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Reviews tagging 'Pregnancy'

Circe Excerpt: The First 3 Chapters by Madeline Miller

723 reviews

erikagibson126's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

4.5


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boba_nbooks's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Spice Rating: 🫑 / 5 🌶️

Greek mythology retelling? Check. Witches? Check. Female Rage? Check.

Circe is the odd child born of Helios--a mighty Titan and god of the Sun. She doesn't seem to fit in with her siblings or anyone else in Helios' house. After Circe turns to mortals for companionship, she finds out she possesses a rare power: witchcraft. Zeus, of course, finds out about Circe's power, and since he is intimidated by it, he decides to banish her to a deserted to island for the rest of her immortal life. Circe finally feels as though she belongs in a world of her own, and she is able to hone her power even more. Though she is unable to leave the island, people can come to her, and that is how she meets the famous Odysseus. Their relationship takes Circe on a path she would've never thought possible.

This novel is undoubtedly beautiful. It's written in the sort of prose that is almost always moving. Circe in and of herself is such a powerful figure who hasn't been explored in mythology, and it was so interesting to hear her story with her at the center instead of as the side character in others' stories.

I loved the female rage in this book as well as the fact that she stood strong for herself and those she closest to her. Anyone who loves Greek mythology and female empowerment will love Circe.

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elliott_the_clementine's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5


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memtah's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional reflective tense
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
okay this was really good. didn’t really get it at first but by halfway i couldn’t put it down, also the scene where
she confronts helios
!! oh my god spectacular 
and the writing was so beautiful that i kept rewinding to listen to it again just bc it was pretty haha

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sisiriley's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.25


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lavenderzinnia's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective tense medium-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

4.5


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mills33's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad fast-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? It's complicated

5.0


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mxmorganic's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-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

5.0

An incredibly smart flip of Greek myth as it’s survived from antiquity, and of the Odyssey especially, rendered in Miller’s endlessly varied, rich prose, this novel surprised me in just how much it delighted me. Absolutely worth a read.

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anicatiu's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful fast-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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lianaet's review against another edition

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

3.75

While I did very much enjoy the writing, as Miller is certainly skilled with evocative prose, the actual plot I found a bit lacking. There are several moments in the book that I truly loved:
none more so than Circe getting Trygon's tail and the whole vibe of her travelling to the depths
. But it was a lot of slow cutting herbs, making magic's, and sleeping with various men with little personal attachment. And maybe that kind of story is just not so much for me. 

I think I also really did not like
reading her long and awful pregnancy and child raising
.

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