Article-image-

Quizzes

Quiz: what kind of reader are you?

Fable For the End of the World

FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF LADY MACBETH AND A STUDY IN DROWNING 
 
'There's one thing about Ava Reid; she doesn't miss.' Sasha Peyton Smith 
'You'll start saving space on your shelf for Ava Reid.' Kendare Blake 
 
--------- 
 
The Last of Us meets The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes in this stand-alone dystopian romance about survival, sacrifice, and love that risks everything. 
 
By encouraging massive accumulations of debt from its underclass, a single corporation, Caerus, controls all aspects of society. 
 
Inesa lives with her brother in a half-sunken town where they scrape by running a taxidermy shop. Unbeknownst to Inesa, their cruel and indolent mother has accrued an enormous debt—enough to qualify one of her children for Caerus’s livestreamed assassination spectacle: the Lamb’s Gauntlet. 
 
Melinoë is a Caerus assassin, trained to track and kill the sacrificial Lambs. The product of neural reconditioning and physiological alteration, she is a living weapon, known for her cold brutality and deadly beauty. She has never failed to assassinate one of her marks. 
 
When Inesa learns that her mother has offered her as a sacrifice, at first she despairs—the Gauntlet is always a bloodbath for the impoverished debtors. But she’s had years of practice surviving in the apocalyptic wastes, and with the help of her hunter brother, she might stand a chance of staying alive. 
 
For Melinoë, this is a game she can’t afford to lose. Despite her reputation for mercilessness, she is haunted by painful flashbacks. After her last Gauntlet, where she broke down on livestream, she desperately needs redemption. 
 
As Mel pursues Inesa across the wasteland, both girls begin to question everything: Inesa wonders if there’s more to life than survival, while Mel wonders if she’s capable of more than killing. 
 
And both wonder if, against all odds, they might be falling in love.

“Nobody balances sweetness with brutality, tenderness with violence, quite like Ava Reid. This hit all the nostalgic Hunger Games notes while bringing fresh sapphic blood to the dystopian genre - I inhaled it!”

L. K. Steven, author of Silvercloak and Our Infinite Fates

‘Brilliant and devastating, Fable for the End of the World will arm you with the strongest tools we have: both anger and hope.

Allison Saft, New York Times bestselling author of A Dark and Drowning Tide

Knife-edged and tender-hearted, I will be thinking of the final line for years to come.

Courtney Gould, author of The Dead and the Dark

Stunning . . . Among the dystopian greats.

Chloe Gong, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights

By encouraging massive accumulations of debt, a single corporation, Caerus, controls all aspects of society. 
 
 
Inesa lives with her brother in a half-sunken town, barely scraping a living from their taxidermy shop. But their mother has secretly accrued enormous debt – and the only way out is to offer her daughter up to be a sacrifice for Caerus’s livestreamed assassination event: the Lamb’s Gauntlet. 
 
 
Melinoë is the assassin chosen for this spectacle. The product of years of neural reconditioning and physiological alteration, she’s a living weapon, famous for her cold brutality and deadly beauty. But she’s also haunted by her failure in the last gauntlet, when she broke down live on screen. 
 
 
But as Mel pursues Inesa across the wasteland, each determined to claim victory, they begin to question what they’ve been taught. Could there be more to life than survival? Could they be capable of more than death? 
 
 
Could they, against all the odds, be falling in love?

Ava Reid is the Sunday Times and No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of A Study in Drowning, Juniper &amp; Thorn, The Wolf and the Woodsman and Lady Macbeth. She has a degree in political science from Barnard College and lives in New Jersey.

The epic standalone dystopian romance from the Sunday Time bestselling author of A Study in Drowning and Lady Macbeth. Perfect for fans of The Hunger Games and The Last of UsSURVIVAL 
SACRIFICE 
A LOVE THAT RISKS EVERYTHING 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------‘Stunning . . . Among the dystopian greats.’ Chloe Gong 
‘Brilliant and devastating, Fable for the End of the World will arm you with the strongest tools we have: both anger and hope.’ Allison Saft 
‘Knife-edged and tender-hearted, I will be thinking of the final line for years to come’ Courtney Gould 
 
------------------------------------------------------ 
By encouraging massive accumulations of debt, a single corporation, Caerus, controls all aspects of society. 
 
