Book Review - Circe

[Amy Darvill]

Title: Circe
Author: Madeline Miller
Genre: Fantasy/Mythology (specifically Greek)

*Note: The book is on the higher end of young adult

Brief Summary:
Circe is an unusual child when she's born. Described as having a mortal's voice despite being the daughter of the Titan Helios, she lacks both power and allure and is thus ignored and made fun. But when she begins to mingle with the mortal world, she finds her own unique gift - witchcraft. With her powers, she's able to turn a mortal into a minor god and a nymph into a terrible sea monster. Zeus, threatened by this, has her banished to a small deserted island.

But far from being the end of her tale, it's only the beginning. For it's not only on this island that she hones her abilities and tames wild beasts, but she also encounters (through permitted trips or lost travelers) gods, monsters, and even heroes. Her choices will even lead her to do battle with one of the premier Olympian Gods. And through it all, the largest question she struggles to answer, is where is her place in this tangled chessboard between gods and men?

Review:
This book serves an intimate look at Circe's life, evolving her from a minor character from mythology and giving her a story worthy of epics in her name. Written in a first-person fashion, the writing style is so lush that you get lost in the story within a few pages. The events that transpire in the book are not treated as fantastical or banal. Some of them are wild, but this is a world of gods that she has a foot in, so there's a sort of normalcy to these events. But I think what stands out more, even than the deft way she combines some of these myths, is how she writes Circe. You can actually empathize with Circe because you almost feel her emotions as your own. You can understand her rage, her fear, her anxieties. You celebrate when she scrapes together her various joys. And the ending is unexpected and yet it feels surprisingly right.

This was my first book by her, but I'm eager to read more by her. I know her book "Song of Achilles' is also majorly popular, so I have that on my to read list now. I easily give this story a 5 stars rating and I might actually have to consider buying this for my permanent shelf.

[Emily Spencer]

I have to thank Amy for her recommendation that I read this book. I really enjoyed this book and the deep dive it took on someone who's more of a minor character in mythology. As she said, you are experiencing everything along with Circe in a first-person way, which makes it feel more intimate. It is as if Circe is telling her life story to you. The other thing I liked is her interpretations of some other mythological figures. Jason in particular is always shown in this golden hero light. Here, there's a whole other darker side and a very prideful side at that. All in all, I would say this was one of my favorite reads recently.

Here is what Goodreads has to say:

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.

I would argue that it is more adult than young adult. There are some scenes that are a bit more graphic than I think fit into a young adult book. (Then again, I'm a mommy, so I'm always looking at when I would I let my daughter read a book since she has a habit of wanting to grab and look at whatever book I'm reading. Thank merlin for ereaders! She knows not to touch that without permission.)