Circe

by Madeline Miller

English language

ISBN:: 978-1-4088-9004-2

(283 reviews)

Circe is a 2018 novel by American writer Madeline Miller. Set during the Greek Heroic Age, it is an adaptation of various Greek myths, most notably the Odyssey, as told from the perspective of the witch Circe. The novel explores Circe's origin story and narrates Circe's encounters with mythological figures such as Hermes, the Minotaur, Jason, and Medea, and ultimately her romance with Odysseus and her son by him, Telegonus.

16 editions

stupidlamb reviewed Circe: A Novel by Madeline Miller

Review of 'Circe' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

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.

João-Luis reviewed Circe: A Novel by Madeline Miller

Review of 'Circe' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

7/10

Adrián Astur Álvarez reviewed Circe: A Novel by Madeline Miller

Review of 'Circe' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

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.

Jaelyn reviewed Circe: A Novel by Madeline Miller

Review of 'Circe' on 'Storygraph'

5 stars

A beautiful adaptation of Greek Myths and Mythology from the perspective of Circe, witch and daughter of the Titan Helios. Banished to a remote island by Zeus after her witchcraft is revealed, she turns to passing mortals from Greek mythos over 100s of years for companionship.

joachim@lire.boitam.eu reviewed Circé by Madeline Miller

Les compliments sont mérités

5 stars

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.

paven reviewed Circe: A Novel by Madeline Miller

Review of 'Circe' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

One of the best fantasy - mythology writings i read.

WardenRed reviewed Circe: A Novel by Madeline Miller

None

5 stars

They do not care if you are good. They barely care if you are wicked. The only thing that makes them listen is power.

A lovely, haunting read. Miller's prose here is even more vivid, I felt, than it was in The Song of Achilles, and I absolutely love how she writes about the Greek gods. Every deity she paints on the page matches my perception of them so perfectly. The mortal characters whose lives touch Circe's make an impact that is no less lasting—Odysseus and his entire family in particular, but also characters like Daedalus. The pacing is pretty slow, but there's never a dull moment in Circe's life journey, and every little detail continues to be relevant throughout the story.

They do not care if you are good. They barely care if you are wicked. The only thing that makes them listen is power.

philipp reviewed Circe: A Novel by Madeline Miller

Review of 'Circe' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

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.

Mollarom reviewed Circe: A Novel by Madeline Miller

Review of 'Circe' on 'Goodreads'

2 stars

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.

Loena reviewed Circe: A Novel by Madeline Miller

None

4 stars

Beautifully written journey into mythology from the perspective of the goddess Circe. Watch her being born and developing into a badass witch woman aware of her own strength and sufficient unto herself. Many themes are touched upon, including self-development, womanhood, mortality, and recurrently, learning how to navigate being a woman in a world ruled by men. The whole book is bathed in an atmosphere of magic enchantment.

“Her calm grey eyes held mine. Her brow was arched like a temple, I thought. Graceful and enduring.”

martattack reviewed Circe: A Novel by Madeline Miller

Review of 'Circe' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Awesome concept of narrating the Greek myths from the POV of a woman (a witch!). Makes reading Greek mythology so much more enjoyable when it's not mysoginistic af!!! Same cool concept as "The Silence of the Girls" by Pat Barker but muuuch better executed (sorry for bashing Pat). It is beautifully written and gives depth and power to women that have been dismissed for over 2000 years. Also tbh a lovely way to read about Greek mythology and I'll probably never forget the myths that Circe is involved in.

awboonstra reviewed Circe: A Novel by Madeline Miller

Review of 'Circe' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

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.

Jay Beaman reviewed Circe: A Novel by Madeline Miller

Review of 'Circe' on 'Storygraph'

5 stars

This is probably my favorite book of all time.

Trey Hunner reviewed Circe: A Novel by Madeline Miller

Review of 'Circe' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

I'm not currently a fan of Greek mythology but that didn't really seem to matter. This was a fun read.

Sergio reviewed Circe: A Novel by Madeline Miller

Review of 'Circe' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

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.