L ady MacBethad by Isabelle Schuler, was adapted from a screenplay written by the author, into her debut novel. Unlike Lady MacBethad’s illustrious eponymous forerunner, I imagine very few people (me included) are even aware that she actually existed. Women’s histories have tended to be overlooked by male-dominated historians and chroniclers for centuries, and it’s both fascinating and gratifying to see the current trend reversing that situation.
Coupled with the mysticism and romance of the ancient Picts in a land steeped in folklore and magic, the real Lady MacBethad’s story makes for a compelling read.
Synopsis of Lady MacBethad by Isabelle Schuler
B ased on what little is known of the historic figure upon whom Shakespeare based his infamous Scottish play, Lady MacBethad tells the story of Gruoch, a Pictish princess and granddaughter of King Kenneth III who ruled Scotland from 1005 to 1034.
Picti means painted one, Gruoch tells us in her opening line. Her ancestors used to paint their bodies in whirling patterns of vibrant blue, red and green giving them an otherworldly appearance.
Young Gruoch forms a strong alliance with her grandmother, the daughter of druids who, in defiance of the laws of the land and to the eternal annoyance of her son, Gruoch’s father, still practiced her ancient arts. In punishment for her continued defiance of him, Gruoch’s father exiles his mother to an island in the middle of a lake. Once a year, Gruoch and her mother go to visit her grandmother on her island for their ‘pagan pilgrimage’ as they refer to it.
During one such visit, Gruoch’s grandmother prophesies the future that lies in wait for her granddaughter:
You will be the greatest of us all. Your fame will spread through all of Alba and into England. All the land your feet can touch and your eyes can see is yours, and you belong to it.
Will I be a queen? I ventured…
You will be so much more. You will be immortalised.
Utterly consumed by the prophecy, Gruoch determines to ensure it comes true and despite forming a burgeoning relationship with her friend MacBethad, agrees to marry Duncan, heir elect to the throne, and sets out to join him at the royal seat at Scone.
But all does not go to plan and in a land and time where women are mere pawns on male power boards, Gruoch is forced to try to manipulate her own future, still determined that she will fulfil her grandmother’s prophesy.
My Review
I admit I was sceptical when I first picked up Lady MacBethad by Isabelle Schuler. I thought it was a brave move to take such a well-known character created by the world’s greatest playwright and effectively reinvent her, particularly given how little is known of the real Lady MacBethad. But Schuler handles it beautifully, eschewing Shakespear’s depiction of a ruthless manipulator in favour of a woman who is simply trying, against all odds, to take some control over her own future. Throughout her struggles, it’s her grandmother’s mantra that keeps Gruoch on track:
You must survive, little Groa. Of all of us, you must survive.
Taking the scant information history reveals of Gruoch’s life, Schuler weaves a classic tale of chivalry, sibling rivalries, and power struggles in a lawless land.
We encounter potions, manipulations, betrayals, and murder as we watch Gruoch mature from spoilt brat, feisty tomboy to noble and spirited beauty, the wild landscapes of ancient Alba reflecting our heroine’s turbulent life as she travels from Fife to Moray via Perth, Inverness, and Scone.
I loved it.