Inesa lives with her brother in a half-sunken town, barely scraping a living from their taxidermy shop. But their mother has secretly accrued enormous debt – and the only way out is to offer her daughter up to be a sacrifice for Caerus’s livestreamed assassination event: the Lamb’s Gauntlet. 
 
Melinoë is the assassin chosen for this spectacle. The product of years of neural reconditioning and physiological alteration, she’s a living weapon, famous for her cold brutality and deadly beauty. But she’s also haunted by her failure in the last gauntlet, when she broke down live on screen. 
 
But as Mel pursues Inesa across the wasteland, each determined to claim victory, they begin to question what they’ve been taught. Could there be more to life than survival? Could they be capable of more than death? 
 
Could they, against all the odds, be falling in love? 
 
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 
 
PRAISE FOR AVA REID 
 
'A gargantuan hit . . . Dark and brooding, skillful storytelling and intricate character development breathe new life into literature. Dripping in atmosphere . . . One to order immediately.' Glamour 
 
‘A bewitching read with prose like gold.’ Tasha Suri 
 
‘A knife of a book: blood-stained, sharply beautiful, and necessary . . . I couldn't look away’ Alix E. Harrow 
 
‘I was spellbound from the very first page.’ Freya Marske

A Study in Drowning

THE SUNDAY TIMES AND NO. 1 NYT BESTSELLING NOVEL, FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE WOLF AND THE WOODSMAN 
 
'A love letter to stories - and to everyone silenced or forgotten in their retelling.' Allison Saft, author of A Far Wilder Magic 
 
Effy has always believed in fairy tales. She's had no choice. Since childhood, she's been haunted by visions of the Fairy King. She's found solace only in the pages of Angharad - a beloved epic about a mortal girl who falls in love with the Fairy King, and then destroys him. 
 
Effy's tattered copy is all that's keeping her afloat through her stifling first term her prestigious architecture college. So when the late author's family announces a contest to design his house, Effy fells certain this is her destiny. 
 
But Hiraeth Manor is an impossible task: a musty, decrepit estate on the brink of crumbling into a hungry sea. And when Effy arrives, she finds she isn't the only one who's made a temporary home there. Preston Héloury, a stodgy young literature scholar, is studying Myrddin's papers and is determined to prove her favourite author is a fraud. 
 
As the two rival students investigate the reclusive author's legacy, piecing together clues through his letters, books, and diaries, they discover that the house's foundation isn't the only thing that can't be trusted. There are dark forces, both mortal and magical, conspiring against them - and the truth may bring them both to ruin. 
 
 
Sunday Times bestseller, September 2023 
New York Times bestseller, November 2023

A love letter to stories - and to everyone silenced or forgotten in their retelling.

A wonderfully written, tense and moving novel that offers its audience an endlessly readable mix of historical fiction, gothic mystery and fantasy romance that will draw you in again and again.

As merciless as a rising tide and as beguiling as a fairy's bargain.

A Study in Drowning is a stunning book in every way. From one phenomenal book to another, Ava Reid is an author I am obsessed with . . . A masterclass in pacing, characterisation and tension, with a beautiful meditation on stories and who gets to have an authorial voice.

A spell-binding mix of magic, myth, and mystery.

Reid wields lyricism, dark academia, and fairy-core elements to eloquently imbue the narrative with originality and depth that ferries themes surrounding grief, gender, and the value of folklore.

A lyrical examination of stories told, cherished myths, and an unravelling of truths held dear. Darkly romantic and unsettlingly eerie.

A dark and gripping feminist tale.

Lyrical, incisive, and tragically beautiful, this book will haunt your dreams. Reid delivers in every way - from the atmospheric house by the sea to the achingly hopeful romance to the examination of power, gender, and control, A Study in Drowning ruins and rebuilds you.

Full of myth and superstition, and heavy rains that fall upon crumbling old houses. A rewarding, romatic read, with much to chew on.

