Review: Circe by Madeline Miller | A captivating, intricate tale

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I did not expect to love the book this much, but one of top 5 star reads of the year is Circe by Madeline Miller. It’s a beautiful story full of my favourite Greek myths and lots of references which took me back to the days when I would obsess over anything and everything that had to do with Greek mythology. I love mythology retellings.

But in a solitary life, there are rare moments when another soul dips near yours, as stars once a year brush the earth. Such a constellation was he to me.

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.

A captivating, intricately woven tale of one of the lesser known figures in Greek mythology – telling her story from her point of view. Circe is a nymph, a mythical being, and we’re with her throughout her own Odyssey (heh… See what I did there…) as she grows from child to maiden to mother. In a way, it was a privilege to be a part of her story from beginning until the end, to meet the characters I grew up reading about through her eyes, to experience the myths as they happened to her – because of her. We follow her pain, her joy, her heartaches and yearnings. With every setback, she grows stronger. With every heartbreak, she grows wiser. Despite all those who underestimated her, her unbreakable spirit helps her overcome all the challenges thrown at her.

While usually painted as a villain because of The Odyssey, Miller portrays Circe in such a relatable way that she’s not just a baddie doing bad things. She is humanised, vulnerable, compassionate, cruel, kind, loving. She is a woman who is unapologetic about being a woman and being powerful. A wonderful feminist representation of a mythological character.

You threw me to the crows, but it turns out I prefer them to you.

Circe as a character really shines through Miller’s gorgeous writing. There are so many beautiful phrases, sayings, words that really just hit differently. Everything was quotable. So many quotes that I want to just live forever in my mind rent-free.

This glorious, wonderful, beautiful retelling reminded me why I fell in love with mythology in the first place. It was such a pleasure to read, to immerse myself in this. Ah, I could go on and on.

This book isn’t for everyone, I admit, especially those who don’t like long, drawn out stories with slow pacing and lots of descriptive world building. Also if you aren’t as familiar with Greek myths, all the names can be a bit confusing. But I really enjoyed it and ended up finishing it in a day.

Also, I just found out (despite the news being over a year old) that Circe will be coming to TV soon!!! I’m a bit wary but I hope they do the adaptation well because honestly I feel like it would be very difficult to capture the beauty of the writing, and also they’d have to cut huge chunks out to make it fit into 8 episodes. Meh let’s see how it goes.

I can’t wait to read more of the author’s work. I have a copy of The Song of Achilles sitting on my shelf and it’s moved to the top of my TBR list, and I’m excited for her next book.