Author: Madeline Miller
Publication date:10 April 2018 (book)| 19 April 2018 (audiobook)
Genre: Historical Fiction/ Fantasy Fiction
Format: Audio book read by Perdita Weeks
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.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS ||
The book opens with the phrase “When I was born, the word for what I was did not exist” which lit a curiosity in me despite my existing (but patchy) knowledge of Circe in Homer’s Odyssey. From there the language is enticing and emotive, inspiring real empathy for the strange Nymph. Circe’s encounter with Prometheus was riveting. If you’re not hooked by the first few chapters I’d say it’s not for you as it’s very consistently written.
CHARACTERS ||
I didn’t know much about Circe, I did know a little about the cruel witch of Aeaea, mentioned fleetingly in Homer’s Odyssey – these two people are not the same. Miller crafts an empathetic heroine, shaped into a force unto herself by the ill will of others with strengths and flaws of character to rival any human.
Penelope is a quiet woman, thoughtful and meticulous and I had high hopes for her characterization. She was clearly not a focal point of the narrative but nonetheless reflected some of Circe’s characteristics back to her. It would have been nice to have had multiple developed female characters.
The portrayals of all higher immortals (with the exception of Prometheus) in this re-writing are certainly less than favorable. There is an absolute separation between the Olympians and Gods and those who live hierarchically and physically beneath them. Miller uses this to demonstrate human value and showcase traits of arrogance, entitlement and superiority.
THEME AND MEANING ||
Circe is a distinctly female text. It’s a feminist take on a story which, historically, celebrated the ferocity of masculinity and projected the image of a lesser witch of Aeaea – unsophisticated and one dimensional. Miller highlights the strength of the independent woman using human vulnerabilities and experiences that shape her into a realistic person and an icon for the ages. As a woman, Circe is not entitled to much however her witchcraft sets her apart – she could roll over Colchis like a tornado. Instead she keeps her ambitions modest and shows her reader the misconceptions of female power.
“It is a common saying that women are delicate creatures, flowers, eggs, anything that may be crushed in a moment’s carelessness. If I had ever believed it, I no longer did.”
“The thought was this: that all my life had been murk and depths, but I was not a part of that dark water. I was a creature within it.”
“I thought once that gods are the opposite of death, but I see now they are more dead than anything, for they are unchanging, and can hold nothing in their hands.”
Mythology ||
Circe has an encounter with Medea, a role to play in the life of the Minotaur, a defining moment with Prometheus and a love affair with Odysseus. These stories aren’t distorted by the angling of Circe as a more sympathetic version than in previous incarnations and the story’s careful placement within its known context made it all the more enjoyable to read.
WRITING & NARRATION ||
The perspective and emotive aspects of the language added plausibility and realism to stories I’d always believed to be more akin to fairytales. It was gritty and real, and the prose was beautiful and poetic in some passages.
Miller’s treatment of one particular sensitive scene was delicately handled: Though not much time was spent describing the traumatic event, it was realistic – not only in terms of circumstance, but by the behavior of our Circe and her subsequent choices and retributive acts.
From a listening perspective, Perdita Weeks is now the voice of Circe for me. I don’t know that there’s much I can add to that. She was a delight to listen to and I’d highly recommend this version of the book (though I will be re-reading in hard copy!)
VERDICT ||
Even with a fleeting knowledge of Greek mythology, I was captivated by Circe. I’ll be reading this again as a physical book and making adjustments to my schedule to fit The Song of Achilles into my mammoth TBR. Complete game-changer for me and my only real complaint is that there wasn’t more of it. I could’ve listened for days to Miller’s epic retelling of Circe, daughter of the sun, witch of Aeaea.
5/5
✩✩✩✩✩
CatInEsse 
What a fantastic, well-thought out review! I love your take on this book and the way you’ve set out your review to break down each part of the book. I love books that, despite the high fantasy or mythology (as is the case with this book), have an element of realism. I find that’s so important when trying to connect with a story like this. I cannot wait to pick this up. Great review!
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Thank you so much. And absolutely – couldn’t agree more. I found Circe so compelling in that way – completely blends the feeling of mythology with something tangible and relatable. Loved it! (I hope you do too!)
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