One of those books that makes you remember why we read in the first place. A Study in Drowning takes dark academia to magical new heights. Reid is a singular, extraordinary talent

Sasha Peyton Smith, New York Times bestselling author of The Witch Hunt

In A Study in Drowning, Reid questions the idea of stories, who writes them, and who they are for. Between heart-wrenching discoveries, lush worldbuilding, and prose as beautiful and cruel as the sea, she delivers an answer I won&rsquo;t soon forget. I could read this book again and again - absolute perfection.

Both haunting and tender. Set amongst crumbling cliffsides and a raging sea, this atmospheric story will settle in your bones. Romantic, beautifully written, and powerful.

Rachel Griffin, New York Times bestselling author of The Nature of Witches

Lyrical, moving, and sensitive, A Study in Drowning is a magically romantic tale, filled with writing that will sweep you into a whimsical and gothic world. I&rsquo;ll recommend this beautiful and thoughtful book over and over again.

Isabel Ibañez, author of Together We Burn

Incandescent, tender, and fierce. A Study in Drowning is a deftly woven mystery, brimming with lyrical writing and compelling characters who will steal your heart. This is a story that lingers, long after the last word.

Rebecca Ross, bestselling author of Divine Rivals

A Study in Drowning is everything: a dark fairytale, a tender romance, a haunting historical mystery, and a quietly furious tribute to the people whose stories have been stolen from them. I absolutely loved it.

Alix E. Harrow, New York Times bestselling author of Once and Future Witches

THE SUNDAY TIMES AND NO. 1 NYT BESTSELLING NOVEL, FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE WOLF AND THE WOODSMAN 
 
'A love letter to stories - and to everyone silenced or forgotten in their retelling.' Allison Saft, author of A Far Wilder Magic 
 
Effy has always believed in fairy tales. She's had no choice. Since childhood, she's been haunted by visions of the Fairy King. She's found solace only in the pages of Angharad - a beloved epic about a mortal girl who falls in love with the Fairy King, and then destroys him. 
 
Effy's tattered copy is all that's keeping her afloat through her stifling first term her prestigious architecture college. So when the late author's family announces a contest to design his house, Effy fells certain this is her destiny. 
 
But Hiraeth Manor is an impossible task: a musty, decrepit estate on the brink of crumbling into a hungry sea. And when Effy arrives, she finds she isn't the only one who's made a temporary home there. Preston Héloury, a stodgy young literature scholar, is studying Myrddin's papers and is determined to prove her favourite author is a fraud. 
 
As the two rival students investigate the reclusive author's legacy, piecing together clues through his letters, books, and diaries, they discover that the house's foundation isn't the only thing that can't be trusted. There are dark forces, both mortal and magical, conspiring against them - and the truth may bring them both to ruin.

Juniper & Thorn

''A tale of fear and survival, hope and yearning and defiance, in timelessly elegant prose. It will enchant you, break your heart, and chill you to the very marrow.' Samantha Shannon on The Wolf and the Woodsman 
 
From the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Wolf and the Woodsman comes a gothic retelling of The Juniper Tree, where a young witch seeks to discover her identity and escape the domination of her abusive wizard father. Perfect for fans of Angela Carter, Catherynne M. Valente and Shirley Jackson 
_________________________________ 
 
A gruesome curse. A city in upheaval. A monster with unquenchable appetites. 
 
Marlinchen and her sisters are the last true witches in a city shifting from magic to industry. Viewed as little more than tourist traps, they spend their days treating clients with archaic remedies and nostalgic charm, while attempting to placate their tyrannical, xenophobic wizard father, who keeps his daughters locked away in their crumbling home. 
 
But at night, they sneak out to revel in the city's thrills, particularly the recently established ballet theatre, where Marlinchen meets a dancer who quickly captures her heart. But as their late-night trysts grow more fervent and frequent, so does the threat of her father's rage. And while their city flourishes, a monster lurks in its midst, borne of intolerance and resentment and suffused with old-world power. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sunday Times bestseller, June 2022 (w/c 27th June 2022)

A tale of fear and survival, hope and yearning and defiance, in timelessly elegant prose. It will enchant you, break your heart, and chill you to the very marrow.

