Circe

Name: Circe
ISBN: 9781526619198

First published 2018
352 pages
English
Classic

In the house of Helios, god of the sun, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child, not powerful like her father nor alluring like her mother. Scorned by her divine family, she turns to mortals for companionship and discovers a power forbidden to the gods: witchcraft. When this power threatens the gods themselves, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island. There, she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts, and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in mythology, including Daedalus, Medea, and the wily Odysseus.

A solitary woman in a world ruled by men and gods, Circe unwittingly draws wrath and danger to her shores. To protect what she loves most, she must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods from whom she is born or the mortals she has come to love. This novel recasts one of the most infamous female figures from the Odyssey as a hero in her own right, exploring an epic story of family rivalry, palace intrigue, and a celebration of indomitable female strength.

Genres: Fiction › Historical fiction Fiction › Speculative fiction › Fantasy › Epic fantasy Fiction › Speculative fiction › Science fiction Fiction › Myths & folk tales › Fairy tales Fiction › Action & adventure
Themes: Gender › Feminism Mythical & supernatural beings › Gods Coming of age Magic
Where and when: Ancient Greece United States
Style: Form: Anthology Audience: Children Origin: Retelling

What readers say

4.22

1.5M ratings across the web

8 in 10 readers loved it

Madeline Miller’s Circe is widely celebrated for its captivating and lyrical prose, with many reviewers hailing the author as one of the best contemporary writers. Readers consistently praise the book's immersive quality, noting how the writing draws them completely into Circe’s world from the first page. The character of Circe herself is a major highlight, described as complex, resilient, and deeply relatable, despite her divine nature. Reviewers appreciate her journey of self-discovery, empowerment, and finding her own voice, often citing it as a profoundly impactful and inspiring aspect of the narrative. The retelling is lauded for offering a fresh, unique, and often feminist perspective on classic Greek mythology, making familiar tales feel new and engaging for both seasoned mythology enthusiasts and newcomers alike.

However, some readers found the book's pacing inconsistent, with several noting that the plot felt slow and meandering in its middle sections, detracting from the overall "epic" feel. A point of contention for some was the character development and structure, with concerns that too many characters made brief appearances without sufficient depth, making it difficult to form strong emotional connections. While many celebrated the book's feminist themes, a minority felt that it did not fully deliver on this promise, arguing that Circe's narrative still revolved heavily around her relationships with men or that other female characters were not sufficiently empowered. Some also expressed a wish for a more radical reimagining of the myths rather than a retelling that, in their view, occasionally adhered too closely to the original source material.

Despite these criticisms, Circe is overwhelmingly considered a beautiful, intelligent, and highly recommended read by the majority of reviewers, with many calling it a masterpiece. It is particularly recommended for lovers of Greek mythology, those who appreciate character-driven stories of self-discovery and empowerment, and readers who enjoy lyrical and evocative prose. Fans of Madeline Miller’s previous work, The Song of Achilles, are also likely to find this a compelling and emotionally resonant experience.