Status
Available
Publication
Back Bay Books (2020), Edition: Reprint, 416 pages
Description
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.… (more)
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Media reviews
“Circe” will surely delight readers new to the witch’s stories as it will many who remember her role in the Greek myths of their childhood: Like a good children’s book, it engrosses and races along at a clip, eliciting excitement and emotion along the way.
Miller has taken the familiar materials of character, and wrought some satisfying turns of her own.
[W]hat elevates Circe is Miller’s luminous prose, which is both enormously readable and evocative, and the way in which she depicts the gulf between gods and mortals.
Written in prose that ripples with a gleaming hyperbole befitting the epic nature of the source material, there is nothing inaccessible or antiquated about either Circe or her adventures.
The character of Circe only occupies a few dozen lines of [the Odyssey], but Miller extracts worlds of meaning from Homer's short phrases.
Circe’s fascination with mortals becomes the book’s marrow and delivers its thrilling ending. All the while, the supernatural sits intriguingly alongside “the tonic of ordinary things.”
We know how everything here turns out — we’ve known it for thousands of years — and yet in Miller’s lush reimagining, the story feels harrowing and unexpected. The feminist light she shines on these events never distorts their original shape; it only illuminates details we hadn’t noticed
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before. Show Less
[Miller] paints an uncompromising portrait of a superheroine who learns to wield divine power while coming to understand what it means to be mortal.
User reviews
LibraryThing member lisapeet
Outstanding. Miller has worked her way inside the Greek myths and legends to flesh out their gods, Titans, mortals, and monsters with not only backstories but motivations, conflicts, inconsistencies, entanglements, nuances, and scars. That's surely the point for anyone who studies classics, but
There are also some interesting meditations here on mortality and fate, both of which are often on my mind these days. The last page and a half was as moving as anything I've read in a long time.
Also in awe of the book's insane crossover power. Circe is for lovers of literary fiction and historical fiction, book clubs, scholars, your aunt, your teenager, your best friend. This was a great book to wind up a good reading year.
(There are some neat images of Circe on Miller's blog.)
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she's done the writer's work as well to give it all a solid armature of plot and narrative arc that's not always there when you get them piecemeal, as most of us have done. And the result is thrilling, honestly. Miller is a strong writer, and—just as important when working with this kind of deep historical material—she has an excellent ear, so not a word rings false. From the book's opening pages the witch Circe is a character to wonder and care about—a believable and fascinating anti/heroine. I loved every word.There are also some interesting meditations here on mortality and fate, both of which are often on my mind these days. The last page and a half was as moving as anything I've read in a long time.
Also in awe of the book's insane crossover power. Circe is for lovers of literary fiction and historical fiction, book clubs, scholars, your aunt, your teenager, your best friend. This was a great book to wind up a good reading year.
(There are some neat images of Circe on Miller's blog.)
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LibraryThing member magicians_nephew
Most of what we know about Circe comes from Homer and the Odyssey. Powerful witch, turns men into swine, and all that jazz. In the middle Renaissance a lot of artists decided she was the exemplar for predatory "evil" women who didn't respect men.
So when Madeline Miller comes to writing her book
There is a lot of back story here, and Circe meets up with gods and Titans and even famous mortals like Daedalus and others. She values craftsmanship. She values honesty.
So when Odysseus finally shows up with his men we know this woman, and are ready to be sympathetic to her side of the story, heard here for the first time. It's a great story.
( "Men make terrible pigs". )
Ms. Miller has done her research thank the goddess but never falls into the slough of being scholarly. Her Circe is a fascinating girl who makes mistakes and learns and grows and becomes a powerful and resourceful woman, able to stand off goddesses and make bargains with Titans. It's pretty impressive.
Lovely writing too, almost poetical but always driving the story along.
Good Book
So when Madeline Miller comes to writing her book
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Circe, she has a lot of brush to clear away. With wit and passion and deep scholarship she gives us a back story of Circe, the bookish brat daughter of the Sun God who didn't know how to fit in in the cut and thrust world of the nymphs of Olympus. There is a lot of back story here, and Circe meets up with gods and Titans and even famous mortals like Daedalus and others. She values craftsmanship. She values honesty.
So when Odysseus finally shows up with his men we know this woman, and are ready to be sympathetic to her side of the story, heard here for the first time. It's a great story.
( "Men make terrible pigs". )
Ms. Miller has done her research thank the goddess but never falls into the slough of being scholarly. Her Circe is a fascinating girl who makes mistakes and learns and grows and becomes a powerful and resourceful woman, able to stand off goddesses and make bargains with Titans. It's pretty impressive.
Lovely writing too, almost poetical but always driving the story along.
