, arrives at the foreboding, isolated castle of  Lord Macbeth, Thane of Glammis, reluctant to accept her fate as the man’s new wife. But she has little choice; her father has decreed it and Roscille is witch-touched, forced to live under the cover of a veil unless her gaze might turn men mad. She enters the castle with little knowledge of the Scottish clans and what she knows is tested as she meets Lord Macbeth’s counselors. She initiates her own plan to save herself, with unexpected results that set a war in motion.

Why I Enjoyed Lady Macbeth

Reid’s novel is a feminist reimagining of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, and I truly enjoyed it.

• The Flip: Shakespeare paints Lady Macbeth as a villainess hungry for power who suffers the consequences. Reid tells a much different story. Roscille is not innocent—she connives and conspires, but her motivation is personal safety. She has been controlled by men and the veil since her maturation, and this is her chance to take control. As Roscille is the protagonist, Reid has flipped the script on Shakespeare’s tragedy, giving more agency to his villainess.
• The Magic: The three witches are standouts in Macbeth, and I loved their presence in Reid’s novel as well. Her descriptions paint vivid, horrific pictures of these women. And, the magic doesn’t end there. I’ll leave the rest for you to find out.

My Final Thoughts about Lady Macbeth

Whether you are a Shakespeare fan or a reader looking for an atmospheric novel with feminine power, Lady Macbeth is the book for you.