Queen Hereafter: A Novel of Lady Macbeth

How did Lady Macbeth become Lady Macbeth? This novel tells the story of Gruoch, granddaughter of both kings and druids. Gruoch’s father is a mormaer, but as the son of the former king, he is a threat to King Malcolm, and when Gruoch’s brother is born, his position and the family’s safety are in danger. After her mother takes her own life, Gruoch and her family flee north to Burghead, where the mormaer of Moray takes them in. It is here that Gruoch first meets Macbethad, whom she is promised to as a teen. But when given the opportunity to break her betrothal to Macbethad in favor of Duncan, the heir elect, Gruoch must accept and leave everything she has grown to love behind, for her grandmother prophesied that she would be queen, and Gruoch will do anything to make it true. A captivating tale about the real-life queen who inspired Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth and the trials she faced on her way to the throne. Gruoch narrates her own story, which begins at the age of five, laying bare her complicated emotions and motivations. Hers is an inspiring tale of women finding ways to maneuver their positions to find their power in a man’s world. Scenes of violence and intimacy make this more appropriate for older teens.