Good Book
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LibraryThing member jmchshannon
If anyone needs to look back to find out just how long men have feared strong women, one need look no farther than ancient Greece and the gods and goddesses worshipped. For every Athena, who struck fear into men and women and gods and goddesses alike, there are hundreds of minor goddesses described
As a mythology fan, there was no way I was going to be disappointed in Ms. Miller’s retelling of Circe’s famous story. However, in spite of the fact that I knew I was going to enjoy the story, I found myself utterly entranced at the world Ms. Miller created. She goes beyond the gods versus man situation. In fact, you quickly forget that Circe is a goddess given how realistic she is. Yes, she may never die and never face any sort of injury, yet her struggles are our struggles. She still faces the most brutal of crimes against women and must deal with the same shame and rage that millions of women endure every day after such attacks. She must prove herself in a world where women are minor, good for breeding and running a household. She faces abuse of every magnitude, isolation, doubt, and worst of all, indifference. She is so feared that her own father and uncle banish her to a deserted island for eternity. Her story is the blueprint for every strong woman who comes after her, just as the men who persecute her are for any man who has found a way to subjugate a woman in some fashion.
The success of Circe hinges on Ms. Miller’s ability to make commonplace beings and events that were not, something at which she succeeds. She makes the mythical normal, the magic commonplace, and the extraordinary mundane. This allows us to focus less on Circe’s eternal lifespan and more on her actions. I mentioned earlier that it is easy to forget she is a goddess, and this is a good thing for it allows you to become her, to experience her pain and humiliation, and celebrate her triumphs. In addition, Ms. Miller puts as much effort in establishing the backdrop as she does her characters so that you get an island that you can easily visualize, feel its breezes, smell the various scents, and hear the sounds the permeate the silence. The ocean becomes something to be feared and simultaneously pitied. Her mountains are soothing friends. Circe’s story is nothing without the nature aspect of it, which she uses to create her magic. Hence, the fact that nature takes on a life of its own and becomes something more than a backdrop against which the rest of the story unfolds fleshes out her story and makes it a three-dimensional one.
I knew I would enjoy it, but I tore through Circe faster than I expected. I did this not just because Circe is such a fascinating character nor solely because Ms. Miller does such a good job of bringing her to life. It is the amalgamation of everything which caused me to voraciously read this particular novel. It is the combination of Circe and her island and the writing and the gods and goddesses and heroes and monsters. It is the addition of magic and pain and power and sacrifice. It is inclusion of loss and love and fear and doubt and the human experience. That is what makes Circe such an impressive story.
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as lesser and therefore are considered minor to any narrative. Then there is Circe. As any good student of history and sociology knows, humans and gods fear different among all other attributes. Unfortunately, Circe is the embodiment of that fear, and her treatment at the hands of man and gods alike confirms how long men have tried to control and oppress women into minor roles.As a mythology fan, there was no way I was going to be disappointed in Ms. Miller’s retelling of Circe’s famous story. However, in spite of the fact that I knew I was going to enjoy the story, I found myself utterly entranced at the world Ms. Miller created. She goes beyond the gods versus man situation. In fact, you quickly forget that Circe is a goddess given how realistic she is. Yes, she may never die and never face any sort of injury, yet her struggles are our struggles. She still faces the most brutal of crimes against women and must deal with the same shame and rage that millions of women endure every day after such attacks. She must prove herself in a world where women are minor, good for breeding and running a household. She faces abuse of every magnitude, isolation, doubt, and worst of all, indifference. She is so feared that her own father and uncle banish her to a deserted island for eternity. Her story is the blueprint for every strong woman who comes after her, just as the men who persecute her are for any man who has found a way to subjugate a woman in some fashion.
The success of Circe hinges on Ms. Miller’s ability to make commonplace beings and events that were not, something at which she succeeds. She makes the mythical normal, the magic commonplace, and the extraordinary mundane. This allows us to focus less on Circe’s eternal lifespan and more on her actions. I mentioned earlier that it is easy to forget she is a goddess, and this is a good thing for it allows you to become her, to experience her pain and humiliation, and celebrate her triumphs. In addition, Ms. Miller puts as much effort in establishing the backdrop as she does her characters so that you get an island that you can easily visualize, feel its breezes, smell the various scents, and hear the sounds the permeate the silence. The ocean becomes something to be feared and simultaneously pitied. Her mountains are soothing friends. Circe’s story is nothing without the nature aspect of it, which she uses to create her magic. Hence, the fact that nature takes on a life of its own and becomes something more than a backdrop against which the rest of the story unfolds fleshes out her story and makes it a three-dimensional one.
I knew I would enjoy it, but I tore through Circe faster than I expected. I did this not just because Circe is such a fascinating character nor solely because Ms. Miller does such a good job of bringing her to life. It is the amalgamation of everything which caused me to voraciously read this particular novel. It is the combination of Circe and her island and the writing and the gods and goddesses and heroes and monsters. It is the addition of magic and pain and power and sacrifice. It is inclusion of loss and love and fear and doubt and the human experience. That is what makes Circe such an impressive story.
