Queen Hereafter

A Novel

By: Isabelle Schuler

Narrated by: Sara Vickers

“A bruising tale of passion, ambition, power, vengeance, and desire . . . a stunning retelling.” —Entertainment Weekly, Most Anticipated Books of Fall

“Suspenseful, atmospheric and full of twists and turns, I loved the brutal, backstabbing world that Isabelle Schuler conjures up where only the most ruthless can survive. A thoroughly enjoyable read!”—Jennifer Saint, bestselling author of Ariadne and Elektra

An instant international bestseller: a suspenseful, sweeping historical epic for readers of Natalie Haynes and Madeline Miller, which boldly reimagines the origin story of the woman who inspired one of Shakespeare’s most iconic characters, Lady Macbeth.

She will be Queen. Whatever it takes . . .

Daughter of an ousted king, descendant of ancient druids, Gruoch (GREW-ock), has grown up believing that she will be crowned queen of Alba and reclaim the lands of her Pictish kin, a prophecy seemingly fulfilled by her betrothal to Duncan, the heir-elect.

Determined never to be powerless again, she leaves behind her home, her family, and her close friend MacBethad, and travels to the royal seat at Scone to embrace her new position. But Duncan’s court is rife with sly words and unfriendly faces, women desperate to usurp her position, and others whose motives are shrouded in mystery.

As her coronation approaches, a deadly turn of events forces Gruoch to flee Duncan and the capital. Alone and at the mercy of an old enemy, her hope of becoming Queen all but lost, Gruoch must make a fateful choice: live a long, quiet life in the shadows, or seize vengeance and a path back to the throne.

A stunning literary reclamation of an iconic character, Queen Hereafter is a gripping story of female ambition, power, history, desire, hate, and vengeance set against the backdrop of early medieval Scotland.

Enjoyable Read

I was excited to find this book but was hesitant based on some of the reviews, but since Macbeth is my favorite Shakespeare story I decided to give it a try. I was not disappointed, although I did find Grouch to be a frustrating character from time to time. Still, I thought the book was an enjoyable reimagining of a story I love so much. It has good pace and the narrator was great.

A Good Listen

It certainly is written well but paced slowly in my opinion. You don’t need to be a Shakespeare lover to enjoy!