Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Bloomsbury UK (2022), Edition: 1, 56 pages
Description
In ancient Greece, a skilled marble sculptor has been blessed by a goddess who has given his masterpiece-the most beautiful woman the town has ever seen-the gift of life. After marrying her, he expects Galatea to please him, to be obedience and humility personified. But she has desires of her own and yearns for independence. In a desperate bid by her obsessive husband to keep her under control, Galatea is locked away under the constant supervision of doctors and nurses. But with a daughter to rescue, she is determined to break free, whatever the cost...
User reviews
LibraryThing member Laine-Cunningham
Galatea by Madeline Miller
This is actually a short story but it’s available as a digital “book,” so I’m including a review.
Like Miller’s The Song of Achilles, this story retells an ancient story. Here, she takes on the Pygmalion myth and tells it from the statue’s point of view.
What a
When she discovers that he has carved another statue of a young girl, she recognizes the girl as her daughter…and knows the fate that awaits the girl in the sculptor’s bedchamber. Her final sacrifice saves the girl from life while providing her with the release she so desperately wants from her semi-human life.
This is actually a short story but it’s available as a digital “book,” so I’m including a review.
Like Miller’s The Song of Achilles, this story retells an ancient story. Here, she takes on the Pygmalion myth and tells it from the statue’s point of view.
What a
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fascinating study. The statue, brought to life by her maker’s prayers, has feelings and needs of her own. The sculptor doesn’t honor anything but his own desires, and they are lustful to the point of repulsion. When she discovers that he has carved another statue of a young girl, she recognizes the girl as her daughter…and knows the fate that awaits the girl in the sculptor’s bedchamber. Her final sacrifice saves the girl from life while providing her with the release she so desperately wants from her semi-human life.
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LibraryThing member alanteder
Excellent short-story retelling of the ancient myth where the goddess Aphrodite answered sculptor Pygmalion's prayers that his perfect woman statue Galatea be brought to life. But just like Liza Doolittle in the modern day retellings in George Bernard Shaw's "Pygmalion" or Lerner & Loewe's "My Fair
You may have overlooked this, as I did, between the publications of Madeline Miller's two stunning modern novelization retellings of Achilles and Circe, but don't miss it now!
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Lady", what if the statue could talk and give its version of the story? You may have overlooked this, as I did, between the publications of Madeline Miller's two stunning modern novelization retellings of Achilles and Circe, but don't miss it now!
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LibraryThing member Cariola
An Amazon single, Galatea is a longish short story, not a novel, written prior to the publication of Miller's two wonderful books, Song of Achilles and Circe. It tells the story of Pygmalion, but from the viewpoint of his statue-wife. Pygmalion had prayed that his most beautiful statue would come
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to life and be his alone, but once his wish comes true, he is dismayed to find that his beloved is now a lively, intelligent, sociable human being, not merely a work of art. Obsession and jealousy rage, and he locks Galatea in a hospital and puts her under the constant supervision of doctors and nurses. But she is determined to do whatever it takes to ensure that her daughter has the freedom that she has been denied. Show Less
LibraryThing member bookworm12
An incredibly short retelling of an ancient myth. This one was interesting, but ironically, it left me feeling cold. A sculptor brings his creation to life and falls in love with her. Romantic on the surface, but in this retelling he is abusive and controlling. I love her other work, but I felt
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like this one wasn’t strong enough to be published as a standalone book. Show Less
LibraryThing member ecataldi
I wish this was longer or part of a short story collection! I would have probably rated it higher had it been a little more fleshed out or part of a collection - but alas - I will take my Madeline Miller where I can get it. Galatea reimagines the myth of Galatea and Pygmalion. A sculptor creates
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the most beautiful woman and wishes she were alive. When she awakens she is immediately impregnated finds out that life is not meant for her. It is all controlled by the sculptor. She is locked away and kept in constant supervision by doctors and nurses who drug her. But she knows what she wants and that is her daughter. She may have been made of stone - but her heart beats for one thing only and that is her daughter. Show Less
LibraryThing member tapestry100
I have not read Madeline Miller yet, despite The Song of Achilles being on every book list ever, so when I saw this short story the other day at my local BN, I thought this could be a good introduction to her writing for me.
A retelling of the Pygmalion myth, Miller sets Galatea in a hospital ward,
Telling the story from Galatea’s POV, Miller has created a feminist take on this myth, that is direct and somewhat brutal. Be sure to read the new afterword in this edition, as Miller gives a deep dive into her creative process for the story.
#books #bookstagram #book #booklover #reading #bookworm #bookstagrammer #bookinfluencer #read #mythology #galatea #bookreview #booksofinstagram #instabook #readingtime #bookblog #blogger #bookrecommendation #booksbooksbooks #readersofinstagram #reader #booklove #instabooks #literature #madelinemiller #frommybookshelfblog #frommybookshelf #bookish #happyreading
A retelling of the Pygmalion myth, Miller sets Galatea in a hospital ward,
Show More
where her husband keeps her under medical lock and key so only he has access to her, for her “protection”, and his obsession. However, Galatea will go to any length to protect her daughter and see her one last time, and not even her husband will be able to stop her.Telling the story from Galatea’s POV, Miller has created a feminist take on this myth, that is direct and somewhat brutal. Be sure to read the new afterword in this edition, as Miller gives a deep dive into her creative process for the story.