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LibraryThing member SChant
I really could not finish this dull, lifeless adaptation of the Greek myth of Circe. The central character was written as a whiny teenager, and the author dropped in random bits of mythology in so dull a manner I thought I was reading an unenthusiastic book report. It's back to Robert Graves for me!
LibraryThing member JeffV
Madeline Miller seems to have carved out a niche for herself developing characters of Greek mythology or legend. A few years ago, I read her story about Achilles; this time it's the sorceress god Circe.
In mythology, Circe was somewhat of a bad-ass, able to morph people and gods into creatures
Miller tries to make Circe more of a sympathetic figure than the myths would otherwise have you believe. The purpose of myths is to give stories that educate and hopefully influence people to behave to a societal norm. This story seems to nerf the impact of who Circe was and makes her less terrifying than the myth-makers had in mind. Circe wasn't the only one getting the softball treatment -- she is an attendant when her sister gives birth to the minotaur, and despite losing a few fingers to the beast while trying to accomplish a c-section, she nevertheless laments at the poor, misunderstood creature's fate.
Unlike Song of Achilles, there is no real story with any sort of plot. Circe is, she does stuff, people and gods suffer, but it's all a stream of consciousness coming from her. In the end, I wished there was something to actually be an end.
In mythology, Circe was somewhat of a bad-ass, able to morph people and gods into creatures
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representing their true nature. In The Odyssey, Odesseus' crew was turned into pigs. In this book, the tragic hero was father to her son, and the pigs were simply island companions. Miller tries to make Circe more of a sympathetic figure than the myths would otherwise have you believe. The purpose of myths is to give stories that educate and hopefully influence people to behave to a societal norm. This story seems to nerf the impact of who Circe was and makes her less terrifying than the myth-makers had in mind. Circe wasn't the only one getting the softball treatment -- she is an attendant when her sister gives birth to the minotaur, and despite losing a few fingers to the beast while trying to accomplish a c-section, she nevertheless laments at the poor, misunderstood creature's fate.
Unlike Song of Achilles, there is no real story with any sort of plot. Circe is, she does stuff, people and gods suffer, but it's all a stream of consciousness coming from her. In the end, I wished there was something to actually be an end.
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LibraryThing member AdonisGuilfoyle
How, HOW, is this a bestseller? Did everyone just get sucked in, like I did, by all the positive reviews, or think, 'Ooh, Greek mythology, how edukashunal'? If Madeline Miller had set out to write a YA compendium of gods and goddesses, I would have a) not bothered reading the thing, but b) have had
If there are any teen readers really, REALLY into mythology, then I can't recommend this literary Wikipedia article enough. (In fact, the way Miller has written Circe would probably appeal to YA readers: 'Ugh, my life is so HARD! Dad is a big important CEO and Mom is so beautiful, and all I have are yellow eyes and a squeaky voice'.) But I just couldn't muster the energy to care, and kept imagining the old stop motion monsters from Jason and the Argonauts while ploughing/skimming through this turgid potted history. Song of Achilles is supposed to be better, but I'm steering well clear for now.
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a reason to praise this novel. But pinning an entire novel on one woman, goddess or not, was obviously a bit of a stretch, because Circe is really only a narrative device, linking the same old stories of Scylla, Hermes, Jason and Medea, Odysseus, Athena, yada yada. And Circe's first person narrative was annoyingly bland to boot.If there are any teen readers really, REALLY into mythology, then I can't recommend this literary Wikipedia article enough. (In fact, the way Miller has written Circe would probably appeal to YA readers: 'Ugh, my life is so HARD! Dad is a big important CEO and Mom is so beautiful, and all I have are yellow eyes and a squeaky voice'.) But I just couldn't muster the energy to care, and kept imagining the old stop motion monsters from Jason and the Argonauts while ploughing/skimming through this turgid potted history. Song of Achilles is supposed to be better, but I'm steering well clear for now.
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LibraryThing member EBT1002
"That is one thing gods and mortals share. When we are young, we think ourselves the first to have each feeling in the world."
"Life is not so simple as a loom. What you weave, you cannot unravel with a tug."
"He does not mean that it does not hurt. He does not mean that we are not frightened. Only
Circe is the brilliant retelling of the Greek myth of Circe, daughter of the sun god Helios and the nymph Perse. Circe is a witch, a demigod who has been, in this telling, alienated and marginalized all her life -- set aside by parents, ridiculed by siblings, scoffed at by other gods, eventually exiled to an island to live out her days in isolation and despair. Not so easily is this heroin cast aside.
The language in this literary recreation is spare and lovely. Circe herself is a strong, admirable woman who gradually learns to stand up for herself and make choices based on self-interest, yes, but also on the basis of a clear moral compass. As her story unfolds, so does that of Greek mythology: the story of Odysseus who takes Circe as a lover and by whom she bears a son, the stories of the Minotaur and Scylla, Prometheus, Daedalus and Icarus, Achilles and Hector, and more. Had Greek mythology been told with this sense of story and pacing when I was in high school, I would have loved it. This is literature at its best: moving, engaging, humorous, and deeply human (yes, even when we are speaking of gods). The universality of the Greek stories emerges from every tale and Circe herself becomes a heroin to be revered and remembered. Heartily recommended.