Samantha Shannon, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Priory of the Orange Tree

Utterly astonishing . . . Juniper &amp; Thorn is the dark fairytale brought to perfection: terrible, and true, and full of teeth.

Shelley Parker-Chan, Sunday Times bestselling author of She Who Became the Sun

A gothic masterpiece. Reid weaves threads of unsettling horror and abuse with astonishing empathy.

Reid expertly weaves a dark and delightful tale that packs a sting. Love, betrayal, and a heroine for our time. I absolutely loved this novel.

T. L. Huchu, author of The Library of the Dead

Thrumming with feminist power, and riveting in its worldbuilding, Juniper &amp; Thorn is an unforgettable tale.

Ausma Zehanat Khan, author of The Bladebone

This is a dark and bloody tale, full of magic both otherworldly and familiar, and despite its monsters, it reads like comfort. After you read it, you'll start saving space on your shelf for Ava Reid.

Kendare Blake, New York Times bestselling author of Three Dark Crowns

Juniper &amp; Thorn is one of those books that buries itself beneath your skin and refuses to move. It has captured my mind entirely.

Darkly enchanting . . . Reid fully embraces the darkness of the original tale while adding enough twists to make the story her own. Grimms' fairy tale fans -- and those who like their fairy tales grim -- will be thrilled

In many ways, [Reid's] second novel manages to surpass her first. A fairytale that reads much more like a warning label than a Disney fantasy... It's a nontraditional happy ending, but perhaps that's what makes it feel so right.

''A tale of fear and survival, hope and yearning and defiance, in timelessly elegant prose. It will enchant you, break your heart, and chill you to the very marrow.' Samantha Shannon on The Wolf and the Woodsman 
 
From the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Wolf and the Woodsman comes a gothic retelling of The Juniper Tree, where a young witch seeks to discover her identity and escape the domination of her abusive wizard father. Perfect for fans of Angela Carter, Catherynne M. Valente and Shirley Jackson 
_________________________________ 
 
A gruesome curse. A city in upheaval. A monster with unquenchable appetites. 
 
Marlinchen and her sisters are the last true witches in a city shifting from magic to industry. Viewed as little more than tourist traps, they spend their days treating clients with archaic remedies and nostalgic charm, while attempting to placate their tyrannical, xenophobic wizard father, who keeps his daughters locked away in their crumbling home. 
 
But at night, they sneak out to revel in the city's thrills, particularly the recently established ballet theatre, where Marlinchen meets a dancer who quickly captures her heart. But as their late-night trysts grow more fervent and frequent, so does the threat of her father's rage. And while their city flourishes, a monster lurks in its midst, borne of intolerance and resentment and suffused with old-world power. 
 
Sunday Times bestseller, June 2022

The Sunday Times Bestseller

The Wolf and the Woodsman

A dark, evocative and unforgettable fantasy debut steeped in Hungarian history and Jewish mythology, perfect for fans of Naomi Novik, and Katherine Arden.

Rooted in history and myth, The Wolf and the Woodsman is a stunning debut - a powerful and haunting tale of a young woman's will to live, of love flowering in defiance of tyranny. It will twine like a dark forest around your heart.

Written with a timelessness of spirit, a magical world that knows no bounds, and characters who will make your heart pound and your eyes well up, The Wolf and the Woodsman is an intricate, gut-wrenching fantasy that will set the bar for dark historical fantasy for years to come.

A thought-provoking, thrilling magical twist on the history of religion and politics that I couldn't put down . . . stunningly rendered

S.A. Chakraborty, bestselling author of The Empire of Gold

A striking debut . . . Entertaining, appealing, and strikingly imagined

Gorgeously written and grimly real, The Wolf and the Woodsman is a bloody fable about two people caught in the jaws of history. It quite literally took my breath away.

Alix E. Harrow, Hugo-award winning author of The Ten Thousand Doors of January

A seriously impressive debut novel . . . grown-up, complicated, angsty, sexy, dark book - and one that I will be recommending far and wide

Beautiful and gut wrenching . . . It's a fundamentally Jewish tale that gripped me from beginning to end. A riveting debut that will keep you up all night, desperately chasing the heart-pounding conclusion.

