Hardcover, 393 pages
English language
Published April 10, 2018 by Little, Brown and Company.
The daring, dazzling, and highly anticipated follow-up to the New York Times bestseller The Song Of Achilles that briliantly reimagines the life of Circe, formidable sorceress of the Odyssey.
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 obviously 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 …
The daring, dazzling, and highly anticipated follow-up to the New York Times bestseller The Song Of Achilles that briliantly reimagines the life of Circe, formidable sorceress of the Odyssey.
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 obviously 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 with 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.
... but it was still really good! (obviously all ya standard trigger warnings for greek mythology that i probably should have considered before reading it but yk)
This book is SPECTACULAR - it's hard to put down. Mythology/Greek literature has always been a bit daunting to me, but Miller is able to create a readable epic. Greek lit tends to be so male-centric, so this narration is so novel and exciting. Super vivid imagery and powerful characterizations!
I forgot how much I love reading good fiction. Many other folks said the pacing was slow, and while I agree to some extent, I think Miller used the pacing to reflect on immortality and the true length of time for one who is immortal.
Gorgeous storytelling!
Overrated but still worth reading. There is a lot about the mythic gods in this book where it helps if u know about these gods already. Lots of family incest and rape that is apparently normal and ok among these gods that u hear the main character talk about as if its nothing, and no love among them either. Overall I didnt like any of the characters and didnt feel like I got to know the main character either, and it lacks depth, but its still worth a read and is unique in this genre and story.
Beautifully written prose. I loved the retelling and I thought the angle was interesting. Can't say I generally gush over this sort of mythology but Miller kept me engaged throughout.
Circe retrace l’histoire de l’incomprise Circé, amante et antagoniste d’Ulysse. Les mythes grecs donnent toujours le beau rôle aux hommes et aux dieux, mais les femmes, les déesses et les entre-deux (demi-déesses, nymphes, etc…) ont dû attendre des millénaires pour que justice leur soit rendue dans les histoires à leur sujet.
Un très bon livre.
I'm not much into Greek mythology I realised. If you are, this book is certainly recomendable. The way, Circe tells her story makes all the gods, titans and nymphs more tangible.
The 2-star rating here doesn't mean this is a bad book by any means. All reviews are subjective, and this is just where I am on Circe right now. I think Circe breathes fresh life into the old epics. I'm interested in reading more of Miller's work in Greek mythology. But when I look back on this book, I can't bring myself to say I "liked" it. I am not intimately familiar with Greek epics, and I feel this book would be best appreciated by those who are.
Love the great classic stories of greek mythology and really loved this retelling of Circe from the Odyssey. A strong feminist retelling seems appropriate in the era of #metoo. Of note, her performing catharsis for Medea, midwifing the Minotaur, her relationship with Odysseus, and how she stands up to the likes of Helios, her father, and the goddess Athena. I was moved by the ending that made the case for transformation and humanity.
This is probably my favorite book of all time.
I'm not currently a fan of Greek mythology but that didn't really seem to matter. This was a fun read.
I bumped this book to the top of my to-read list after a videogames-fueled micro-obsession with Greek mythology (shoutouts to Hades by Supergiant Games) and I couldn't have possibly chosen a better book to sate my cravings for more modern takes on said epic stories. Circe is a beautifully written, briskly paced, smartly structured retelling of a story I didn't really have much previous knowledge of, but it feels both satisfyingly mythological and powerfully timely/modern. It's a book about healing, carving a destiny of your own (relatable, but particularly difficult for divine beings in this setting!), choosing your own family and most importantly, how hard all of those things are to get right. And, thankfully, it's powerfully optimistic too. I enormously enjoyed this, couldn't put it down and find it incredibly easy to recommend. What a good book.
I'm honestly not sure what to say about this book. It's well written, no question there. I adore Miller's prose for how evocative they are. But if you're looking for a repeat of heartbreak that is The Song of Achilles, you'll be a little disappointed.
Most of the characters in the beginning are horrible people. None of them really redeem themselves either. But Circe is relate-able. Particularly her themes of abandonment and isolation.
It's particularly interesting how Miller can create this piece and make us feel the sense of isolation without it feeling too boring or depressing. Was I completely captivated the entire time? No. But was it ever a question that I wouldn't finish? No.
Seeing the prose of Circe mixed with the characters and emotionality of TSOA, I really hope that Miller moves beyond just Greek works and continues to write engaging tales. She's a talented writer, and …
I'm honestly not sure what to say about this book. It's well written, no question there. I adore Miller's prose for how evocative they are. But if you're looking for a repeat of heartbreak that is The Song of Achilles, you'll be a little disappointed.
Most of the characters in the beginning are horrible people. None of them really redeem themselves either. But Circe is relate-able. Particularly her themes of abandonment and isolation.
It's particularly interesting how Miller can create this piece and make us feel the sense of isolation without it feeling too boring or depressing. Was I completely captivated the entire time? No. But was it ever a question that I wouldn't finish? No.
Seeing the prose of Circe mixed with the characters and emotionality of TSOA, I really hope that Miller moves beyond just Greek works and continues to write engaging tales. She's a talented writer, and I am eager to see what she does next.
Not my normal read, but a very well written and enjoyable story.
Update: Still just as good after the second reading!
Original: I really enjoyed this. I don't know much of anything about Circe in mythology so I don't know how true this is to the source material but it was very well written and very engaging. It makes me want to read more European mythology.