"Life is not so simple as a loom. What you weave, you cannot unravel with a tug."
"He does not mean that it does not hurt. He does not mean that we are not frightened. Only
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that: we are here. This is what it means to swim in the tide, to walk the earth and feel it touch your feet. This is what it means to be alive." Circe is the brilliant retelling of the Greek myth of Circe, daughter of the sun god Helios and the nymph Perse. Circe is a witch, a demigod who has been, in this telling, alienated and marginalized all her life -- set aside by parents, ridiculed by siblings, scoffed at by other gods, eventually exiled to an island to live out her days in isolation and despair. Not so easily is this heroin cast aside.
The language in this literary recreation is spare and lovely. Circe herself is a strong, admirable woman who gradually learns to stand up for herself and make choices based on self-interest, yes, but also on the basis of a clear moral compass. As her story unfolds, so does that of Greek mythology: the story of Odysseus who takes Circe as a lover and by whom she bears a son, the stories of the Minotaur and Scylla, Prometheus, Daedalus and Icarus, Achilles and Hector, and more. Had Greek mythology been told with this sense of story and pacing when I was in high school, I would have loved it. This is literature at its best: moving, engaging, humorous, and deeply human (yes, even when we are speaking of gods). The universality of the Greek stories emerges from every tale and Circe herself becomes a heroin to be revered and remembered. Heartily recommended.
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LibraryThing member Marse
Lovely retelling of Circe's story. We all know her from "The Odyssey" as the witch who turned Odyssey's men into pigs, and kept him on her island as her lover for a year. That was the extent of what I knew about Circe. In this novel, Circe herself tells of growing up a daughter of Helios in a
I especially liked the ending to her story. It was satisfying on many levels and makes you say, "Ah, of course!"
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household filled with gods, nymphs, and other immortals whose squabbles, jealousies, and self-centeredness is repugnant to her. She is disdained by the others, including her own siblings and mother, but learns to use herbs, potions and magic words to transform beings into their true forms. This becomes her curse and her blessing. I especially liked the ending to her story. It was satisfying on many levels and makes you say, "Ah, of course!"
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LibraryThing member DanielSTJ
This was a solid novel, but it lags and meanders in several parts- which serve as a detriment to the whole rather than augmenting it. However, there are some great scenes in here (especially involving Odysseus) and there is much to be learnt, appreciated, and respected in this book. A solid effort
3.5 stars!
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and a good book nonetheless.3.5 stars!
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LibraryThing member Herenya
I impulsively borrowed this, and then wasn’t sure if it was going to be something I would like. Was this going to be an exercise in watching everything go wrong?
I kept reading because I’d become invested in Circe and the things she cared about, and because the prose is so compelling. This is
(It’s also a fascinating and complex portrayal of Odysseus as a man who is charismatic, heroic, wise and also deeply flawed. What is most fascinating is how the focus is not really on him -- he is not the protagonist or the hero of this tale -- but on the impact he has on others, and then, on the contrast between him and others.)
This is how mortals found fame, I thought. Through practice and diligence, tending their skills like gardens until they glowed beneath the sun. But gods are born of ichor and nectar, their excellences already bursting from their fingertips. So they find their fame by proving what they can mar: destroying cities, starting wars, breeding plagues and monsters. All that smoke and savour rising so delicately from our altars. It leaves only ash behind.
I kept reading because I’d become invested in Circe and the things she cared about, and because the prose is so compelling. This is
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sharply written and unflinching about gods and mortals, but it is not as bitter as I expected. It’s a lot more hopeful -- it’s a story about freedom and transformation and life in a way I found surprising and deeply satisfying.(It’s also a fascinating and complex portrayal of Odysseus as a man who is charismatic, heroic, wise and also deeply flawed. What is most fascinating is how the focus is not really on him -- he is not the protagonist or the hero of this tale -- but on the impact he has on others, and then, on the contrast between him and others.)
This is how mortals found fame, I thought. Through practice and diligence, tending their skills like gardens until they glowed beneath the sun. But gods are born of ichor and nectar, their excellences already bursting from their fingertips. So they find their fame by proving what they can mar: destroying cities, starting wars, breeding plagues and monsters. All that smoke and savour rising so delicately from our altars. It leaves only ash behind.
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LibraryThing member mamzel
Having loved Greek and Roman mythology (especially the former) from my early years (thanks to an obsessed teacher) and because I loved her first book, The Song of Achilles, I couldn't wait to get my hot little hands on this book. I was not disappointed. Reading it actually inspired me to read the
Circe was a witch, exiled to the island by her father, Helios. She found she had a talent for using plants to create potions which combined with spells can transform objects and living things. Luckily she was on an island with a verdant environment with a great variety of plants, and time. She surrounded herself with tame lions and wolves and nymphs who were also escaping the hazards of living among the gods. Occasionally a ship would pull up on her shores and the sailors would be treated according to their behavior.
