circe by Madeline Miller

85th book of 2021

Reading period: October 16th 2021 – October 18th 2021

Summary

In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe has neither the look nor the voice of divinity, and is scorned and rejected by her kin. Increasingly isolated, she turns to mortals for companionship, leading her to discover a power forbidden to the gods: witchcraft.

When love drives Circe to cast a dark spell, wrathful Zeus banishes her to the remote island of Aiaia. There she learns to harness her occult craft, drawing strength from nature. But she will not always be alone; many are destined to pass through Circe’s place of exile, entwining their fates with hers. The messenger god, Hermes. The craftsman, Daedalus. A ship bearing a golden fleece. And wily Odysseus, on his epic voyage home.

There is danger for a solitary woman in this world, and Circe’s independence draws the wrath of men and gods alike. To protect what she holds dear, Circe must decide whether she belongs with the deities she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love.

Trigger Warnings: gory birth scene, rape, sexual assault

Rating

Review

Circe isn’t a myth that I know the most, so it was a great discovery, and I had an agreeable time reading it.

I like to read all those retellings, especially from a woman pov as you re-discover famous from a different but interesting pov. It is also a great way to discover greek mythology without reading the classics, as you follow characters that are in those books.

This book about Circe is a page-turner; you are dived into this story with these mostly despicable characters and a woman who searches for her true self. She is the daughter of a titan, but she is the most human in all of those steps in her life. I become attached to her because you have her pov and her thoughts and feelings. The thing is, as you read, you only want good things for her future.

I will continue to read myth retellings as I’m a fan of greek myths and because a change of pov is always refreshing.

Liz.