CIRCE

this author is a great writer and i had a lot of fun reading this!

The ending captured the beauty of humanity and simplicity very well

it did take me a while to read as the book was sort of in snippets of various Greek myths so it was easy to put down between stories and time periods but overall i really enjoyed it!

I read and enjoyed Song of Achilles so decided to give Circe a try as I enjoy Greek mythology. I was not disappointed. The story is beautifully written with some nods to Song of Achilles so I'd advise reading Achilles before reading Circe.

I will say, though I enjoyed this book, there was a LOT of repetition of describing "walking along the sand" and describing nature thar could possibly have been left out.

It's a very good book.

This book has reignited my curiosity and love for Greek mythology. Once, I've wanted to properly learn of all the stories that ancient Greece held alongside them. I wanted to read the book by Edith Hamilton, but since I couldn't get it in the library, and nor could I convince my parents to get it for me, I decided to let it go. Now I'm more determined than ever to get my hands on one of those Greek mythology books that are available, and I cannot wait. That being said, this book isn't as great I would have expected.

Circe is born to Helios, god of the sun. She is a daughter of one of the greatest Titans, but she is not impressionable, unlike her father and her mother. A great prophecy was never said about her. She was destined to be a nobody. Or was she? As the loneliness in the house of Helios grew, she began to sought out the company of mortals. It was during this time that she discovered she has the talent for witchcraft, a magic strong enough to deter even the toughest of gods. Threatened, Zeus decided to banish her to a deserted island, where she would live for hundreds of years. During that time, while she honed her powers, she crosses paths with many who have found their way into heroic stories; of the Minotaur, Daedalus and his son Icarus, Medea, and Odysseus.

I have to admit I have mixed feelings about this book. I find that the first half of this book is more interesting than the next half, but it is depressing to read as well. Interesting, because I get to read and learn more about the world of the Greek gods. Depressing, because Circe, while in the world of her relatives, is not loved. Not by anyone. I have to say, although the second half of the book holds more content from stories written down in mythology, it... drags, and still it remains disheartening to read. I couldn't see where the plot was going; there was no main plot. Just snippets of short stories gathered together to form a book. Once the arc of the Minotaur and Daedalus was over, Medea arrived. Once Medea had gone, Odysseus came, and went. The only constant was Circe. Helios and the other gods stayed true to their coldness, and barely made an appearance. Who did only meant her harm, nothing more (and it just has to be one of my favourites!). Throughout it all, I always wished for someone who truly loves her to be by her side forever.

That said, I do admire Circe's character. Once so weak and easily bullied, she grew to become stronger. She learned to be kinder to herself, and allowed herself to let go of relatives who wanted nothing to do with her. Throughout her terribly hard life, her kindness prevails. It pains me to have her taken advantage of so many times, but her good character despite it all makes me like her even more.

Audiobook listen. I love Greek mythology, so this was a nice read for me. Not as special as I wanted it to be after seeing the reviews, but I did enjoy the overarching story.