Miller expands greatly on Circe's story from her childhood to her life after Odysseus. She gives us a glimpse into the possible life of gods and demigods relative to the lives of us mere mortals. It seems they are just like us except that retribution and reward are much more epic when meted out.
The cover, btw, is in a reflective copper - absolutely gorgeous!
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Odyssey, something I have not read since the junior version in fourth grade.Circe was a witch, exiled to the island by her father, Helios. She found she had a talent for using plants to create potions which combined with spells can transform objects and living things. Luckily she was on an island with a verdant environment with a great variety of plants, and time. She surrounded herself with tame lions and wolves and nymphs who were also escaping the hazards of living among the gods. Occasionally a ship would pull up on her shores and the sailors would be treated according to their behavior.
Miller expands greatly on Circe's story from her childhood to her life after Odysseus. She gives us a glimpse into the possible life of gods and demigods relative to the lives of us mere mortals. It seems they are just like us except that retribution and reward are much more epic when meted out.
The cover, btw, is in a reflective copper - absolutely gorgeous!
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LibraryThing member sturlington
The story of Circe, the naiad witch best known for the part she played in The Odyssey but who was tangentially related to many other myths, including Theseus and the Minotaur, Jason and Medea, Daedalus and Icarus, and Scylla and Charybdis. So this novel also functions as a nice overview of Greek
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myth, yet from a different point of view. Circe's character drives the story, and her evolution from a young person just discovering her powers through to mature and self-reliant woman yet struggling with her immortality serves as its arc. Some of the people she encounters seem too good to be true (Daedalus), but the portrayals of Odysseus and Penelope in particular were very three-dimensional and human. The end surprised me, and I found it both beautiful and powerful. Show Less
LibraryThing member rayski
Miller's expanded story of Circe the daughter of Helios. Circe is sentenced by her father and Zeus to eternity on an island that is more like Eden than Hell. Here Circe hones her witchcraft and learns to tame the very gods that sentenced her to her island. I never liked Greek Mythology but took a
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chance on this book because of it rave reviews. Miller breaths new life into mythology, telling it in a language that is easy to read and draws you in. She has totally turned my head on Greek Mythology and now I can't wait to read her first book. Show Less
LibraryThing member eesti23
This book was recommended to me when I was buying something else at a bookstore. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had been a bit more aware of Greek mythology. There were names I knew and snippets of stories, but I am pretty sure they are woven into Circe's story in a way that is super
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impressive to those more familiar than I am. This wasn't a book that I couldn't put down, but the character development and story are well written and developed, meaning I spent a lot of time thinking about Circe. An interesting read all around. Show Less
LibraryThing member Limelite
There's no need for me to add to the bulging catalog of reviews of this novel, So, I'll just write a few words for my personal log as an aide de memoire of a highly pleasurable read.
Ancient myths come to life again refurbished in Madeline Miller's retelling of the tale of the Greek's Wicked Witch
Circe's knowledge of pharmakopea, the magical lore of the innate powers of herbs and plants, and her talent for distilling them into useful potions sows fears among her relatives, the Titans, who dwell in her father's, Helios the sun god's, court. As the millennia pass, Circe is occasionally visited by seafarers, most of whom are of the nasty pirating kind.
Following a brutal attack at the hands of one such visiting leader of a dastardly crew, she gets her revenge by turning them into swine, and from there. . .well, it's a gory end.
The ways of gods and goddesses is nasty, bitter, and cruel. They're both fearsome and untrustworthy, as exemplified by Athena and Hermes. The contest of wills and power among the unlikable deities is continuous throughout the novel.
Miller gives us a prose epic that is the epitaph of the Heroic Age of Greece, symbolized by the arrival to Aiaia of Odysseus, endeavoring in a half-hearted way, to return home to his kingdom, Ithaca, wife Penelope, and son, Telemachus. It's been 7 years and he will still face delays. We see Odyssus as the last of the Greek heroes, understanding that the man is terminally flawed because of his love, above all else, for warfare and bloodlust.
It is left to the sons of Odysseus -- Telemachus and Telegonus -- by two women, his wife and Circe to bring about the new Age of Civilization. Cooperation, peace, just law, and city building, not the tricks of surviving in hand-to-hand, mano-a-mano attack or successfully besieging a walled city like Troy will be the hallmarks of that New Age.
For Circe, the world of Olympian and Titanic forms offers nothing in comparison to the qualities she sees in the forms of mortals whose ingenuity, persistence against impossible circumstances, capacity for love, and even their unavoidable ultimate fate seem far more desirable. For the promise of a reunion with loved ones and Great Souls is, in her view, a greater final destiny than the eternal suspension of reward that can never be possessed by any immortal. Miller shows us by the end of the novel that Man will rule the world through the advances that arise within his own mind, and that the Age of the Gods will ultimately wane to nothing.
