Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

Circe by Madeline Miller

215 reviews

kyra_613's review

adventurous emotional inspiring slow-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Violence, Sexism, and Pregnancy

picaresquedreamer's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Torture, Sexual assault, Death, Murder, Violence, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Animal death, Blood, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Child abuse, Bullying, Confinement, Pregnancy, and Torture

Minor: Domestic abuse

crybabybea's review

emotional reflective slow-paced

• 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

The best part about this book is that it turned Greek mythology on its head, which is clever and creative. Madeline Miller took the character Circe, often relegated to the sideline as a plot device for famous heroes such as Odysseus, and made her the main character. In Circe, the titular witch becomes our hero, and all other characters serve her narrative as plot devices. Because of this, the novel becomes more of a character study, and we spend most of our time in Circe's experience and thoughts.

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.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Death, Body shaming, Murder, Animal death, War, Bullying, Child death, Rape, Pregnancy, and Sexism

lesemaus2303's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective fast-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Death, Rape, Murder, Miscarriage, Sexism, Torture, and Violence

riv_erb's review

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Pregnancy, Sexism, Grief, Emotional abuse, Death, Misogyny, and Confinement

torismazarine's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, War, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Self harm, Confinement, and Infidelity

snips17's review

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Violence, Confinement, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, and Sexism

Moderate: War, Rape, Gaslighting, Grief, Physical abuse, and Torture

tadiwa_e's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

5.0

Madeline Miller's "Circe" skill-fully weaves subtle hints of feminism into the narrative, empowering the character of Circe. Her ability to find beauty in the brutal reality of human existence adds a poignant layer to the story. 

Circe's journey to discover and appreciate the hidden beauty within herself resonates as a powerful exploration of self-discovery. Miller's nuanced approach to these themes adds depth and complexity to the novel, making it a compelling read for those who appreciate a thought-provoking blend of mythology and introspection.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexism, Sexual violence, Rape, and Sexual content

Moderate: Sexism, Abandonment, and Infidelity

maisie_leigh27's review

adventurous reflective 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Sexual assault, Sexism, and Violence

abdog360's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Animal death, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Murder, Death of parent, and Sexism