#books #bookstagram #book #booklover #reading #bookworm #bookstagrammer #bookinfluencer #read #mythology #galatea #bookreview #booksofinstagram #instabook #readingtime #bookblog #blogger #bookrecommendation #booksbooksbooks #readersofinstagram #reader #booklove #instabooks #literature #madelinemiller #frommybookshelfblog #frommybookshelf #bookish #happyreading
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LibraryThing member Carmenere
Well this was a pleasant surprise. I discovered this novella while browsing the “new additions” bookshelf at my library. When I saw it was written by the Queen of retold mythological stories, I had to grab it.
I was not disappointed.
Ms Miller retells the story, for a new generation, of a
Short, succinct and perfectly written.
I was not disappointed.
Ms Miller retells the story, for a new generation, of a
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Pygmalion type man who has sculpted a most beautiful statue which was brought to life by a goddess. The sculptor hides the woman away and keeps her in solitude for his own pleasure. In due time, this stone come to life, needs her independence and only she can come to the aid of her daughter who is in harms way.Short, succinct and perfectly written.
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LibraryThing member HippieLunatic
The examination of the meaning of art from the art's perspective was a fascinating read. When beauty is all that matters for your worth, when your value is determined solely on what others are willing to pay to preserve you, would you fight for more, run, or work to destroy your artist? While there
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is much to delve into regarding the beauty standards for women in our world, I am also interested in what this story means for the relationship between creator and creation. Show Less
LibraryThing member srms.reads
3.5 rounded up!
Galatea by Madeline Miller is a brief reimagining of the Greek myth of Pygmalion. In the original story (found in Ovid’s Metamorphosis ) Pygmalion is a sculptor from Cyprus who falls in love with his ivory sculpture of a beautiful woman. Goddess Aphrodite grants his wish and
“Everyone looked at me, because I was the most beautiful woman in the town. I don’t say this to boast, because there is nothing in it to boast of. It was nothing I did myself.”
Madeline Miller’s feminist reimagining of the myth is dark and disturbing. Narrated from Galatea’s PoV, the story begins with her confined to a hospital bed, her plight a result of a failed effort to escape her controlling and obsessive husband with their daughter Paphos. Her husband visits her in her captivity, expecting her to conform to his wishes, keeping her away from her daughter, and informs her that he is working on a new sculpture of a young girl. Galatea feigns obedience all the while keenly observing her surroundings and planning her next move, ultimately leading to a shocking climax.
“The thing is, I don’t think my husband expected me to be able to talk. I don’t blame him for this exactly, since he had known me only as a statue, pure and beautiful and yielding to his art.”
Madeline Miller’s prose is elegant yet unflinchingly brutal. She turns the story around from a fairy-tale-like myth to the story of a woman trapped in a toxic, abusive relationship with a brutish husband. Miller portrays Pygmalion in an essentially unfavorable light, comparing his disgust for prostitutes and other women he has interacted with and his obsession with perfection and “pure” women who are capable of “blushing” to modern-day “incels”. Galatea’s bitterness, pain and rage are palpable as is her resolve to change the trajectory of her life. Given the short length of this story (the Kindle edition is a little over 50 pages), there isn’t much scope for exploring the characters or the myth in depth but overall this is a compelling read that I believe fans of feminist retellings of Greek myths would enjoy.
Galatea by Madeline Miller is a brief reimagining of the Greek myth of Pygmalion. In the original story (found in Ovid’s Metamorphosis ) Pygmalion is a sculptor from Cyprus who falls in love with his ivory sculpture of a beautiful woman. Goddess Aphrodite grants his wish and
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bestows life on his creation. Pygmalion marries Galatea and they are assumed to live happily ever after. The myth has inspired numerous works of art, literature and productions on stage, on television and in movies. The Pygmalion Effect, a psychological phenomenon that links high expectations to increased productivity is also named after the Greek myth.“Everyone looked at me, because I was the most beautiful woman in the town. I don’t say this to boast, because there is nothing in it to boast of. It was nothing I did myself.”
Madeline Miller’s feminist reimagining of the myth is dark and disturbing. Narrated from Galatea’s PoV, the story begins with her confined to a hospital bed, her plight a result of a failed effort to escape her controlling and obsessive husband with their daughter Paphos. Her husband visits her in her captivity, expecting her to conform to his wishes, keeping her away from her daughter, and informs her that he is working on a new sculpture of a young girl. Galatea feigns obedience all the while keenly observing her surroundings and planning her next move, ultimately leading to a shocking climax.
“The thing is, I don’t think my husband expected me to be able to talk. I don’t blame him for this exactly, since he had known me only as a statue, pure and beautiful and yielding to his art.”
Madeline Miller’s prose is elegant yet unflinchingly brutal. She turns the story around from a fairy-tale-like myth to the story of a woman trapped in a toxic, abusive relationship with a brutish husband. Miller portrays Pygmalion in an essentially unfavorable light, comparing his disgust for prostitutes and other women he has interacted with and his obsession with perfection and “pure” women who are capable of “blushing” to modern-day “incels”. Galatea’s bitterness, pain and rage are palpable as is her resolve to change the trajectory of her life. Given the short length of this story (the Kindle edition is a little over 50 pages), there isn’t much scope for exploring the characters or the myth in depth but overall this is a compelling read that I believe fans of feminist retellings of Greek myths would enjoy.
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Language
Original publication date
2013-08-13
Physical description
56 p.; 5.98 x 4.37 inches
ISBN
1526652064 / 9781526652065