Reviews with content warning for Incest - Circe Excerpt: The First 3 Chapters

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Circe Excerpt: The First 3 Chapters by Madeline Miller

217 reviews

snowwhitehatesapples's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring 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

Review can also be found at Snow White Hates Apples.

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous .

That’s my primary thought when it comes to Madeline Miller’s Circe because this reimagining of the notorious enchantress-goddess in ancient Greek mythology is a stunner. I’m completely taken by how the author brilliantly humanises who several people would deem a villain, making the titular main character complex and flawed yet so, so relatable. I’ve not cared deeply for a character in a long time, but Circe has awakened that in me and even now, more than a month after I finished reading this book, I still find myself unable to part with the story.

Spanning thousands of years, this book begins at Circe’s birth and ends at her death (whether literal or metaphorical, I leave that up to you to decide). It touches on so many things and has so many characters, but ultimately, it’s the witch-goddess’ story. We see her grow from naïve, lonely and shunned daughter of nymph Perse and Titan Helios to the all-powerful witch of Aeaea who turns bad men into swine, and then, more. Amidst all the betrayals, drama, magic and adventures, Circe is, at its heart, a story of pain and anger, desire and love, heartache and loneliness, strength and motherhood.

That said, don’t read this book expecting adventures and battles a hero would undergo because this isn’t the story of a hero. It’s the story of a side character, a “dreadful goddess with lovely hair and human speech” as per Homer’s Odyssey . Thus, read Circe as a breath of fresh air where this side character learns how to respect and love herself, and that by accepting and being herself, she becomes free.

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destynee's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional informative mysterious sad fast-paced

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

3.0

This is another book I was hesitant to read but also excited. I have to admit I’m a bit disappointed. The story was fun but this has been passed off as a feminist retelling and it’s not that at all. Choices were made with the writing, mainly with the parts of the lore that were used to make up the story, Circe has beef with almost every woman in the book due that and the fact that they all seem to hate her, and out of anyone she’s willing to give the men in her life a second chance way before she does the women. It was just really annoying. If anything this is a feminist story for white women and Miller is not good at writing women.

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clairew97's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

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bessmonet's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark sad tense slow-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

3.75

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certifiedpizza's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense 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

4.75

millennia contained within an hourglass, paired with the occasional slap to the face with a fish.

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sylkie's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional reflective relaxing sad slow-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

4.5

Madeline Miller truly never misses! Once again she returns with her beautiful prose and amazing, complicated characters. Circe is a character in Greek mythology who has definitely needed exploration and Miller delivered.

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