The author proposes that Macbeth ordered his disabled infant to be killed. However, she was protected and raised by the three infamous witches. Lady Macbeth is a sympathetic character. The author blends characters from Shakespeare's play with those of her own creation. The novel highlights the plight of women whose entire existence depended upon the whims of men. ( )

Excellent book until the end. It felt like all the loose ends were tied up in a hurry. ( )

I almost started hating Albia about halfway through. Her love for Fleance was baffling and her attitude was irksome. I think that Klein did a decent job adding to Shakespeare's tale - too bad I didn't like the heroine more. ( )

This was pretty good for a YA novel. It is a version of William Shakespeare's MacBeth as told from the viewpoint of Macbeth's and Lady Macbeth's daughter if she had existed. It goes back and forth from Albia, the daughter (who was thrown to the wolves for being a cripple), and Grelach aka Lady MacBeth. Readers will see how MacBeth wrongfully attains the kingship of Scotland and how Grelach assisted him. There is a rebellion among the thanes as MacBeth starts to lose his mind due to the guilt he feels from his bloody actions.

While the rebellion is rising against the king, Albia is being raised by some "witches" in the forest and she also has the "sight" or ability to see the future. Her "sight" plays a major role in the actions of MacBeth. When Albia is sent to live with a wealthy thane she falls in love with the nobelmans's son as well as learns her true parentage. She must deal with the knowledge that she is spawned from "monsters" and some deep emotional questions arise regarding forgiveness and revenge.

She learns to yield a sword and hold a shield and these weapons of war as well as her sight and a horse and a few of her friends begin a journey to save Scotland from the mad king. The ending holds confrontations with both of her biological parents. Does Albia have the ability to forgive?

Four stars instead of five because I have read Susan Fraser King's "Lady MacBeth" and preferred her version to this one. This one has both MacBeth and his wife appearing as greedy, power hungry tyrants when in actuality, MacBeth ruled a peaceful Scotland for 6 years. For the young adult crowd, however, this is a great re telling of the Shakepeare tale. ( )

I haven't read Klein's book Ophelia yet, but I think it's pretty cool that she's telling these Shakespeare stories from the prospective of a minor and/or fictional character.
However, the one problem that I had with this one is that I kept getting this sense of deja vu, like I had read the book before. But I haven't, it's new within the last few months.
I did read a book some time ago called Lady MacBeth by Susan Fraser King, which did the same thing, but in a more historical sense. She told the story like it was historical fiction (just like many authors do with the Tudor eras and whatnot). I really enjoyed that one. Perhaps Klein took some of that and incorporated it into her own novel.
Regardless, it was an interesting tell of the story. I do wish that I had read MacBeth more recently (I read it about eight years ago in high school). I think I would have understood a few more of the allusions. However, I was impressed she managed to throw a line from Hamlet in there. Try to find it! ;-p