Circe

This was the book I asked for for last Christmas, I have a tradition of after cooking the dinner, the rest of the day is mine to read my present - and reader, I finished it before the Day was out. I adored Circe, her independence, the idea that you could go your own way, even in the world of Zeus.
Books I read have to take me away from where I am - and this one certainly did that (and it got me out of the washing up!)

A witch, mythological beings, sea monsters, lovers, and pigs—what’s not to like? Circe resonates with the power of the feminine, in both her vulnerability and in her anger. Madeline Miller depicts a societal hierarchy of lesser Greek gods in her novel, all of them wrangling for some favor or ascendance from Zeus or another of the great gods. Exiled to an island, Circe adheres her own rules and way of living and ignores what is over the sea. Yet the gods cannot be escaped, and she must play the game that they have demanded of her, while trying to avoid… show more.

I loved this book for the way Madeline Miller creatively retells Greek myths with a female protagonist. As Circe grows up, she discovers her power of magic, which can transform enemies into monsters and even challenge the gods.

Bold and inspiring, Miller vividly strings together figures like Prometheus, Medea, Calypso, Odysseus, and the Minotaur in a feminist reimagining of Circe's life. I find it to be a thoughtful and well-crafted biography of a complex and engaging mythological character with both divine and human strengths and flaws. I have read it several times, and the story has maintained its appeal.

As cliche as it may sound, I couldn’t stop reading this book once I started reading the first chapter. Every page was vivid and full of fantasy, yet it carefully described Circe’s mind. Somehow I could relate to the main protagonist, Circe on every level even though we didn’t have many common traits since she was an enchantress and a minor goddess.

I remember being obsessed with this book even after finishing the book. Obviously, I had to reread it and then start to illustrate the main scenes in my own book. Those images popped up in my head while… show more.

This is my favorite retelling of Greek mythology from a woman’s (well, goddess’s) point of view. Margaret Miller uses her deep knowledge of the ancient texts—she trained as a classicist—to transform them, giving a big player from the Odyssey her own story and a compelling narrative voice.

The book excels at world-building, with striking descriptions that make its mythological universe a place you can see and touch. And Circe herself is both strange enough to be fascinating and yet powerfully empathetic. This is the book I was looking for as a teenager, but I only appreciated it fully in middle… show more.

Gosh, I loved this book. I’ve re-read it countless times. It is one of my favorite protagonists. She’s fiery and strong, and she knows herself, but the book takes you through her journey, where she starts off as a very quiet but curious girl. Her character development is one of my favorites ever.

This story has a really descriptive and rich world that I could picture clearly in my head, which is why I never wanted to finish the book. As a mythology lover, this story also ticked so many boxes for me.

It doesn’t hurt to be a goddess—even a minor goddess—that is, unless you are condemned to live alone on an enchanted island for eternity. I love the magic and herbology woven into Circe's character. (I love anything that has to do with harnessing nature’s powerful, innate wisdom.)

Circe’s suffering at the hands of gods and men is as intense as if she were a human woman. Yet she is immortal. Is there no end to it? Thankfully, even a goddess can grow. 

I absolutely love strong female leads in books, and Circe has a variety of complex heroines. I also love how various myths are woven into the story in a very natural way. To top it off, I really enjoy Miller’s writing. She is such a gifted storyteller. I could not put this book down!

The contemporary gold standard for retelling the stories of vilified figures and asking what it would be like to actually live those lives. Circe is much more than a goddess who didn’t fit on Olympus or a figure in a couple of books of The Odyssey.

Here, Miller shows meaningful connections with sundry mythological figures who drifted through her life in the stories, but rather than glossing over their connections, she digs into how they changed who she was. By the time Odysseus arrives on her island, she feels like a much more robust figure than he does.

I loved this book as much for the writing itself as the story. Miller creates a lush world of numinous magic.

I could not stop listening to this retelling of the life of Circe. She was the daughter of the sun god and the most feared sorceress of her time. She was given a bad rap by history, but I felt like I understood her and could see into her heart and mind.

In addition, the worldbuilding is wonderful. I felt like I was taken to ancient Greece.