A review by lunaticloverpoet
Circe by Madeline Miller

emotional hopeful reflective 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

5.0

I’ve had friends begging me to read this book for upwards of over a year, and I am so glad that I finally did. As someone who has been a fan of Greek mythology since childhood, a good retelling will always hold a special place in my heart, and Madeline Miller consistently knocks it out of the park. For a story about ancient all-powerful gods, Circe’s story is so undeniably human—awful and messy but beautiful in the way that it always comes back together. Not only that, it is such a uniquely well-rounded female perspective that is very rarely shown in literature, let alone Greek mythology. My singular gripe with this novel is the endgame romance (should’ve been Penelope smh), but it is something that I’m willing to overlook for a tale this beautiful. Miller’s writing style feels like a fairytale and the are so many quotes and lessons from this book tug at my heartstrings. It is a treatise on what it is like to fall in love with mortality, and more than that, it is an in-depth look at the trials and tribulations of a broken woman who puts finds herself and puts herself back together all on her own. This is the story Circe deserves.
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