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slefebvre95's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: War, Sexual violence, Body horror, Infidelity, Abandonment, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Death, Death of parent, Bullying, Rape, Pregnancy, Murder, Gore, Torture, Xenophobia, Medical trauma, Confinement, and Blood
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Alcohol
rjbedell's review
- 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
- 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
swanuponsleda'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
4.75
Graphic: Death, Rape, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Violence, and Pregnancy
Moderate: War, Torture, Grief, Misogyny, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death of parent and Animal death
coreym9's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Moderate: Slavery, War, Torture, Confinement, Incest, Rape, Blood, Sexual violence, Violence, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Pregnancy
sfeldmann's review
- 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
kmtaylor002's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Body horror, Confinement, War, Violence, Misogyny, Mental illness, Bullying, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Infidelity
Minor: Animal death, Rape, Sexual content, and Incest
papayaya's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Moderate: War and Sexual assault
crybabybea's review
- 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
chloewilson_13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Violence, War, Death, Grief, Death of parent, and Confinement
Minor: Animal death