Ancient myths come to life again refurbished in Madeline Miller's retelling of the tale of the Greek's Wicked Witch
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of the West, exiled for life to the island of Aiaia for casting a shape changing spell on fellow nymph, Scylla, turning her into a six-headed monster that eats unwary sailors.Circe's knowledge of pharmakopea, the magical lore of the innate powers of herbs and plants, and her talent for distilling them into useful potions sows fears among her relatives, the Titans, who dwell in her father's, Helios the sun god's, court. As the millennia pass, Circe is occasionally visited by seafarers, most of whom are of the nasty pirating kind.
Following a brutal attack at the hands of one such visiting leader of a dastardly crew, she gets her revenge by turning them into swine, and from there. . .well, it's a gory end.
The ways of gods and goddesses is nasty, bitter, and cruel. They're both fearsome and untrustworthy, as exemplified by Athena and Hermes. The contest of wills and power among the unlikable deities is continuous throughout the novel.
Miller gives us a prose epic that is the epitaph of the Heroic Age of Greece, symbolized by the arrival to Aiaia of Odysseus, endeavoring in a half-hearted way, to return home to his kingdom, Ithaca, wife Penelope, and son, Telemachus. It's been 7 years and he will still face delays. We see Odyssus as the last of the Greek heroes, understanding that the man is terminally flawed because of his love, above all else, for warfare and bloodlust.
It is left to the sons of Odysseus -- Telemachus and Telegonus -- by two women, his wife and Circe to bring about the new Age of Civilization. Cooperation, peace, just law, and city building, not the tricks of surviving in hand-to-hand, mano-a-mano attack or successfully besieging a walled city like Troy will be the hallmarks of that New Age.
For Circe, the world of Olympian and Titanic forms offers nothing in comparison to the qualities she sees in the forms of mortals whose ingenuity, persistence against impossible circumstances, capacity for love, and even their unavoidable ultimate fate seem far more desirable. For the promise of a reunion with loved ones and Great Souls is, in her view, a greater final destiny than the eternal suspension of reward that can never be possessed by any immortal. Miller shows us by the end of the novel that Man will rule the world through the advances that arise within his own mind, and that the Age of the Gods will ultimately wane to nothing.
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LibraryThing member caseyface81
oh my word.
"child, make another"
I don't even have words for how profoundly beautiful the book is. Mastery in every way, the writing, the pacing, the story. It should resonate with every person who has lived through dark times, the unexplained darkness of being a woman, a mother, a pain that has
I felt every sentence, every emotion as if they were my own. And Circe the "malevolent" witch of the Odyssey. Here's the real of it, a woman's truth is always hidden behind the tales of men.
This will be an all time favorite book for me. I wished it never ended.
Bonus points to the narration by Perdita Weeks. Absolute perfection.
"child, make another"
I don't even have words for how profoundly beautiful the book is. Mastery in every way, the writing, the pacing, the story. It should resonate with every person who has lived through dark times, the unexplained darkness of being a woman, a mother, a pain that has
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spanned generations and retold its trauma since the beginning. The eternal tale of the rising of the power within.I felt every sentence, every emotion as if they were my own. And Circe the "malevolent" witch of the Odyssey. Here's the real of it, a woman's truth is always hidden behind the tales of men.
This will be an all time favorite book for me. I wished it never ended.
Bonus points to the narration by Perdita Weeks. Absolute perfection.
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LibraryThing member riofriotex
Based on the Greek mythological character Circe, who was the daughter of the Titan sun god Helios, and Perse, one of the three thousand Oceanid nymphs. Her brothers were Aeëtes, keeper of the Golden Fleece, and Perses. Her sister was Pasiphaë, the wife of King Minos of Crete and mother of the
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Minotaur. Madeline Miller expands upon the tale of Circe in Homer's Odyssey to work in her early life, her interactions with her family and other Titans, and what happened to her after Odysseus left her island. A totally fascinating story! I love the cover of the print book, with its reflective copper/gold image, but the image on the audiobook is quite cool too. Perdita Weeks (who plays Higgins on the Magnum P. I. reboot) was a fabulous reader - as the story is told in first person from Circe's point of view, I definitely felt she defined Circe. Show Less
LibraryThing member RidgewayGirl
I loved Circe by Madeline Miller far too much to write a reasoned review of it's merits and flaws. I'm not drawn to mythology in general and would not have read this book if I hadn't already read The Song of Achilles and had Circe not been part of The Morning News Rooster Summer Reading Challenge,
Miller takes the mythological character of Circe, a witch who turns part of Odysseus's crew into wild animals and who has a relationship with him, as well as other appearances she makes in Greek mythology and creates a wonderfully complex character, who struggles to find a place she belongs in, while tying her into many traditional events. There's a lot that can be said about what Miller is doing and how she's subverting some traditions, while keeping utterly to the spirit of mythology, but basically I read the entire book in a state of uncritical joy.
