Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.25 AVERAGE
4.25 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is the pre-teen Percy Jackson phase to adult other Greek mythology fiction pipeline😂
I really liked this adaptation of various popular Greek myths that Circe appears in!! I've briefly heard of her in the past and have heard the odyssey mentioned frequently, but I wasn't well versed in her lore. I enjoyed reading this from her POV and I liked how all the stories go in chronological order. Madeline Miller did a good job of adapting a bunch of stories into a singular, flowing novel. It didn't read like an anthology, but rather truly one whole book. I was familiar with aspects of mythology mentioned here prior to reading, but she also made the characters and lore easy to digest for those who may not know Greek myths (p.s. love that there's a full character list in the back of the book😍).
Overall, this was a solid book and you can tell it was well researched~~~ It definitely made me interested in Circe, that's for sure. It portrayed her in a very powerful light, I could totally see how Madeline Miller was aiming for that.
It was exciting for me to recognize Greek mythology I knew of within the book (like the minotaur) 😌 If you've enjoyed PJO and you want something more mature/aimed for adults, read this. It has its own fantastical charm as well (the storytelling) ⭐️
I really liked this adaptation of various popular Greek myths that Circe appears in!! I've briefly heard of her in the past and have heard the odyssey mentioned frequently, but I wasn't well versed in her lore. I enjoyed reading this from her POV and I liked how all the stories go in chronological order. Madeline Miller did a good job of adapting a bunch of stories into a singular, flowing novel. It didn't read like an anthology, but rather truly one whole book. I was familiar with aspects of mythology mentioned here prior to reading, but she also made the characters and lore easy to digest for those who may not know Greek myths (p.s. love that there's a full character list in the back of the book😍).
Overall, this was a solid book and you can tell it was well researched~~~ It definitely made me interested in Circe, that's for sure. It portrayed her in a very powerful light, I could totally see how Madeline Miller was aiming for that.
It was exciting for me to recognize Greek mythology I knew of within the book (like the minotaur) 😌 If you've enjoyed PJO and you want something more mature/aimed for adults, read this. It has its own fantastical charm as well (the storytelling) ⭐️
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
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
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
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
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thought I’d like Greek Mythology, but I couldn’t find it in myself to care about Circe. Well written, just not my jam.
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Pretty different to the kind of books I usually read but I liked the real world mythology and how it was explored, particularly Odysseus' character and his stories. Circe was interesting enough on her own though. Some imaginative approaches to Greek mythology.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The beginning of this novel, and the beginning of Circe's life, filled me with a fiery desire for vengeance. I was hell-bent on ripping this book apart until I finally saw Circe gain enough power to right the wrongs in her life, to punish those who pushed her into the dirt since the literal second she was born.
But that revenge never came.
Miller draws me into Circe's tragic and painful story so sweetly. I found myself caring so deeply for the goddess well before the book was over. Circe touched my heart and I saw so much of myself in her. She has absolutely been filed away as one of my strongest kins.
The story itself wasn't a tale of thrills and adventure, quite the opposite, but I was never bored reading this. I was worried that the setting would run dry eventually, but in truth it never did. I didn't have to push myself to finish this novel, my love for Circe was motivation enough. I felt I was Circe while reading this, feeling her feelings and seeing the world through her eyes. Miller's writing was exceptional for this.
This book didn't end with Circe raining hell upon the heavens as I wanted it to. It ended with Circe finding a type of peace that I almost can't relate to. After closing the book I felt upset. I wanted more for Circe. But after hours, maybe days of sitting on it, I came to peace with it. This wasn't a book about revenge and power, it was one about freedom. And in the end, Circe found that.
"You threw me to the crows, but it turns out I prefer them to you."
"It is a common saying that women are delicate creatures, flowers, eggs, anything that may be crushed in a moment's carelessness. If I had ever believed it, I no longer did."
But that revenge never came.
Miller draws me into Circe's tragic and painful story so sweetly. I found myself caring so deeply for the goddess well before the book was over. Circe touched my heart and I saw so much of myself in her. She has absolutely been filed away as one of my strongest kins.
The story itself wasn't a tale of thrills and adventure, quite the opposite, but I was never bored reading this. I was worried that the setting would run dry eventually, but in truth it never did. I didn't have to push myself to finish this novel, my love for Circe was motivation enough. I felt I was Circe while reading this, feeling her feelings and seeing the world through her eyes. Miller's writing was exceptional for this.
This book didn't end with Circe raining hell upon the heavens as I wanted it to. It ended with Circe finding a type of peace that I almost can't relate to. After closing the book I felt upset. I wanted more for Circe. But after hours, maybe days of sitting on it, I came to peace with it. This wasn't a book about revenge and power, it was one about freedom. And in the end, Circe found that.
"You threw me to the crows, but it turns out I prefer them to you."
"It is a common saying that women are delicate creatures, flowers, eggs, anything that may be crushed in a moment's carelessness. If I had ever believed it, I no longer did."
Such a quiet, melancholy exploration of mortality and the ways we accept love