“A bold and subversive retelling of the goddess’s story,” this #1 New York Times bestseller is “both epic and intimate in its scope, recasting the most infamous female figure from the Odyssey as a hero in her own right” (Alexandra Alter, The New York Times). 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 … 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.
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.
#1 New York Times Bestseller — named one of the Best Books of the Year by NPR, the Washington Post, People, Time, Amazon, Entertainment Weekly, Bustle, Newsweek, the A.V. Club, Christian Science Monitor, Refinery 29, Buzzfeed, Paste, Audible, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Thrillist, NYPL, Self, Real Simple, Goodreads, Boston Globe, Electric Literature, BookPage, the Guardian, Book Riot, Seattle Times, and Business Insider.
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Bullfinchs Mythology was a favorite of mine as a young reader. No surprise that I enjoyed this book immensely.
The story starts out slow..but builds steadily in it’s narrative power. You do not need to know the Greek Myths to enjoy it! You will be amazed how much you love it…and you will gain knowledge you did not have before!
I loved this book!! The author has taken a relatively minor character in The Odessey & made her life into a fascinating, lyrical & spellbinding story. It’s wonderful.
I have long been a fan of Ancient Greek mythology. I reread The Odyssey and Iliad at least once a year. What happens to Odysseus and Penelope and Telemachus at the close of the Odyssey has always been a question for me. What happened to Scylla and Circe and Calypso and other mythological gods and heroes. Madeline Miller presents a wonderful answer to all the questions in Circe.
It is a beautiful book, very hard to put down. The manner in which she portrays Odysseus, first in her encounter with him and later in the way he is described to her by his son Telemachus and wife Penelope, makes him a real individual, much more real than the manner in which he presents himself in the Odyssey. Miller breathes life into ancient heroes in a manner that I have not found elsewhere. Her Song of Achilles did the same for that man of war. Circe, herself, becomes a living, breathing individual fully three dimensional.
This was one of the few books I have read that I really didn’t want to end. I could go on reading it forever. Miller is an exceptional talent, brilliant and beatiful. I eagerly await her next offering. There is a reason that these stories remain compelling after nearly 3000 years, and Miller makes them even more so.
This is a must read for anyone interested in Greek Mythology. Fascinating!
This book is vulgar and poorly written. I had hoped to share it with my preteen granddaughter who has read mythology since she was quite young. I was apalled by the unnecessary use of vulgar words and phrases. What a poor excuse for a mythology book.
I have to admit, at first I wasn’t sure if I liked this book. I wondered if it was just a Greek mythology uninspiring rework, but as I kept reading, I loved the character building of Circe. She was complex, flawed, fierce, and tenacious. If you like Greek mythology, I would highly recommend it and even if you don’t, because if you love a strong female character, this book is for you.
Wonderful Storytelling
I loved the connections made through Circe to so many of the titans and Olympian gods.
I loved the Mary Renault books and this novel reminded me of them. The goddess/sorceress Circe is caught in the eventual battle then peace between the Olympians and the Titans. Part of the terms of the uneasy peace is to placate Zeus, Circe is exiled by her father,a Titan, to an uninhabited island, to endure the separation from all she knows. She lives in loneliness until centuries pass and humans begin visiting the island. She falls in love with one, Odysseus, and bears him a child whom he never meets.
Very well written. My favorite summer read.
This book was so well written, I was drawn right into the story.
Women in Myth. A woman’s take on the myths of old through the story of one of the lesser pantheon of gods and godesses. Circe is much much more than she is referred to in the Odyssey. She comes into her own through her own hard work on herself, learning and growing as the ages come and go.
The kind of story that forces you to slow read in case you miss anything. Original, unique & a book I’m sure I will return to reread in years to come. Highly recommended
A sweeeping journey through the ancient world of gods and humans. also written very well and readable for people who are not fans of greek mythology
This is a beautiful book.Her writing is–well I wish I could write like she can. It is original, fresh, and beautiful. And her characters are imaginatively constructed. Her perspective on this ancient mythical pantheon turns the story upside down. I can’t recommend this book enough. It’s great .Did I mention it is sometimes funny, sometimes dad, sometimes on-the-edge-of-the-seat engrossing?
Circe by Madeline Miller is a fresh and interesting take on Greek mythology. Told from the first-person perspective of Circe, the nymph daughter of the Titan God Helios, the reader is afforded her every thought and emotion. Miller has expanded on what we know of the nymph, giving her a psyche that draws upon the characteristics known to be linked more so with the human condition rather than beings graced with immortality.
Through the character development of Circe, Miller makes quite a few statements to reflect upon. Circe is the ugly daughter and, because of this, she is rejected by her own parents. Her sister bullies and ridicules her and no one see the value in her life. They overlook her power, her talent and most of all, her true beauty which is her inner goodness. Circe has a conscience that the deities normally do not possess. Later, we see the strength of a mother’s love, unconditional and undying. She also has a sense of morality and seeks redemption for those she’s wronged, even though it was done to protect herself from further hurt.
Lovers of mythology will enjoy this story, but an open mind will be needed as the author has taken some license with the legends as we know them.
unmatched, beautiful prose
I highly recommend this book. It is very well written. I really liked her interpretation of mythology and the point of view of the main character
I loved this s book! It is re-telling of Circe’s tale in Odysseus’ travels. We see a more sympathetic sorceress; she was a product of both her parentage and environment.
The Greek myths really Came alive! I can now sympathize with her.
In our local Art Museum, we have a Baroque painting of “Circe Mulling Wine”
I talk to my students about her,and they don’t have a clue, since they aren’t taught about the Greek myths
I recommend this book whole heartedly! Having sailed the Greek Islands, I saw where the Minotaur supposedly lived; where Daedalus flew, and went to Ithica, so this book was almost a travelogue for me.
The writing is superb. Read this book!
A gripping telling of classic Greek myths. I couldn’t put it down.