A richly imagined exploration of faith and folklore . . . lushly written and thoroughly evocative

The Wolf and the Woodsman, beautifully written and expertly told, is a darkly magical tale from beginning to end. I was equal parts terrified and delighted, somehow swept away and grounded in a world as beautiful as it is deadly.

Isabel Ibañez, author of Woven in Moonlight

Évike may be the only one in her village without 'powers,' but that doesn't stop her from being an in-your-face heroine who stands up for the things she believes in and never backs down. Reid has crafted a story that is not only relevant for our times, but has timelessness about it that truly makes it shine. The Wolf and the Woodsman is not a book I will soon forget.

Genevieve Gornichec, author of The Witch’s Heart

Examines religious freedom through the lens of myth and magic . . . The convincing enemies-to-lovers romance, fascinating religion-based magic system, and thoughtful examination of zealotry make this a notable debut.

Combining religion, magic, and evocative language, Ava Reid has created a daring fantasy world full of imagination and fierce heroics.

Luanne G. Smith, bestselling author of The Vine Witch

Rich with vivid description, fantastical monsters, and magic unmatched by most other books for its pure physicality, this story may be strongly influenced by Jewish folklore, but the voice is original, perhaps as it's refreshingly female.

I enjoyed The Wolf and the Woodsman very much. Évike is a memorable protagonist, deeply flawed but trying, almost despite herself, to do the right thing. The writing is assured and compelling throughout, and the worldbuilding is richly imagined, densely textured, and endlessly delightful.

Katherine Addison, author of The Goblin Emperor

Ava Reid has boldly announced herself as a literary force with The Wolf and the Woodsman. The novel is impressive in its beauty, characters, and uncompromising nature and is all the more impressive for being Reid's debut novel.

The Wolf and The Woodsman is one hell of a ride. Évike is an unlikely heroine, torn by warring duties and identities but despite it all, she discovers a power that could save a nation from itself. But only if she lives. I couldn't put it down.

A powerful feminist story about acceptance, The Wolf and the Woodsman is perfect for fans of The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden and John Gwynne's The Shadow of the Gods.

One of the best books I've read this year. From page one, I could tell that I was in expert hands . . . Juniper &amp; Thorn is out there waiting for you to read it and be seen in a way you've been aching for. Please go and read it.

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 
 
A dark, evocative and unforgettable fantasy debut steeped in Hungarian history and Jewish mythology, perfect for fans of Naomi Novik and Katherine Arden. 
 
'Rooted in history and myth, The Wolf and the Woodsman is a stunning debut . . . It will twine like a dark forest around your heart.' Samantha Shannon, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Priory of the Orange Tree 
______________________________________ 
A spirited outcast. A disgraced prince. 
A world where monsters roam free. 
 
In her forest-veiled pagan village, Évike is the only woman without power. So when soldiers from the Holy Order of Woodsmen arrive to claim a girl for their king's blood sacrifice, the villagers only have one person to offer up. 
 
But when they are attacked en-route to the capital, and everyone but Évike and a lone Woodsman are slaughtered, they have no choice but to rely on each other. Except he's no ordinary Woodsman - he's the disgraced prince, Gáspár Bárány, whose father needs pagan magic to consolidate his power. 
 
As they travel from the bitter northern tundra to the smog-choked capital, they form a tenuous pact that slowly turns their loathing turns to affection. But trust is easily betrayed, and as Évike discovers her own hidden magic, she and Gaspar must decide where their loyalties really lie . . . 
______________________________________ 
'Entertaining, appealing, and strikingly imagined' Tor.com 
 
'An intricate, gut-wrenching fantasy that will set the bar for dark historical fantasy for years to come.' The Book Report 
 
'Gorgeously written and grimly real' Alix Harrow 
 
'A grown-up, complicated, angsty, sexy, dark book' Cultured Vulture 
 
'Richly imagined, densely textured, and endlessly delightful' Katherine Addison 
 
'A powerful feminist story about acceptance, The Wolf and the Woodsman is perfect for fans of The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden' British Fantasy Society

