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Lady Macbeth

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Lady Macbeth

By: Ava Reid
Narrated by: Imani Jade Powers
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

Fair is foul and foul is fair.

From the Sunday Times bestselling author of A STUDY IN DROWNING comes 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: 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.

©2024 Ava Reid (P)2024 Penguin Audio Fantasy Historical Historical Fiction Medieval Marriage Survival Magic

Critic reviews

'Queen! Ava Reid has done it again in this gothic, atmospheric reclamation of the story of Lady Macbeth. Scotland's cold will seep into your bones, but the kernel of hope that burns in all Reid's stories will keep you warm as you watch the scheming, vulnerable Lady Roscille fight for her autonomy in a world that would define her in relation to men alone.' (Vaishnavi Patel, New York Times bestselling author of Kaikeyi)

'Lady Macbeth is a bewitching read with prose like gold.' (Tasha Suri, World Fantasy award-winning author of The Jasmine Throne)

'Lady Macbeth is a knife of a book: blood-stained, sharply beautiful, and necessary. It doesn't retell Shakespeare so much as slice cleanly through it, revealing what was hidden beneath. I couldn't look away.' (Alix E. Harrow, New York Times bestselling author of Starling House)
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I picked this book up thinking it would be another moody retelling with a famous name slapped on the cover and a predictable plot inside. What I got instead? A delightfully eerie, witch-branded surprise.

First off: the grimdark vibe. Oh yes. Brooding landscapes, morally grey characters, and the kind of heavy atmosphere where you’re never quite sure who’s going to bleed next—it was all there, and it worked. Reid doesn’t hold your hand; she lets the shadows speak.

And Roscille, our veiled heroine? Genuinely fascinating. The whole idea of her being marked by witchcraft added such a rich layer of tension. It wasn’t just about surviving a cursed marriage—it was about reclaiming power in a world that fears and silences women who dare to be powerful. I especially loved the slow burn of mystery that laced the plot.

Most surprising of all? I liked it way more than I thought I would. Maybe it was the tone, maybe the eerie stillness, maybe just the simple pleasure of watching a character grow from pawn to something closer to queen.

Either way, it gets a solid 4,5 out of 5 stars from me. It didn’t rewrite Shakespeare—it whispered over his shoulder and then stepped out into the dark to tell its own tale. And honestly? I was there for it.

It wasn’t just “Shakespeare, but make it moody.” It was its own thing.

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I really enjoyed the Scottish accent the voice actor did a very impressive job (I am Scottish so this is high praise)

Scottish accent

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This perspective of my favourite Shakespeare play, was so beautifully written and the telling swept you along, with words placed so cleverly they automatically conjure pictures in vivid colours.
I enjoyed this so much, I have recommended it, sung it's praises purchased a hard copy, and gone back to the beginning to listen again.
Not going to spoil it for anyone but get listening to this work of art. The Bard Himself would be jealous and proud in equal measure.

The Narration fit this superb tale so beautifully.

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An extraordinary, inventive twist on The Scottish Play! This is Lady Macbeth 's story, with her arrival in Scotland as a young bride - there is guile, witches and monsters, told in such an engaging way that I was totally immersed in this world. And the narration was perfect.

Superb!

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If you’re looking for it to follow the tradition route you will be disappointed but I liked the twist on this tale.
I really enjoyed all of it . Completely different to what I was expecting.

Loved it

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Great narrator. The story was deautifully dark . A great twist on a classic story. Highly recommended.

romantic and dark. absolutely loved it

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Strong Lady Macbeth is hero and villain alongside self-destructive Macbeth. Very interesting re-imagining of my favourite Shakespeare - particularly like the way the three witches are written.

Atmospheric

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The story itself was OK. A bit ridiculous but OK if you like that sort of thing.
The problem is the performance. Firstly, the Scottish accent is cringeworthy. I am Scottish myself and this felt very reminiscent of Groundskeeper Willie from the Simpsons. Not to mention, every character sounded exactly the same.
The WORST part though, has to be a complete disregard for pronunciation. Why on earth, when you say the name ‘Glamis’ in nearly every second sentence would you not look up how to pronounce it?! It’s an actual place so it’s very easy to look up. Not to mention it features very heavily in one of the most famous plays of all time. There are so many resources and for not one person in the production team to notice this seems lazy.

Pronunciation was a mess!

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