CIRCE

It is a common saying that women are delicate creatures, flowers, eggs, anything that may be crushed in a moment's carelessness. If I had ever believed it, I no longer did.

I loved this book! I was really looking forward to reading it after I finished the Song of Achilles last year and it did not disappoint. I loved Circe's character and growth in the novel and I enjoyed seeing how various points in mythology connected to her.

The Odyssey is one of my favorite Greek myths from childhood (Arthur episode anyone?) and I couldn't wait to see how he and Circe interacted. I also enjoyed the fact that Circe's story didn't end with Odysseus leaving. For some reason, I thought it would. But it continued and I loved how it affected Circe and her interactions for years to come.

Incredibly enjoyable read that I will recommend to everyone!

Coming into this book, I didn't know what to expect at all. I was immediately taken with the writing style and found it enjoyable to read. At times, I found the arc a bit weak, but I liked the main character enough to overlook it. Though it's a book about Greek myth, it was less fantastical than I was expecting. Circe's experiences and feelings are actually very mortal and relatable: love, longing, loss, loneliness, fear, courage. Overall, it was a really nice read.

3.75 stars, the first 300 pages were fantastic, but the last 100 were a STRUGGLE to get through, I was begging for it to be over. At the same time, that’s probably what Circe was feeling too, maybe that was her intent.

3.75 out of 5. Truly a blend of Grecian literary elements, this epic fantastical story is filled with mostly tragedy. Circe, daughter of Helios and Perse does not treasure the divine, and rightfully so - they are portrayed as vapid, baleful, and egocentric. Madeline Miller is gifted at reworking classic mythology into a modern novel.

I thought I liked Song of Achilles, but this was better. To the point I think I need to revise my review on SOA because I think this will stick with me longer. Miller really captures a kind of otherworldliness that gods should have while maintaining humanity in mortal characters. Really enjoyed reading from Circe's perspective. I'm probably slightly biased to give this 5 stars because I love Greek mythology, but the prose justifies it.