The best book I read this month was a truly satisfying work of historical fiction, Lady Macbeth by Susan Fraser King. As King makes clear in her cover blurb, this not the Lady Macbeth of Shakespeare. Instead, this is a fictionalized account of the historical Lady Macbeth, and she is far more sympathetic figure than the play’s version.
The story takes placed in medieval (12th century) Scotland, and Gruach (Lady Macbeth’s given name) is the daughter of Scottish warlord. The kingdom is torn, facing threats from both the Danes (Vikings) and the English while the elderly king clings to power. What follows is, if you’re familiar with the play, the expected machinations but with nuance and depth. Even Macbeth is more sympathetic in this account.
In addition to creating two sympathetic lead characters, King also does an excellent job of immersing the reader in an unfamiliar world. We see that Scotland’s Celtic traditions under threat from growing Christian and English influence. It affects everything from how Gruach mourns to how the Scottish crown is handed down. Everything about Gruach’s way of life is at risk, and it’s hard to read this story and not feel empathy for her. If anything, this made me love the story of Macbeth even more.