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but I fell for it at some moment during the opening pages and the spell held for the entire book. Miller takes the mythological character of Circe, a witch who turns part of Odysseus's crew into wild animals and who has a relationship with him, as well as other appearances she makes in Greek mythology and creates a wonderfully complex character, who struggles to find a place she belongs in, while tying her into many traditional events. There's a lot that can be said about what Miller is doing and how she's subverting some traditions, while keeping utterly to the spirit of mythology, but basically I read the entire book in a state of uncritical joy.
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LibraryThing member MinDea
Absolutely stellar. I loved this book so much. I am a huge mythology fan so I knew this would be up a good pick for me but I didn't know how much I was going to LOVE it! This was beautifully written. I did find it slow at times, but I think it was intentional. I think the reader was meant to feel
Read. This. Book.
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how Circe felt. I loved all the mythological characters in this book and how she wove the real myths into her retelling of Circe. So good. Read. This. Book.
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LibraryThing member brenzi
”When I was born, the name for what I was did not exist. They called me nymph, assuming I would be like my mother and aunts and thousand cousins. Least of the lesser goddesses, our powers were so modest they could scarcely ensure our eternities."
In Circe, Madeline Miller has created, or adopted
Her father, Helios, banishes her for the rest of time, with the help of Zeus, to an island where she further develops her witchcraft skills and eventually plays host to Odysseus, whom she has great feelings for and Daedalus, the true love of her life. She eventually bears a child on the island, and after a rough start feels her life is just about perfect. But not so fast. Nothing is perfect for Circe. She has to fight for every inch.
Miller’s prose is pristine and flows beautifully, reminiscent of her writing in her previous novel, The Song of Achilles. That book concentrated on male characters and that I think is the difference here. Circe is a woman you want to know. At least I did. And although I couldn’t go all the way to five stars this time, Miller’s latest is very highly recommended.
In Circe, Madeline Miller has created, or adopted
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from what little was known about her, a fascinating character and given her the freedom to tell her incredible story. Best of all as far as I was concerned, and I think I speak for most women, was the fact that she was a very strong woman, a female character with courage and moral fiber, that we really need to see more of in our literature. She’s not afraid to speak her mind and do what she feels is right.Her father, Helios, banishes her for the rest of time, with the help of Zeus, to an island where she further develops her witchcraft skills and eventually plays host to Odysseus, whom she has great feelings for and Daedalus, the true love of her life. She eventually bears a child on the island, and after a rough start feels her life is just about perfect. But not so fast. Nothing is perfect for Circe. She has to fight for every inch.
Miller’s prose is pristine and flows beautifully, reminiscent of her writing in her previous novel, The Song of Achilles. That book concentrated on male characters and that I think is the difference here. Circe is a woman you want to know. At least I did. And although I couldn’t go all the way to five stars this time, Miller’s latest is very highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member janeajones
Miller's myth revisioning of the story of the witch Circe, best known for turning men into swine and for her affair with Odysseus, is substantial and engrossing. It begins with her childhood in the halls of her father, the Titan Helios, and follows through the hundreds of generations of her life.
The last third of the book is full of somewhat surprising twists and turns -- I was kept guessing as to how it would all turn out, and was ultimately satisfied. With all of her witchery, magic, power, and independence, Circe has always been one of my favorite mythic characters. Madeline Miller has done her proud.
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Miller incorporates all the well-known and lesser-known ancient stories in which she is mentioned -- those familiar with ancient Mediterranean mythology will have no trouble following the threads of her tale. For those less well-versed, there is a handy glossary of Titans, Olympians, mortals and monsters at the end of the book. The major strength of the book is the full development of the major characters and some of the minor characters. I found this to be somewhat lacking in her earlier novel [The Song of Achilles]. But here they come alive on the page: the immortals in all their capricious amorality and the humans with their flawed yet tenacious, vainglorious mortality.The last third of the book is full of somewhat surprising twists and turns -- I was kept guessing as to how it would all turn out, and was ultimately satisfied. With all of her witchery, magic, power, and independence, Circe has always been one of my favorite mythic characters. Madeline Miller has done her proud.