A Theory of Dreaming

As the aftermath of their first discovery pulls Effy and Preston on a final adventure and brings their haunting love story to its end in this stunning sequel and final book in the duology.RETURN TO THE DREAMLIKE WORLD OF THE INSTANTLY BESTSELLING DARK ACADEMIA FANTASY A STUDY IN DROWNING 
_________All stories come to an end. 
Effy learned that when she defeated the Fairy King. Even though she may never know exactly what happened at Hiraeth, she is free of her nightmares and is able to pen a thesis with Preston on the beloved national fairytale Angharad. She has finally earned a spot at the literature college, making her the first woman in history to enroll. 
 
But some dreams are dangerous, especially when they come true. The entire university - and soon the entire nation - is waiting for her to fail. With the Fairy King defeated and Myrddin's legacy exposed, Effy can no longer escape into fantasy. Who is she without her stories? 
 
With Effy under threat, Preston is surprised to discover a rage simmering inside him, ringing in his ears like bells. He begins to dream of a palace under the sea, a world where he is king - visions that start to follow him even in waking. 
 
As the war between Llyr and Argant explodes, Effy and Preston find themselves caught in the crossfire: Effy losing her dreams and Preston losing himself in his. 
 
Are dreams ever truly just dreams? 
 
__________ 
PRAISE FOR A STUDY IN DROWNING 
'A love letter to stories - and to everyone silenced of forgotten in their retelling.' ALLISON SAFT 
 
'As merciless as a rising tide and as beguiling as a fairy's bargain.' MELISSA ALBERT 
 
'A spell-binding mix of magic, myth and mystery.' RORY POWER 
 
'Darkly romantic and unsettlingly eerie' ERIN. A CRAIG 
 
'Lyrical, incisive, and tragically beautiful, this book will haunt your dreams.' VAISHNAVI PATEL 
 
'Reid is a singular, extraordinary talent.' SASHA PEYTON-SMITH 
 
'I could read this book again and again - absolute perfection.' COURTNEY GOULD 
 
'Incandescent, tender, and fierce. This is a story that lingers, long after the last word.' REBECCA ROSS 
READERS ABSOLUTELY ADORE A STUDY IN DROWNING... 
***** ‘I was enraptured from the first few chapters’ 
***** ‘haunting and atmospheric’ 
***** ‘Ava Reid has a magical way with words’ 
***** ‘There is something about the way Reid creates an atmosphere that I find completely immersive’ 
***** ‘This book is truly mesmerising’ 
***** ‘Beautifully written’ 
***** ‘I will read ANYTHING that Ava Reid writes’ 
***** ‘Ava Reid’s writing is extraordinary and beautiful’ 5* 
***** ‘Prepare to be drawn into the most thrilling, dark, subversive world imaginable.’ 
***** ‘My mind is blown away and my heart is full to the brim’

As the aftermath of their first discovery pulls Effy and Preston on a final adventure and brings their haunting love story to its end, return to the dreamlike world of the instantly bestselling dark academia fantasy A Study in Drowning in this stunning sequel and final book in the duology. 
All stories come to an end. 
 
Effy learned that when she defeated the Fairy King. Even though she may never know exactly what happened at Hiraeth, she is free of her nightmares and is able to pen a thesis with Preston on the beloved national fairytale Angharad. She has finally earned a spot at the literature college, making her the first woman in history to enroll. 
 
But some dreams are dangerous, especially when they come true. The entire university - and soon the entire nation - is waiting for her to fail. With the Fairy King defeated and Myrddin's legacy exposed, Effy can no longer escape into fantasy. Who is she without her stories? 
 
With Effy under threat, Preston is surprised to discover a rage simmering inside him, ringing in his ears like bells. He begins to dream of a palace under the sea, a world where he is king - visions that start to follow him even in waking. 
 
As the war between Llyr and Argant explodes, Effy and Preston find themselves caught in the crossfire: Effy losing her dreams and Preston losing himself in his. 
 
Are dreams ever truly just dreams?

Ava Reid is the Sunday Times and No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of A Study in Drowning, Juniper & Thorn, The Wolf and the Woodsman and Lady Macbeth. She has a degree in political science from Barnard College and lives in New Jersey.

