Reviews with content warning for Animal death - Circe

I didn’t think Madeline Miller could match the heights of Achilles, but she did something even better. She told a story that at once built on the themes of the work but also did it’s entirely own thing. I was impressed by the detail she weaves into the titular character’s story. i really felt the weight of immortality and how that interplay changes interpersonal dynamics, morality, etc. i enjoyed knowing some of how the story would play out, but not all of it. and of course, the mark of a great story is even as you know what’s around the corner, you are still on the edge of your seat. this book shifts the focus on a familiar tale and expands the depth of myth and how these stories are as relevant now as they were then.

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aurelia04's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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kellyofcali's review against another edition

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adventurous reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

A sort of slow read, though a nice one, that takes you through a number of stories of Greek Mythology from a different perspective. I've always loved the Greek gods, so I enjoyed this, though it didn't GRAB me the way some books do. Appreciate a strong female center.

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hammie_32's review against another edition

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challenging dark slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

This was really disappointing. I had a lot of hopes for a dark, reflective retelling of a myth often starring a villainous evil bitch, easily defeated. And this gets 2.5 stars ONLY because for precisely the first 50% of the book, it was the dark, captivating, sorrowful tale I was promised.

And then it turned into a shitty "feminist" novel. And I know that makes me sound gross, but it's in quotes for a reason. Because why, why does every book featuring a powerful woman always have to end up about

motherhood

? I have nothing against it, and yes, sometimes that IS a powerful statement to be made. Not like this, and not this often. If someone somewhere needs permission, you have my allowance to write a feminist, feminine power, woman-dominated, whatever else story where your main female character DOESN'T

get pregnant

!! Doesn't "

find power in nurturing

." Doesn't

use a child to remedy their own traumas

!!! Successfully might I add! It's just never the feminist statement that these authors think it is, and I'm so sick of having to read it after hearing the same sentiment shouted from the rooftops for years by young women and femmes.

I wish I could have more love for this book. But I want 500 pages of an immortal's torment at the hands of humanity. I want a narrative of her suffering on finding a few kind souls, only to be torn apart by the next pack of dogs. I want a dark assemblage of our species' sins told via a recollection of an eternal life's worth of memories. I want her to be twisted and cold and cruel and I want it to be justified because that would be real. If someone wants something happy in there, throw a Sapphic romance in at the end that doesn't "fix" her. But I can't stand to read Circe talking about the cruelties of men, cruelties of gods and goddesses, cruelties of LIFE, just to turn around and

pop out a baby

because she wishes a reprieve of her solitude.

And then she

fucks her stepson

, and that just made me mad.

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