Retellings, particularly with a strongly feminist focus are particularly popular at present and with so many options available, not all can live upto my (admittedly super high) expectations. However, after being disappointed by my previous reads, the great Val McDermid has come to the rescue with her, "Queen MacBeth" , a dark retelling that mixes to great effect fact, fiction and possibilities.. Shakespeare 's version of MacBeth and Gruoch is one that tells of a driven, power-hungry king but is manipulated by his even more hungry wife, resulting in homicides and wars a plenty. Shakespeare's MacBeth is based on the sources available to him, but seems more of a regicidal madman, than the king of historical records. McDermid's take on the ever-popular story focuses on our beloved, villainous queen and her story. Our story is told with two timelines, - the present when Gruoch and her ladies Ligach, Either and Aife are fleeing for their lives after MacBeth's death (again, a change from Shakespeare where her death is a given after his) - and the earlier story of how Gruoch and MacBeth first met. This earlier timeline is printed in italics making it easier for the reader to quickly distinguish between the two. A particularly useful technique as the story progresses rapidly and we meet a host of familiar names. I loved how in McDermid's take, they are not "three witches" but rather intelligent and wise women - prehaps a reflection on how woman, who are outspoken, or intelligent have been treated through the centuries. We can easily draw comparisons between recent social media "witch hunts" and the hatred that grew for Gruoch - she receives the blame, she is the villain. I love how McDermid is offering a different story, one of love and loss and choices. We learn from Gruoch, Lady MacBeth herself, the exiled Queen of Scotland about meeting MacBeth for the first time, their relationship and subsequent marriage (after the death of her first husband). Switching between the past and present timelines, allows for a rapid building up of tension, with some foreshadowing aswell of upcoming events. Although a short novel (130 pages if I recall correctly), McDermid had taken the time to portray a more sympathetic version of Lady MacBeth and how she boths draws strength from her team (followers) and gives them strength in the same manner. This book is not marketed as non-fiction, or a piece of historical research, as McDermid has recreated the story & character of such a new known "villain" & in doing so, she has provided a very refreshing and exciting take on this controversial character.

Queen Macbeth captured my attention from the first page and it was a fascinating read about how Shakespeare's play Macbeth was all wrong according to history. Val McDermid with her usual flair, presents the true story through the eyes of Lady Macbeth. The story is well written and shows perfectly the Scotland as it was in the tenth century and how it was a place of war and all it takes is one battle and you have a new king. Loyalty is a must. Gruoch is on the run with her three companions all the while coming to terms with her past. It certainly is a more accurate portrayal and my only complaint is that it was too short. Highly recommend you pick up your copy and get immersed in the short story.

This is a fascinating read. In this retelling of the Shakespeare classic the author takes us back to the historical roots of the conflict in the lands which came to be known as Scotland. Told from the point of view of Lady Macbeth, Gruoch as she was really known, and tells of her meeting her 2nd husband Macbethad, Mormaer of Mull (Macbeth as we know him) whilst still married to her first husband. The story is still full of twists and treachery but of a different flavour and although we hear echos of the Shakespearean witches predictions - Macbeth becomes mormaer (not thane), he becomes King (of moray before uniting two kingdoms to become Scotland) and he is succeeded by Malcolm III whose family reigns for generations (Banquo is a legendary figure meant to represent the father of all, who’s son is named Prince Malcolm). I’ll stop here but the parallels are amazing. As the author states, there is little documented about the lives of the early Scottish kings and earls but Val McDermid has this gentle way of weaving fact and fiction so that regardless you fall in love and fascination with her characters.

A few years ago, the independent Scottish publisher, Birlinn, had the idea of commissioning some of Scotland’s bestselling contemporary authors to re-imagine stories from Scottish history, myth and legend. The result is five novellas (so far), known collectively as The Darkland Tales. I found the series by chance but I'm glad I did because all the ones I've read have been excellent. Queen Macbeth is Book 4 and was published in 2024. It’s a gritty story about Gruoch, Macbeth’s wife – who was not as we know her from Shakespeare but a real person. She and her husband are historical figures who lived in the 10th Century. Macbeth killed Gruoch’s first husband, a clan chief, and took his land as well as his widow; and together this couple ruled for 17 years. During that time, they presided over a largely peaceful country and united several Scottish fiefdoms into one, calling it Scotland. Eventually Macbeth was attacked and killed by Malcolm, another chieftain, who later became Malcolm III of Scotland. Like the other Darkland novellas, the writing in this is excellent. Gruoch tells her story in two timelines: the present, where she’s on the run from Malcolm after he’s killed her beloved husband; and her past, starting with her brutal marriage to her first husband, meeting Macbeth and their subsequent life together. In this, Gruoch and her two companions come over as decent but desperate women, trying to survive while being pursued by a brutal enemy. The descriptions of all three are both real and vivid, but it’s not hard to see where Shakespeare got his three witches from. What also comes across very clearly is the careless brutality of everyone around them. Nobody bats an eyelid at slitting someone’s throat, knifing them or bringing anyone (man, woman, or child) down with an arrow. And if some clan chief wants to expand his territory or take someone else’s, he just takes it. Such was life in the 10th Century I suppose! This was a tense and vivid story that I really enjoyed. Review by: Freyja, Oundle Crime

In this female-centered retelling of Macbeth, Scottish author Val McDermid intends to set the record straight about the Macbeths. No longer the blood-soaked villains of Shakespeare, but a strong, charismatic couple who defied the odds to be together. The novella alternates between Queen Macbeth's attempt to flee Malcolm's men after the deaths of her husband and son and her memories of times passed as she met Malcolm and fell head over heels in love with him. A recommended read for fans of Shakespeare, historical fiction, and feminist retellings.