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kalleigh's review against another edition
2.0
My book club chose this and it was personally not for me. I found the language and slang hard to understand, the changing POV between characters and storylines was at times confusing, and I didn’t really know where the story was headed. Additionally, there were many unnecessary characters and too many nicknames to try and follow. This was also difficult to read with the way the world is right now, but that’s no fault of the author.
willisalive's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Amazing book, loved it forever
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and War
rancid87's review against another edition
4.0
I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve - Stand By Me
It’s the nostalgia for me
mat_tobin's review against another edition
4.0
I read this poorly for the first half (in small chunks) and then in one or two grand sweeps during the second half and this affected my feelings towards the book. If I had read it in greater chunks then I think I would have given it a higher rating. The writing is very well done and the characters are all well drawn, it's pacey (esp. the second half) and it's clear that Westall knows his history. The place, artefacts and people certainly felt like 'real' people. A few words may be questionable when read in class but careful planning would avoid these issues.
lauraspages's review against another edition
Circe is a wonderfully feminist retelling of a classic Greek myth. I was only vaguely familiar with The Odessey to the extent that I knew who the main players were in the story. I didn’t know anything about Circe as a character and, to be honest, I was drawn to this book because it was shortlisted for the women’s prize for fiction. That and the cover art. I knew I would love it. It didn’t disappoint.
From the very first page you can tell what a special book this is: Madeline Miller’s skilful and elegant language is enviable. She masterfully fleshes out a lifetime of story about a character who was no more than a passing lover of Odysseus on his way back to Ithaca.
Circe’s island of Aiaia is vividly described and her experiences are varied despite her banishment. In parts such as her voyage to see her sister and her involvement with the Minotaur the novel is adventurous, whilst in other parts it is a romantic love story. Mostly, though, I think it is a coming of age tale in which Circe turns Helios’ rejection of her on its head - in the end is is she who is strongest and needs no approval from her Titan father.
I will look out for future books from Miller - she’s a stunning writer.
From the very first page you can tell what a special book this is: Madeline Miller’s skilful and elegant language is enviable. She masterfully fleshes out a lifetime of story about a character who was no more than a passing lover of Odysseus on his way back to Ithaca.
Circe’s island of Aiaia is vividly described and her experiences are varied despite her banishment. In parts such as her voyage to see her sister and her involvement with the Minotaur the novel is adventurous, whilst in other parts it is a romantic love story. Mostly, though, I think it is a coming of age tale in which Circe turns Helios’ rejection of her on its head - in the end is is she who is strongest and needs no approval from her Titan father.
I will look out for future books from Miller - she’s a stunning writer.
themaxdog's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. Considering it's written for kids it has some very adult scenes and content, which was quite surprising to find in children's fiction. However, the characters were all unique and well-written, helping to give a fascinating lifelike insight into everyday British life during the war.
ryangillam's review
4.0
We had to read this in Year 8 or 9. One of the two. Back then, I thought the book was superb. i loved reading it in class (not when I was called upon to actually do my bit and contribute, of course). However, it is a fantastic book and something a little bit different. Obviously, it is a kid's book, but it never really talks down at you. There is even a section at the back of the book where the author talks about how important it was for the book to not do that. He defends the use of swearing (as kids swear) and violence (as kids get violent)
Anyway, I picked it up from Amazon from Kindle at the tender age of 33. It isn't as good as I remember (yay rose-tinted glasses), and the book ends rather abruptly. I mean, the entire ending is wrapped up in about 4 pages, which is a shame.
4-stars, but if I were 14 again, probably 5.
Anyway, I picked it up from Amazon from Kindle at the tender age of 33. It isn't as good as I remember (yay rose-tinted glasses), and the book ends rather abruptly. I mean, the entire ending is wrapped up in about 4 pages, which is a shame.
4-stars, but if I were 14 again, probably 5.
tloader's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I first read this book as a child because I was fascinated by the war that my grandparents experienced. It always been a book that I think of fondly and had read many times. It brings back my attempts to understand war and seeing there was fear on both sides. As children we were bombarded with folms and images of the war and this Book brought to life the children's perspective and their limited understanding. This book is full of adventure and gives a good perspective of war through the eyes of children. This book was as good to read as an adult as it was as a child!
rimahsum's review against another edition
1.0
This story takes place in Garmouth during the Second World War. The kids collect war souvenirs such as incendiary bombs, plane fins, smashed bullets and other stuffs. Boddser Brown has the best war souvenir because he found the nose-cone of a 3.7 inch anti-aircraft shell. But when Chas McGill stumbles on a machine gun from a shot-down German plane, he and his friends built a fortress for the machine-gun. They brilliantly outwitted the police, parents and school members. Then Rudi, a German survivor found their fortress and Rudi lived there. Suspicion arouses the police and parents, as slowly the mystery reveals from accidents and missing objects. They had became the machine-gunners, and with it a lot of trouble came.