Quick Synopsis – Set ten years before the events of Shakespeare’s historic play, about the ambition, power, and fate that define one of literature’s most notorious figures: Lady Macbeth.

Song This Reminds Me Of – The Sound of Settling by Death Cab for Cutie

Publication Date – March 12, 2024

Rating – 3 out of 5 ⭐

Content Warnings – This book describes fairly graphic violence, child loss, abuse (sexual, emotional, and child abuse), starvation, poverty, classism, and some violence against animals (dogs). This book is based in the 11th century, so most of the above warnings would have been typical of the time period.

Review – I liked this book, but I didn’t love it. I felt like it had a lot of the components I enjoy in historical fiction, but they just never came together for me. I also haven’t read Macbeth in about 15 years or seen an adaptation. That may have hindered my enjoyment some. The novel is told between the perspectives of Lady Macbeth and her son from her first marriage. Neither the Lady nor her son are ever named. This actually really bothered me and made it hard for me to immerse in the story.

I did enjoy that at the beginning the author gave a preface that linked real historical figures to Macbeth. It’s almost like Shakespeare wrote fanfiction about real nobles and that’s how we got Macbeth. There is a note of magical realism throughout the novel with both the boy and Lady Macbeth referencing specters, witches, and prophecies. Lady Macbeth’s first husband, the Mormaer of Moray, is a violent beast of a man. When the Lady gives birth to a son, she revels in the connection she feels to her babe. The Mormaer is only peripherally interested and when the boy is old enough (like 5 or 6), he tries to give the child a dagger. When the child is too shy and upset to take it, the Mormaer is incensed and leaves.

It seems like that is the last time he’s alive in his own hall because the next we know he’s been burned alive by Macbeth. The boy still believes his father will come for him, even though Lord Macbeth is marrying his mother. This whole storyline takes up maybe the first 25% of the novel but it is so dry it felt like so much longer. I think the main characters essentially being nameless really disconnected me from the story and prevented me from being invested.

After the wedding the story picks up a bit, but there is another aspect of the story I struggled with, and that’s time. By the time we reach Macbeth’s castle I had thought the boy was 10 or 11, but it isn’t until much later on that I realize he’s much younger. He was heavily neglected and his mother is always repeating how much she takes care of her son, but it didn’t feel that way. It felt like the boy was pretty much on his own. The story escalates and I won’t spoil what happens, but if you’ve read or watched an adaptation of Macbeth, the novel ends right before the play starts.

Overall this novel was slow-paced and not as engaging as I would have liked. However, it is a debut and I would be interested in seeing what this author does next.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC.