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rjbedell's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-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
4.25
Beautifully written, equal parts brutal and empowering in its epic sweep of a life across a thousand years. Occasionally bogged down in dark tensions, or whisked along by a revolving door of side characters that Miller usually succeeds in making relevant. Ends on hopeful, inspiring notes as a testament to humanity, love, and mortality.
Content Warnings
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
seanml's review
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Madeline Miller evolves her craft with Circe in a way that is both a spiritual continuation of the Song of Achilles, while also being a completely independent narrative on its own. The pantheon and characters of Greek legend are all written very well, beginning as their one-note idealized selves, and turning into multi-faceted characters by the novel's end. A pleasure as always. 8/10.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Pregnancy, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Torture, Violence, War, Alcohol, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Sexism, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
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