This is a retelling of Shakespeare’s Macbeth focused on Lady Macbeth. This version is split into five acts (just like the play!), with Lady Macbeth as a 17-year-old new bride of the title character. Something I found particularly interesting is that the author chose to reflect the various languages spoken in eleventh-century Scotland, so the characters have different versions of their names depending on the language used. In the book, the main character thinks of herself as Roscille, so for the sake of this review, that is the name I will use.
This is a difficult book for me to review. I was excited about it, but in the end, the plot and style didn’t work for me. The writing style is fine; it’s just not what I personally enjoy. I had certain expectations for the book that didn’t pan out, which left me a bit disappointed. However, I recognize that this is more about my expectations than the book itself.
The story begins by fleshing out Roscille’s backstory. She has been married off to Macbeth, Thane of Glamis, and is being used as a bargaining chip in her father’s ongoing political machinations. As one of her father’s illegitimate daughters, she has been labelled as someone who “may have been cursed by a witch.” This is the story that has been spread, and—minor spoiler—Roscille does possess some magic. It is said that she can bewitch men with her gaze, which is why she must wear a veil at all times.
So a veiled Roscille ends up at Macbeth’s foreboding castle and is married to him. She is not exactly thrilled with this turn of events, and while she has arrived with her handmaiden they are separated and the narrative suggests the handmaid has been killed. Look, this book is brutal when it comes to all the characters, no peace for anyone. None.
Roscille starts a bit of scheming in the name of self-preservation as she wants to keep Macbeth out of her bed while she can, and plans to set him to three tasks he needs to complete before they consummate their marriage. The first task she hopes will result in his death, as he’ll have to tangle with one of his neighbours, the Thane of Cawdor (and as a fan of the play I went “oh!” at this part). But Macbeth is all in on this, because, well the madman keeps witches trapped in the basement of his castle and makes them prophesize for him, and they confirm he will be Thane of Cawdor, amongst handing out other prophecies.
So while we have the spine of the Shakespeare play, it’s Macbeth vs Roscille in this, and yes I wanted an evil power couple. That’s on me, and the book in no way owed that to me. Also to be clear, I am team Roscille here. Macbeth is not nice in the play, and he is very very villainous in this narrative.
Speaking of the play, the book follows the general plot, and then all of a sudden it does not.
I will be honest I had about 100 pages left in the book and considered just – not finishing. But I figured I had invested time, so I stuck it out.
I am glad I did. The end was satisfying for me, I may not have enjoyed the journey but when I got to the end I was like “Yeah!”. It was worth it for me, and I’m glad I kept reading. I probably will reread this at some point now that I know what is going to happen and have different expectations for the book.