I liked this reimagining of Lady Macbeth's story, but I can't help but compare it to a similar book I recently read, Queen Hereafter by Isabelle Schuler, which I liked a lot more. This novel covers nearly the whole of Lady Macbeth's life and it's a very different tale than the Shakespeare play. Highly recommended for Macbeth fans and those interested in medieval Scotland. ( )

If you are looking for a novelized version of Shakespeare's extraordinary Scottish Play, this is not it. This is a novel about the actual king Macbeth and queen Rue. Based on the Annals of Ulster and other sources, we withness Gruadh's life from a young age to the age of forty. Through her, we experience the constant battles for the control over Scotland, and the importance of the brave warrior Macbeth, the man who has passed from history into legend.

Elements of folklore are blended into the story, casting an otherwordly light over the fates of the characters, and the sacred places of Iona and Scone become alive through King's pen. Having had the fortune to visit them some years ago during a trip to Scotland and Ireland, I can say that her prose does justice to the intense feeling that these two places provoke to the visitor.

Susan Fraser King shows, once again, that she is one of the best representatives of how powerful Historical fiction is, when done right. ( )

I loved this book. It has been well researched and the characters were well fleshed out. Having read (and love) Shakespeare's Macbeth many times, I greatly enjoyed reading a story that was more realistic than the play. One understood that sometimes harsh decisions had to be made in such violent times. ( )

A well-written historical fiction novel about Lady Macbeth's path to becoming queen of Scotland. The plot line dragged a little and probably would only earn a 3 star rating, but the historical descriptions bumped the rating up. King's descriptions of Celtic traditions and the world of warriors and thanes were excellent.  ( )

3.5 stars

I thought initially that I would rate this book higher, because it is packed with details of everyday life, customs and superstitions. Also, the author keeps fairly close to the established historical facts, such as they are, and her author's note is very detailed and informative. What lets the book down though is the writing, which was somewhat distant und unemotional and never lets the reader come close to the main characters. At the end, Gruadh and Macbeth remain shadowy and unknowable, and I wished the author had simply taken a punt at some point as to their respective characters and emotional makeup. ( )