All stories come to an end. 
Effy learned that when she defeated the Fairy King. Even though she may never know exactly what happened at Hiraeth, she is free of her nightmares and is able to pen a thesis with Preston on the beloved national fairytale Angharad. She has finally earned a spot at the literature college, making her the first woman in history to enroll. 
 
But some dreams are dangerous, especially when they come true. The entire university - and soon the entire nation - is waiting for her to fail. With the Fairy King defeated and Myrddin's legacy exposed, Effy can no longer escape into fantasy. Who is she without her stories? 
 
With Effy under threat, Preston is surprised to discover a rage simmering inside him, ringing in his ears like bells. He begins to dream of a palace under the sea, a world where he is king - visions that start to follow him even in waking. 
 
As the war between Llyr and Argant explodes, Effy and Preston find themselves caught in the crossfire: Effy losing her dreams and Preston losing himself in his. 
 
Are dreams ever truly just dreams?

Ava Reid

Reid takes one of Shakespeare's most interesting antiheroes and endows her with vulnerability, power and depth: a protagonist who's neither flower nor serpent, but something both more magical and more human. This is a darkly gorgeous feast of a book, rich with irony and invention. I was spellbound from the very first page.

Freya Marske, bestselling author of The Last Binding trilogy

Lady Macbeth is a dark, elegant, heart-stirring novel, beautifully written, rich with the history of language and of medieval Scotland. This tale of a tortured, appealing, resourceful woman carves its own life from the Scottish play in a unique and powerful way. I loved every page.

Louisa Morgan, author of The Ghosts of Beatrice Bird

Queen! Ava Reid has done it again in this gothic, atmospheric reclamation of the story of Lady Macbeth. Scotland's cold will seep into your bones, but the kernel of hope that burns in all Reid's stories will keep you warm as you watch the scheming, vulnerable Lady Roscille fight for her autonomy in a world that would define her in relation to men alone.

 Vaishnavi Patel, New York Times bestselling author of Kaikeyi

Lady Macbeth is a bewitching read with prose like gold.

Tasha Suri, World Fantasy award-winning author of The Jasmine Throne

Lady Macbeth is a knife of a book: blood-stained, sharply beautiful, and necessary. It doesn't retell Shakespeare so much as slice cleanly through it, revealing what was hidden beneath. I couldn't look away.

Alix E. Harrow, New York Times bestselling author of Starling House

As fierce and unrelenting as the Scottish wind, Reid paints a tender, wholly original portrait of one of Shakespeare’s most infamous characters. Fans of Circe will devour this story of a woman’s survival in a world that seeks to make her small. There’s one thing about Ava Reid; she doesn’t miss.

Sasha Peyton Smith, New York Times bestselling author of The Witch Haven

Reid’s exquisite marrying of story, theme, and aesthetic remains unparalleled. Lady Macbeth is a novel etched with a scalpel touch, flawlessly delivering the darkest depths of human relationships as well as the emotional brilliance of catharsis. A triumph of a retelling.

Shelley Parker-Chan, bestselling author of She Who Became the Sun

Lady Macbeth swept me away to a gothic Scotland, with danger, magic, and heartache at every turn of the page. Ava Reid's lyrical prose bled in every scene, haunting, sorrowful, and deeply romantic. Thrilling and poignant, this story is not to be missed.

Isabel Ibañez, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of What the River Knows

Ava Reid has composed a masterpiece of atmosphere and suspense. Lady Macbeth is a love letter to women whose magic and power will not stay silent. Reid&rsquo;s prose, as shimmeringly poetic as always, carries a story that will curl around your heart linger in your bones.

Victoria Lee, bestselling author of A Lesson in Vengeance

Deftly told and richly imagined, Lady Macbeth is a gothic fever dream with sharpened teeth.

Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author of The Foxglove King

Precise, unflinching, and soaringly ambitious, Lady Macbeth reimagines the story of Macbeth to perfection. Here, our Lady is endlessly, deservedly complex, and Reid's prose cuts to the bone.

