Ratings Explained

 Title: Circe

Author: Madeline Miller

Date Published: April 10, 2018

Pages: 385

Rating: 4 Stars

Summary (Goodreads):

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.

Review:

This book tells the story of the daughter of Helios, Circe and her journey to find herself across multiple generations. From the moment Circe was born, her father knew she had no divinity powers and was cast aside. It's not until she discovers her powers of witchcraft that the powerful Gods start to take notice; however, she is exiled to her own island, Aiaia. With her new powers of witchcraft, although alone, is finally able to understand not her fathers power, but her own inner power. Throughout this novel, she is faced with many trials but only help to demonstrate the kind of character Circe is.

I found this novel on tiktok and was interested in the greek mythology portion of this story since I recently took a class on greek myth at my college. Let me start by saying that although this novel features many key figures in greek mythology, this book is less about the mythology aspect and more about female empowerment. Circe is a character who has been judged, treated horribly but still finds a way to rise above it and grow. By no means is she perfect and trust me she takes her power out on men throughout the story, but in most cases it was well deserved. Circe grows so much throughout this book, and her journey is one that anyone who has ever doubted themselves can relate to. 

This is the first book I have read my Madeline Miller, and she did not disappoint. Her writing was so beautiful and compelling that I wanted to keep on reading. She is able to create a character such as Circe that has done horrible things but is still able to have human characteristics despite her divinity. Her regret and guilt separates her from her family and makes her a relatable character. Honestly, my favorite part of this book was the ending. The last chapter is so beautifully written and ties the whole book together that I wanted to keep reading it over and over again.  My one problem with this book is that time in certain parts tended to jump. I know that this book needed to span across generations since she is immortal, but in the beginning, I felt like some of the chapters tended to skip a couple decades with no notice. It did get better throughout the novel, and it flowed much better. Overall, I loved this book and the messages it can teach the readers about one's own inner power.