Circe

Heather H, Bookseller

From birth, Circe is immediately deemed insignificant and strange. She is naive where the other gods are cynical; she strives for goodness when they crave only power. It is because of these differences that when the Olympians discover her and her siblings' magic, she alone is punished with banishment. Throughout her exile, though, she meets those who will become legend and witnesses the events that will become the stuff of myth. Miller expertly weaves a tale in which the Greek tragedies not only come alive, but are finally told through a woman's eyes.

Bethany D, Librarian

Another wonderful book from Madeline Miller! Can she just retell ALL the Greek myths? I loved how "Circe" breathed new life into the well-known story by putting Circe front and center. You definitely get a different perspective on the various characters in The Odyssey by seeing the events through Circe's eyes rather than Odysseus'. Miller has such a wonderful writing style; I'll read anything she writes.

Librarian 274549

Miller scores another winner with this beautifully written book. In her hands Circe comes alive, bringing to the reader not just insights into Circe, with whom many readers will not have been very familiar, but into the rest of us “mere mortals.” Narrated by Circe, the story focuses on overcoming imperfection and the actions of others by discovering oneself. Miller brings life to characters many of us know in a two-dimensional sense and makes us care about them much more than expected. This is a beautiful book that will touch its readers deeply.

Mickey G, Bookseller

Beautiful. Not that anyone is surprised, but Madeline Miller's writing is stunning. Even though Circe is not the sweeping love story that Song of Achilles is, I found myself pondering motherhood and mortality and feminism instead, and her prose is, always, the perfect balance between classical and modern.

Iryna K, Reviewer

5 out of 5 stars - and if I could give it more - I would. Circe by Madeline Miller is an utter masterpiece. It is a story of womanhood, family, love and self-discovery. It is written with precision - no word wasted, no story left open. Circe tells a story of a nymph, a daughter of Helios and Perse (an Oceanid nymph). After being born, she is scorned by her family and court because she is not beautiful and has no magical abilities. After a lifetime of mental abuse, Circe risk transforming a mortal into a god so that she can be happy with him. Alas, he falls in love with another, and Circe, in her jealousy, transforms her into the six headed monster Scyla. For this - she is exiled to the island Aiaia, after her brother tells her that what she can do is witchery. Here, Circe perfects her skills and grows to be strong. The fact that Miller made every single page interesting and deep is just incredible. Circe is not just a retelling of a Greek mythology, but it is a tale of a woman’s place in the world. The dichotomy of male and female, their place in the world, their expected behavior and even their dreams is stark here. I would go so far as to call this a feministic novel - with sexism all around Circe - she never gives up, never stops fighting and never looses her ‘humanity.’ Miller also makes a clear distinction of what it is to be mortal and immortal and what it is to be loved by a god and a human. I will warn readers about one thing - Miller stays true to the Greek Mythology and rape is prevalent in the book. I cannot in all honesty describe just how much I adored this book. I could spend a month writing the review and I will not do the book justice. Read it - you will not regret it. I will recommend this book to anyone who loves Greek mythology, any college student and any historical fiction lover. Miller is truly a master of re-telling Greek tragedies and I will wait eagerly for her next book.

Winner of the 2019 Indie Choice Award
Shortlisted for the 2019 Women's Prize for Fiction
Named one of the 'Best Books of 2018' by NPR, The Washington Post, Buzzfeed, People, Time, Amazon,Entertainment Weekly, Bustle, Newsweek, the A.V. Club, Christian Science Monitor, Southern Living,and Refinery 29.

"Circe,' [is] a bold and subversive retelling of the goddess's story that manages to be both epic and intimate in its scope, recasting the most infamous female figure from the Odyssey as a hero in her own right."—Alexandra Alter, New York Times

"One of the most amazing qualities of this novel [is]: We know how everything here turns out - we've known it for thousands of years - and yet in Miller's lush reimagining, the story feels harrowing and unexpected. The feminist light she shines on these events never distorts their original shape; it only illuminates details we hadn't noticed before."—Ron Charles, Washington Post

"[Miller] gives voice to Circe as a multifaceted and evolving character...'Circe' is very pleasurable to read, combining lively versions of familiar tales and snippets of other, related standards with a highly psychologized, redemptive and ultimately exculpatory account of the protagonist herself."—Claire Messud, New York Times Book Review

"The story of Circe's entanglement with Odysseus lasts far beyond the narrative of "The Odyssey," making for compelling material to revisit. But ultimately it's as a character that Circe stands apart....Through her elegant, psychologically acute prose, Miller gives us a rich female character who inhabits the spaces in between."
—Colleen Abel, Minneapolis Star Tribune