Grace D. Li, New York Times bestselling author of Portrait of a Thief

A familiar tale made fresh by Ava Reid's skillful and deliberate pen, Lady Macbeth is a reinvention and a reclaiming of a literary figure we already think we know. With powerful phrasing and clever twists on the original, the result is a surprising and highly satisfying read.

Kendare Blake, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of the Three Dark Crowns series

A stunning, spellbinding, and exquisite tale that kept me riveted throughout the pages. Gorgeously written, haunting and dark, Lady Macbeth is an unforgettable retelling will set your imagination alight.

Sue Lynn Tan, Sunday Times bestselling author of Daughter of the Moon Goddess.

'Channelling the dark magic at the heart of one of Shakespeare's most intriguing anti-heroes, this reimagining of Lady Macbeth is full of witchcraft, deadly power games, dark schemes, supernatural elements, and a touch of romance.' 
Cosmopolitan 
 
'A gargantuan hit...Dark and brooding, skillful storytelling and intricate character development breathe new life into literature's most enigmatic character. Dripping in atmosphere...One to order immediately.' 
Glamour 
 
'Ava Reid has done it again in this gothic, atmospheric reclamation of the story of Lady Macbeth.' 
Vaishnavi Patel, New York Times bestselling author of Kaikeyi 
 
'A triumph of a retelling.' 
Shelley Parker-Chan, bestselling author of She Who Became the Sun------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
Fair is foul and foul is fair. 
 
From the Sunday Times bestselling author of A STUDY IN DROWNING comes a reimagining of Lady Macbeth, Shakespeare’s most famous villainess, giving her a voice, a past, and a power that transforms the story men have written for her. 
 
The Lady knows the stories: that her eyes induce madness in men. 
 
The Lady knows she will be wed to the Scottish brute, who does not leave his warrior ways behind when he comes to the marriage bed. 
 
The Lady knows his hostile, suspicious court will be a game of survival, requiring all of her wiles and hidden witchcraft to survive. 
 
But the Lady does not know her husband has occult secrets of his own. She does not know that prophecy girds him like armour. She does not know that her magic is greater, and more dangerous, and that it will threaten the order of the world. 
 
She does not know this yet. But she will.

Ava Reid

Praise for Lady Macbeth

Reid takes one of Shakespeare's most interesting antiheroes and endows her with vulnerability, power and depth: a protagonist who's neither flower nor serpent, but something both more magical and more human. This ...

Lady Macbeth is a dark, elegant, heart-stirring novel, beautifully written, rich with the history of language and of medieval Scotland. This tale of a tortured, appealing, resourceful woman carves its own ...

Queen! Ava Reid has done it again in this gothic, atmospheric reclamation of the story of Lady Macbeth. Scotland's cold will seep into your bones, but the kernel of hope that burns in all Reid's stories wi ...

Reid takes one of Shakespeare's most interesting antiheroes and endows her with vulnerability, power and depth: a protagonist who's neither flower nor serpent, but something both more magical and more human. This ...

Lady Macbeth is a dark, elegant, heart-stirring novel, beautifully written, rich with the history of language and of medieval Scotland. This tale of a tortured, appealing, resourceful woman carves its own ...

Queen! Ava Reid has done it again in this gothic, atmospheric reclamation of the story of Lady Macbeth. Scotland's cold will seep into your bones, but the kernel of hope that burns in all Reid's stories wi ...

Reid takes one of Shakespeare's most interesting antiheroes and endows her with vulnerability, power and depth: a protagonist who's neither flower nor serpent, but something both more magical and more human. This ...

Lady Macbeth is a dark, elegant, heart-stirring novel, beautifully written, rich with the history of language and of medieval Scotland. This tale of a tortured, appealing, resourceful woman carves its own ...

Queen! Ava Reid has done it again in this gothic, atmospheric reclamation of the story of Lady Macbeth. Scotland's cold will seep into your bones, but the kernel of hope that burns in all Reid's stories wi ...

Books by Ava Reid

Articles featuring Ava Reid

Quiz: what kind of reader are you?

Sign up to the Ava Reid newsletter

Follow penguin

Follow ladybird

Follow puffin

Sign up to the Penguin newsletter