Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Circe Excerpt: The First 3 Chapters by Madeline Miller

93 reviews

allygator's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective 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

 This novel is exceptional. It is a masterclass in creating a beautifully atmospheric read without detracting from the plot or character development. Madeline Miller constantly blows me away with how much care and detail she puts into every character and scene. It reads like myth, which it is. But that myth, that scale? Never detracts from everything else a book should have. The timeline of Circe's story is massive. This book spans centuries. Yet somehow it never felt like it was dragging on or going too slow. It's slow-paced, yes. But never boring. Honestly, I could have read 300 more pages of this and still not have tired of it.
Is this better than Song of Achilles? I don't know. I don't think I could ever possibly compare them. They're two incredibly different books. I saw someone describe the difference between them like this: The Song of Achilles is about the worst pain ever imaginable, pain that happens once in a lifetime; Circe is about the little pains you endure throughout your whole life, and how they build up in a person. It's perfect, and I couldn't say it any better if I tried.
I won't stand up here and say that if you love Song of Achilles you'll love Circe (even though I absolutely adore both). I will stand up here and say, though, that if you aren't giving Circe a chance, you're missing out on a story like no other. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Body horror, Murder, Death, War, and Sexual content

Minor: Alcohol

siennakt30's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective relaxing slow-paced

• 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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Incest, Murder, Pregnancy, Rape, Violence, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Child death, Death, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Blood, Confinement, and War

lasagna's review against another edition

emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Alcohol, Death, Pregnancy, Rape, and Sexual content

madysonlorraine's review against another edition

adventurous reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

2.5

Well written, just soooooo boring.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, Grief, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Rape, Alcohol, Animal death, and War

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

ambdocksey22's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child death, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Violence, and War

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

adventurous reflective 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

This book was amazing. I read Madeline Miller’s phenomenal The Song of Achilles and had to get more. Her prose is so lush and beautiful. I’ve never read writing like hers. It reignited the love I have for greek  mythology and especially retellings. It is such a fun and entertaining read and I would definitely recommend. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, and War

onefineelephant's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

8/10. I am quite a fan of Greek mythology already so I knew most of the events of the story but I was still ignorant to a lot of what Circe went through before and after she met Odysseus. I quite liked that Circe is a main character that is real instead of overly likable. I also was pleased that the story went in chronological order and told events of the past as stories instead of flipping back and forth between past and present/future like in <i>The Oddyssey</i> and other classic Greek stories which made it more easily digestible. The only part I didn't care for is the ambiguous ending. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Death, Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, and War

tabbybabbles's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

4.25

Was really well written, but felt slow. Redeemed by the fact that I still couldn’t put it down. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Murder, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Animal death, War, Torture, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexism, Self harm, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Incest, Grief, Genocide, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Cursing, Confinement, Colonisation, Cannibalism, Blood, Body horror, Animal cruelty, Alcohol, and Abandonment

chloevienna's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense 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

3.75

in reality this is like a 3.99999 but just not quite a 4 star for me (since 4 stars equates to 8/10). really lovely though!! took me awhile to get into, but once i got attached to circe, my love for her was immeasurable. definitely a worthy follow up to soa!!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Grief, and Violence

Minor: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Sexual content, and Sexual violence