Circe

by Madeline Miller

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About this book

In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child--neither powerful like her father nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power: the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves.

Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts, and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus.

But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from or with the mortals she has come to love.

““You are wise,” he said. “If it is so,” I said, “it is only because I have been fool enough for a hundred lifetimes.”

Count your Coffees!

Circe was, for me, without a doubt, a five Coffee kind of book, although the fact I grew up reading the Classical Greek myths might have something to do with that.

I loved this retelling of many classical tales, with subtle hints and references to the Ancient Greek texts. While you don't have to have read the classics, and can easily discover them through this book, I find it does help to understand and enjoy the richness of this book. Some references might be lost to a reader who has not read these stories before.

The language used to retell the story of Circe is beautiful and poetic, even when the story grows dark and harsh.

This book is clearly written by someone with a profound knowledge of the ancient stories and a deep respect for them. Yet, it is more than just another modern version of the same stories though. Told from the narrative perspective of Circe, it sheds a more modern light on these stories, showing them from another perspective.

While Circe, being the woman she is, is shown with her faults, she is never demonized as she was in many versions of her tale before this book. Instead, the book challenges set 'ideals' such as gender roles, equality and the patriarchy.

Madeline Miller flawlessly drags these ancient stories into the modern times. Respectfully, but never idolizing.

Buy this book: https://amzn.to/3OUgxU6

This site earns a small commission fee if you buy using any of the commercial links. This will not cost you anything extra, but helps me invest in the content I offer you free of charge. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for your patronage, it makes all the difference!