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Circe
This #1 New York Times bestseller is a "bold and subversive retelling of the goddess's story" that brilliantly reimagines the life of Circe, formidable sorceress of The Odyssey (Alexandra Alter, TheNew York Times). 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. With unforgettably vivid characters, mesmerizing language, and page-turning suspense, Circe is a triumph of storytelling, an intoxicating epic of family rivalry, palace intrigue, love and loss, as well as a celebration of indomitable female strength in a man's world. #1 New York Times Bestseller -- named one of the Best Books of the Year by NPR, the Washington Post, People, Time, Amazon, Entertainment Weekly, Bustle, Newsweek, the A.V. Club, Christian Science Monitor, Refinery 29, Buzzfeed, Paste, Audible, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Thrillist, NYPL, Self, Real Simple, Goodreads, Boston Globe, Electric Literature, BookPage, the Guardian, Book Riot, Seattle Times, and Business Insider.
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Community Reviews
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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