Review - Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid

 

Title: Lady Macbeth

Author: Ava Reid

Pages: 320

Publisher: Penguin

Release Date: 13th August 2024

Blurb from Goodreads:

The Lady knows the stories: that 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 survival, 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 armour. 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.

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My Review:

 *I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to NetGalley and Cornerstone*

Leaving her home in France behind, Roscille moves to Scotland, to live with her new husband, Lord Macbeth.

As Lady Macbeth, Roscille must learn to survive both her husband, and his court of only men using the only power she can wield - her mind, and her eyes which can bewitch men.

When I heard that the author was writing a novel about Lady Macbeth, I was intrigued. However, I do have a mixed history with the author's previous books I've read, so I was also a little unsure if I would enjoy it.

Roscille was a mixed protagonist for me - I empathised with her and her situation, but there were times when it felt like Roscille was trying too hard to be clever, and thought herself far more intelligent and superior to those around her.

The setting of the rather gothic-feeling castle in Scotland was interesting, as was the information we were told about Roscille's life back in France.

The plot started off well, and drew me in, but after a while I found myself unable to stay connected with the story. Things felt a little out of place at times, and I wasn't gripped or invested in what happened.

While I did find the writing style easy to follow, I didn't like some of the directions the story went in, or the way the author wrote about some things. However, I can definitely say that this was a unique take on Lady Macbeth.

Overall, this was a mixed read.