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A review by mildlypretentiousreader
Circe by Madeline Miller
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Circe gives 2000s YA books in the worst way possible.
Beneath all the beautiful, alluring prose, Madeline Miller covertly writes a modern-day epic steeped in misogyny and sexism. Our protagonist and narrator, Circe, has an undeniable amount of internalized misogyny that she needs to unpack. Her character arc is essentially that she is "not like other girls." In the original text, Odysseus, many of the male characters are objectively horrible people. Many of which are rapists and abusers. Miller completely erases that reality. I understand that this is a "retelling" but completely removing essential details to fit your narrative is absurd.
Beneath all the beautiful, alluring prose, Madeline Miller covertly writes a modern-day epic steeped in misogyny and sexism. Our protagonist and narrator, Circe, has an undeniable amount of internalized misogyny that she needs to unpack. Her character arc is essentially that she is "not like other girls." In the original text, Odysseus, many of the male characters are objectively horrible people. Many of which are rapists and abusers. Miller completely erases that reality. I understand that this is a "retelling" but completely removing essential details to fit your narrative is absurd.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Sexual harassment, and War