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LibraryThing member ecataldi
Definitely in my top three for 2018. This book was a slam dunk! As a teenager I went through an obsession with Greek and Roman mythology, watched Troy CONSTANTLY, and read the Odyssey multiple times. But as I aged, I guess my love and passion for mythology faded. Circe brought all that back and
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then some with beautiful writing that weaves together forgotten mythologies and gods and prophecies. Circe tells the story of an often overlooked goddess and spins it into one of the most compelling, feminist epics out there. To be quite frank, I had forgotten Cicre, daughter of Helios. For most, Circe's most memorable tale is how she turned Odysseus' men into pigs; she was famed for her witchcraft. Ironically, that tale is just a small footnote in her immortal life, not even one of the most astonishing things she did. This book pieces together her entire mythology and turns it into one of the most enjoyable adventure stories I've read in forever. A must read!! Show Less
LibraryThing member Cariola
Most reviews of Madeline Miller's second novel, an extended retelling of the myth of Circe, label it as a feminist perspective, and while that is true, this is also a compelling story full of adventure magic, and complex, well-drawn characters. Miller begins by going back in time from the familiar
Miller's genius is in giving us insight into Circe's psyche. Once on the island, none of her actions are taken for pure revenge: there are always mitigating circumstances, including self defense and the protection of loved ones. Certainly the themes of women's lack of power, the silencing of their voices, and their devaluation are at the forefront. Initially antagonists, Circe and Penelope eventually form a bond that also demonstrates the power women can achieve when they join forces. But lest you are put off by the feminist slant, never fear: there are plenty of gods, monsters, and mayhem straight out of mythology, including Daedalus and Icarus, Scylla and Charybdis, Hermes, Apollo, Artemis, Athena, the Minotaur, and more.
Overall, this is an enchanted and enchanting novel, as beautifully written and vividly imagined as Miller's first , The Song of Apollo. I can hardly wait for her next venture into Greek mythology.
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episode in which Oysseus's men are turned into swine, back to Circe's childhood in the palace of her father, the Titan sun god Helios.Considered not pretty enough, not smart enough, too willful, too outspoken, and not even in possession of a melodious voice, the young Circe is constantly told that no one wants to hear her speak and that she is "the worst of Helios's children." No wonder she develops a weakness for mortals and underdogs. Her first significant act of disobedience remains a lifelong secret: that she brought a cup of water to her uncle Prometheus, hanging in chains after being whipped for giving the gift of fire to mortals. With her brother (her only friendly companion), Circe begins to study spells and magic, earning a reputation as a witch. She falls in love with a struggling fisherman, Glaucos, and uses her knowledge to transform him into a god, but when he spurns her, she turns her wrath upon his beloved and is brutally punished by Helios. Later, when war breaks out between to Titans and Zeus, Helios agrees to send Circe into exile as one of the terms of a peace treaty. Alone on the island of Aiaia, she becomes the goddess we know from The Odyssey. Her fate and that of her son Telegonus become intertwined with that of Odysseus, Penelope, and Telemachus.Miller's genius is in giving us insight into Circe's psyche. Once on the island, none of her actions are taken for pure revenge: there are always mitigating circumstances, including self defense and the protection of loved ones. Certainly the themes of women's lack of power, the silencing of their voices, and their devaluation are at the forefront. Initially antagonists, Circe and Penelope eventually form a bond that also demonstrates the power women can achieve when they join forces. But lest you are put off by the feminist slant, never fear: there are plenty of gods, monsters, and mayhem straight out of mythology, including Daedalus and Icarus, Scylla and Charybdis, Hermes, Apollo, Artemis, Athena, the Minotaur, and more.
Overall, this is an enchanted and enchanting novel, as beautifully written and vividly imagined as Miller's first , The Song of Apollo. I can hardly wait for her next venture into Greek mythology.
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LibraryThing member laytonwoman3rd
This novel based on endlessly engaging Greek mythology, is narrated by Circe, the witch goddess, from her island exile where she was banished for helping Prometheus. Through her eyes we meet familiar characters---Helios, Daedalus, Hermes, Athena, Odysseus, Penelope, the Minotaur, Theseus, Scylla,
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and some lesser-known deities, demigods and demons. Spurned by her mother, mocked by her siblings, used as a bargaining chip by her father, Circe knows she must learn to survive by her own wits, by the powers she barely understands...by her will. As time passes, she becomes highly skilled at concocting potions and casting spells, but is not always cognizant of the ultimate consequences of her acts. Despite her isolation, Circe is not always alone. She cannot leave Aiaia, but ships can and do touch her shores. Her hospitality is enjoyed by all---unless they attempt to take advantage of her, in which case they may find themselves....changed. The gods, of course, can come and go at will, often with demands. From her early days as the least favored child of the god of the Sun, through love affairs and battles with Olympians, Titans and mere mortals, to her ultimate choice to become her truest self, Circe immerses us in a world of powerful magic, natural wonders, monstrous creations and epic emotions. Miller's language is glorious, and she's pretty good at casting a spell herself. This book is a real gift. Show Less
LibraryThing member jmoncton
Most of what we know about Circe is as a minor character in Homer's Odyssey. She's the nymph who turns men into pigs. But Madeline Miller takes a small footnote and weaves a fabulous story filled egotistical Greek Gods with all their flaws. What I really loved is how Miller creates a complex
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character in Circe and makes her a heroine that you love. Perfect role model for any woman. Show Less
Awards
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2018-04-10
Physical description
416 p.; 8.25 inches
ISBN
0316556327 / 9780316556323