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elanuruysal's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Child death, Rape, Blood, and Animal death
felofhe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Ableism, Incest, Bullying, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, War, Confinement, Death of parent, Grief, Murder, Death, Mental illness, and Slavery
mendelbreakdown's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Rape and Child death
rjbedell's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Grief, Infidelity, Self harm, Torture, Toxic relationship, Rape, Child abuse, Confinement, Violence, Blood, Pregnancy, Animal death, Body horror, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: War, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Physical abuse
Minor: Suicide, Incest, Death of parent, Terminal illness, and Child death
erinjade_3's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Madeline Miller's writing is so heartbreakingly beautiful, with rich descriptions and fully-fleshed characters. I love how she reclaims the character of Circe and depicts her journey from girlhood through to womanhood. I am definitely one to prefer a character-driven book over a plot-driven book, and that is exactly what this is. We see centuries unfold through the eyes of an unsuspecting witness in Circe. As someone who has always loved Greek myths, the coinciding stories/ characters drove excitement for me when it came to plot (so I could see how this could be a potential downfall for some). But I think the richness of the characters and themes make up for that, personally.
I just adore this book.
Moderate: Child death, Pregnancy, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Abandonment, Confinement, and War
sfeldmann's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Minor: Child death, War, and Sexual assault
crybabybea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I should mention that I know very little about Greek mythology; it's never been a huge interest for me, and I wasn't a Percy Jackson child. That being said, the parallels to The Odyssey are very clear, and we even get a visit from Odysseus himself (which serves as a turning point in the novel for Circe's character). The prose itself is very clearly inspired by classic Greek literature. Descriptive and poetic at times, it also became the novel's biggest drawback for me as it became sluggish and even pretentious at times. But. I can't deny I felt incredibly immersed in Circe's journey, the island of Aiaia especially, and the witchiness of it all.
As for the character Circe herself, I did enjoy her. I enjoyed her journey, seeing how she changes and grows as she is influenced by the people and experiences she has throughout the story. Like I said, the other characters are merely plot devices; if you are looking for a unique cast of highly developed characters, this is not it. There is no overarching plot with intense action, no big baddie that needs defeated, and no moral lesson that needs to be learned. It is simply about the human experience of loneliness and connection, finding our way in life, making peace with our mistakes, and ultimately living a life of fulfillment.
As a literary character study, Circe (the character) is done very well. She is complicated, full of rage, grief, jealousy, love, and remorse. I think her story is relatable to a lot of different people, women and femmes especially, as they experience heartache after heartache in their search for love and acceptance. The mistakes we make as human beings, as well as the ways we try to right ourselves in a chaotic world are universal and Circe is an excellent mirror for that experience. I really enjoyed her development and how her story ended. Greek mythology was a great setting for this experience, as Circe grappled with her life as a lesser god -- surrounded by tricksters and remorseless cruelty, Circe redefines her own nature as she chooses love, both for herself and for the few people that become important in her life.
Because of the slow pacing and sluggish prose, this is on the lower end of the 3.25 star rating for me. The character study was great, but I think it dragged on a bit too long for little reward.
Graphic: Abandonment, Death, Body shaming, Murder, Animal death, War, Bullying, Child death, Rape, Pregnancy, and Sexism
codapril's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Murder, War, Torture, Child death, Rape, Slavery, Sexual violence, Animal death, Pregnancy, and Violence
a_libra_library's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Sexual content, Animal cruelty, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Abandonment, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Grief, Rape, and Suicidal thoughts
possessdbychaos's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Rape