Queen Macbeth by Val McDermid

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A thrilling tale of love and loss, power and destitution.

In the unforgiving wilderness of medieval Scotland, Queen Macbeth is on the run for her life.

King Macbeth is dead, and she desperately mourns his loss, while fearing for her son whom she has been separated from.

This is the tale of the tragedy behind the tragedy, a story of love discovered and lost, and a desperate quest for survival.

‘Queen Macbeth’ is an historical fiction novella by Val McDermid, retelling the history behind Shakespeare’s tragedy ‘Macbeth’ from the perspective of the queen, in a far more sympathetic portrait than the Machiavellian villainess Lady Macbeth of the play. McDermid delves into Shakespeare’s historical inspiration in search of the true story behind the myth – not of a man spurned to violence and tyranny by his fatal flaws of greed and ambition, encouraged by his equally megalomanic and bloodthirsty wife, but of Macbethad, an early king of Scotland (in its contemporary political geography of several kingdoms), and his beloved wife Gruoch, whom he recues from an abusive, loveless marriage.

The tale is narrated from Gruoch’s perspective, who is now in hiding, being pursued for her life and her son’s throne following the death of her second husband. Through flashbacks, we discover their beautiful love story, their intense emotion and attraction blooming from an instant connection. But their love is forbidden – Gruoch is married to the cruel and murderous Gille Coemgáin. Yet the love between Gruoch and Macbeth is powerful and nothing can come between them and their destiny to be together, these flashbacks the shining heart of the novella; along with Gruoch’s relationship with her three companions, their characterisation another piece of historical realism analogous to the three witches of Shakespeare’s tragedy.

The narrative moves seamlessly between the dual timelines, as, in the present, Gruoch’s pursuers catch up with her and her allies, and they must flee the grounds of the monastery where they have been granted safe haven to seek new sanctuary, facing more bloodshed and deeper tragedy. The novella subtly questions perception – consider the misogyny of a patriarchal society; how the victors of war record the history of conflict – while toying with allusions to the original play and crafting a legend around a history about which little is known fact.

A beautifully written story, ‘Queen Macbeth’ takes us on a tragic and emotional journey along with endearing characters; a moving companion to the Scottish Play, shedding light on its darkness and reminding us there is often another perspective to every story.



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