Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

Circe Excerpt: The First 3 Chapters by Madeline Miller

31 reviews

samantha365's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexism, Cursing, Sexual assault, Excrement, Grief, Sexual violence, Animal death, Misogyny, and Pregnancy

_eleanorgreen8_'s review against another edition

inspiring mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.5

I loved this book so much. Madeline Miller's rich retellings of Greek myths are so intruiging and feel so modern. I don't know anything about Greek mythology, but this book introduced a world of wonder and ideas that I loved reading about. I particularly loved the descriptions of nature and witchcraft throughout the book, which really brought the story to life. The overall plot was a bit slow, but since it was a retelling I could accept that. Overall just a really enchanting, meaningful read that left me feeling deeply moved. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror

Moderate: Bullying, Grief, Gore, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Cursing, Incest, Rape, and Sexual content

luminifera's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-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

I absolutely loved it. What a beautiful retelling of the myth. So many details!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Sexual assault, Body horror, Cannibalism, Confinement, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Animal death, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual content, Violence, Bullying, Child death, Medical content, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body shaming, Sexual harassment, Torture, Child abuse, Cursing, Rape, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Death, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, War, Self harm, Infidelity, Addiction, Incest, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pedophilia, Kidnapping, Abandonment, Xenophobia, and Alcohol

It's a heavy book. However, very much worth the read, and

it has a happy ending!

kaypringle's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-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

4.25

It is my pleasure to say that I felt thoroughly sated by this novel, particularly it’s ending. The pace was definitely medium, more on the slower side, yet the character development and plot truly hooks readers in! It felt like I was burning with the passion of Helios and the Fates to get to the end of this wonderful tale! The imagery was superb and gave me that “I just finished greatness” feeling, almost as if I’ve just walked out of a great movie, yet better because it’s right in my hands!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment

Moderate: Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Cursing, Bullying, and Death

ajediprincess's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful inspiring reflective medium-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

3.0

This is a beautiful book. It is written in the first person perspective, from Circe’s point of view. It’s also written in a way that is so different to what I am used to, but it serves the tone and theme of the Greek myth well. The style seems almost like an encyclopedia entry or a biography at times. Circe rushes through many broken memories, spanning all the way back to her earliest days alive, and the narrative follows what she chooses to tell and what she thinks is most important to mention. For this reason, she does summarize things and she stops speaking of them when she feels they are no longer important. There are a lot of plain, practical statements, and there is a lot of telling of facts. But there are also beautiful analogies and uses of simile and even hyperbole.

The pace did strike me as a bit odd. Personally, the narrative feels best when it zooms in and focuses on moments and scenes with dialogue and emotion. More on this later. Everything else really feels so abridged, like dancing across the surface of a great iceberg. One knows there must be more there, but Circe chooses not to go into great depth about it.

This is a very good story, if not told rather strangely, in snapshots and summaries and anecdotes. It's almost as if Circe herself is trying to tell the reader her life story in the most succinct way possible. At no point was I aware of or able to discern how much time had passed from point to point in the narrative. I could make a guess, but I would never be certain. She tells the story in such a scattered, stream of consciousness manner that it is impossible to discern when all of the events of Circe's life happened, only that they did. That is not to say that it doesn't feel satisfying, it does, it's just different than most methods of storytelling.  I lost track of how many famous Greek myths made appearances in the tapestry of Circe's life, but suffice it to say she was involved in some manner in many of the very famous stories in Greek mythology, and it was very interesting to see how.

The overall structure of the narrative is very apropos for Greek mythology too. Circling all the way back to events from the very beginning of Circe’s life, there are peaks and valleys and bitter twists of fate. The way all of these threads come together is meticulous, masterful. There is so much literary symmetry that even when things happen that threaten to cause unspeakable anger and frustration in the reader, one cannot help but admire how brilliant and clever these events and their relationship to Circe are.

Circe herself is a strong, compelling protagonist. She has an almost unbelievable amount of compassion for mortals, and has even been told that she has a “mortal voice.” This is striking when contrasted with the reactions and opinions regarding mortals from all the other gods and even nymphs around her. She feels somehow different from them in so many ways, and one fateful decision she makes in her youth shows her just how different she really is. Thus begins the great story of her life—a life filled with discovery, magic, longing, exile, loneliness, invention, opportunity, vengeance, personal growth, empowerment, forgiveness, trust, love, and hope.

There was a period where I felt as though the book must be coming to a close, yet it marched on, in a good way, because Circe’s story was not yet done, even though all of the mythology with which I was familiar had ended. The last ten chapters of this book are the most gripping. Here the narrative seems to slow down and zooms in the focus. No longer a summary, it’s now the careful recounting of what has transpired most recently, all leading up to where the tense of the narration actually changes from past to present, active. We see what has happened, giving rise to what is happening now, just before the book ends with something of a cliffhanger. It’s beautifully done.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves Greek myth and wants to hear an interesting and moving story of one minor figure from arguably the most famous tale of Greek Mythology and discover her life. It was an enjoyable read.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing and Emotional abuse

Minor: Rape, Gore, and Sexual assault

aditi_801's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative reflective relaxing tense 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? Yes

5.0

I LOVE this book so much. It took me forever to read as my tbr is only growing bigger day by day but I just enjoyed it so thoroughly. Our baybe Circe was actually the sweetest and bravest. Sure she liked to turn men into pigs for a period of time but who wouldn't do the same? The stories of the people she encountered were just so entertaining. Meeting Medea, Daedalus, baby Icarus, and Ariadne were such shocks to me and I loved how Circe grew everytime she experienced more of life. The ending was also just so good. Expected but also not expected. Seeing her grow from someone who was constantly stepped on when she lived with her family to a powerful and independent woman was my favorite part. She was alone for so long, but she grew with it. This book was just so filled with life, the writing was beautiful, and I was honestly never bored. It took me a few days to read because I was annotating it but I bet I would have devoured it otherwise. This book did so much justice to Circe's character in Greek Mythology that is known as beautiful but seductress witch who decievingly turns men to pigs. The way she was displayed in Circe made her human.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexism, Pregnancy, Death, and Mental illness

Minor: Sexual assault and Rape

yogomagpie's review against another edition

adventurous emotional fast-paced

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

5.0

I couldn’t put this one down. Looking back on it, it felt like a whirlwind. Over a thousand years’ worth of Circe’s life in a few hundred pages. I did not find it too rushed. I loved Circe’s growth and eventual closure. I would read it again.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy and Rape

Moderate: Death, Violence, Alcohol, and Medical trauma

Minor: Cursing

ednam0dewannabe's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative inspiring sad tense 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

5.0

Now I understand why many people recommend this book and the author. I found it super original and beautiful in both the narrative and the use of lesser-known aspects of Greek culture and myths, especially the way in which the novel is divided. The fact that we learn about Circe's life through the compilation of various tales reminds me of the way in which various myths are written/passed down.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Confinement, Cursing, Abandonment, Torture, Alcohol, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexism

Minor: Child death, Medical content, Torture, Physical abuse, Vomit, War, Cannibalism, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship

fiveredhens's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

ancient greece was kinda fucked up huh

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Abandonment, Body horror, Confinement, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Medical content, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexual content, War, and Incest

Minor: Animal death and Cursing

necrologist's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Cursing, Sexual content, Blood, Death, Body horror, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Incest, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Violence, Medical trauma, and Confinement