Circe - Review

 

Book Review:
Title: Circe
Author: Madeline Miller
Publisher: Bloomsbury UK

"It is a common saying that women are delicate creatures, flowers, eggs, anything that may be crushed in a moment’s carelessness. If I had ever believed it, I no longer did."

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.

Is Madeline Miller capable of writing a bad book? Based on The Song of Achilles, and now Circe, I’m going to say no, I just don’t think it’s possible – she is a wordsmith.

Greek mythology already is incredibly fascinating and entertaining, but when you mix in Madeline Miller’s exquisite writing and storytelling, you really do have yourself a masterpiece.

Being that it was the romance that initially drew me into reading and loving The Song of Achilles, and just being a general sucker for a good romance, I was a little hesitant about how immersed I would be by Circe given that romance isn’t one of the key focuses of this story. But there was so much heart and soul packed into this novel that it did feel like a love story – just instead of a traditional romance, it was Circe growing to love herself and her life, and me the reader loving Circe and her strength. Cheesy? Yes. But true? Also, yes.

(There is also some romance in this book, which I did quite enjoy, but honestly this book is WAYYYYY more than any romantic relationship Circe enters.)

I think what got me most was how captivating this book was without any major action. By that I mean this isn’t a book with constant fast-paced action/fight scenes, it’s actually quite a slow burn, focussed more on the details and the character development, but it’s that detail and growth of Circe’s character that makes the entire book so all-consuming. Spanning over many centuries, we see her grow from a young adolescent to an independent, brilliant witch, building a life for herself in a world where women are given no liberties. She has to navigate through some extremely tough and harrowing situations, but like the goddess she is, she’s never defeated and comes out stronger.

And even though it’s more of a slow burn, this book is packed to the brim with content and is never boring or dull. How could a book about Greek Mythology be boring when we all know Greek Gods are the most dramatic individuals in the world? So yes, it’s definitely a book driven by character development rather than action/plot, but in typical Mythology fashion, you can expect some messy God drama (I finally learnt how Minotaur’s came to be…)

Generally, Circe just felt like a very fulfilling book - from where it started to where it ended, I was extremely satisfied. It’s a powerful book about womanhood, sacrifice, kindness, and humanity. It’s a book that gives and teaches so much in such a subtle way, different in that aspect compared to The Song of Achilles, but just as poignant. Truly some of the best writing and characterisation out there!

If Madeline Miller decides to just write retellings of Greek Myths for the rest of my life, I would be 100% okay with that and devour every single delightful word.

4.5 Stars
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