Book Review – Circe by Madeline Miller

Title: Circe

Author: Madeline Miller

Publisher: Little, Brown, and Company

Publication date: April 10th, 2018

393 pages

3/5 stars

Goodreads Synopsis

In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child – not 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 the mortals she has come to love.

Review

“He showed me his scars, and in return he let me pretend that I had none.”

Madeline Miller, Circe

I’ve seen Circe all over bookstagram and had it on my TBR for awhile, but had never gotten around to it. When I asked friends for recommendations for 12 Friends, 12 Reads, Circe was given as a choice so it made sense to read it in 2021. Circe is based on greek mythology – the legend of Circe, daughter of Helios and her exile to a deserted island. Other greek stories are featured in the book, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and Icarus, and Odysseus.

I have not had a lot of experience with greek mythology, it’s not a topic I’ve spent time learning or reading about and it really wasn’t taught in any of my school classes. But, I’ve determined that it just might not be the best topic for me in terms of reading as I was simply bored through it. I didn’t enjoy the representation of the Titans and gods as they were extremely conceited, thoughtless, selfish, and downright mean to everyone. I just don’t get enjoyment from reading personalities like that – though I of course understand that there are reasons why it’s written that way.

So, I’m sure if you know you’re a fan of greek mythology this book will be for you. Based on all the recommendations from people who loved it I feel confident saying that even if it wasn’t my favorite.

Happy reading, folks!