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A review by surbhi_reads
Circe by Madeline Miller
5.0
“Humbling women seems to me a chief pastime of poets. As if there can be no story unless we crawl and weep”.
Circe written by Madeline Miller was one of the most anticipated new release of 2018 and rightly, so. This massive re-telling of the Greek mythology is stunning, vivid, gorgeous, captivating and spellbinding. I am not a very big fan of mythology but after reading this, I was completely in awe. This book was an absolute pleasure to read and it has left me with an overwhelming feeling, my emotions are all over this piece of literary brilliance. Honestly, this is writing at its best and Miller is a genius, bringing out the story of a complex and misunderstood mythological figure with sheer meticulousness and magnificence.
“When I was born, the word for what I was did not exist”
Circe, the first-born daughter of Helios (the sun god) and the nymph Perse is unique, brave and clever but born without the strength of her father and the wickedness of her mother. All her life her siblings and other nymph jilt her for her thin mortal voice and sharp chin. Unable to find her place in the house of gods, she turns to mortals for companionship but instead discovers herself with the possession of power like no other- the power of witchcraft. A power that gives her distinctive abilities and a sense of supremacy among gods and mortals. Threatened by her, Zeus banishes her to a lonely island for the rest of eternity. Circe although disheartened, finds herself most at peace in her island with her tamed wild beasts and among plant and herbs, while she hones her skill to become a great witch. Centuries passes by, Circe encounters the various mortals, and immortals during her stay in her island called Aiaia including the Minotaur, Hermes, Daedalus and his son Icarus, Medea, Odysseus and later Penelope and Telemachus.
“It was my first lesson. Beneath the smooth familiar face of things is another that waits to tear the world in two”.
However, as a woman of immense power and living alone on a wild island, she faces harsh challenges and draws the fury of both mortals and immortals alike. Ultimately, she is pitted in a war against a great and ruthless Olympian for something that she holds most dear, which also concludes this fabulous story. A fascinating story of Circe’s life before and after her banishment as she struggles to find her place among Gods and men.
“Odysseus, son of Laertes, the great traveller, prince of wiles and tricks and a thousand ways. He showed me his scars, and in return pretend that I had none.”
Circe is the story of women, written with utmost sincerity and compassion. This book has done a wonderful job in humanizing her, the character from Greek mythology, a goddess, a witch. I felt for Circe and rooted for her until the end. The book no doubt is written extremely well, and is character driven with a life of its own; it is sumptuous in narrative and facts. Circe has been belittled and snubbed by malevolent men, yet she stands her ground, muster her powers and fights for herself. She is resilient in will and it is a treat to read about her resourcefulness while living on the lonely island. Her growth as a character is magnificent; she is tough, kind and compassionate in her own way. We see her struggle with her own past, the guilt of her actions and we see her struggle through the present, to be honest it is so painful to see a women go through so much and not be appreciated in the least. The power of her character is what makes this novel so amazing. There are several other appearances of famous figures but this novel is Circe’s story through and through. It is her journey from the halls of titan to the lonely island. Betrayed by family yet resolute in her spirit, facing the vindictiveness of Men and God, finding and loosing love, embracing the bliss of motherhood with all its numerous difficulties and above all understanding one’s own worth and finding the power that resides within each of us. Madeline Miller has woven a tale of a lesser-known heroine and turned it into a sweeping saga of love, loss, angsts and conquests.
“It is a common saying that women are delicate creatures, flowers, eggs, anything that maybe crushed in a moment’s carelessness. If I had ever believed it, I no longer did.”
Why read Circe?
· Strong female character flawed yet marvellous with a voice of its own.
· Awesome narrative, luscious quotes and opulent writing.
· Very educative, empowering and entertaining at the same time.
· A unique perspective of a classic story from the feminist point of view.
· If you love reading about witches, magic, adventure, mayhem, treachery, fiends and vile Greek gods.
I really loved this book; it is such a page-turner and will always hold a special place in my heart. For lovers of mythology this book is a piece of heaven but even if you are new to this genre, this book has a detailed character reference, which will help you know the characters. I will highly recommend this to everyone. However, I believe that this is a book written by a woman, about a woman, for a woman.
PLEASE READ THIS AMAZING BOOK!
TRIGGER CONTENT- Rape and graphic violence
Circe written by Madeline Miller was one of the most anticipated new release of 2018 and rightly, so. This massive re-telling of the Greek mythology is stunning, vivid, gorgeous, captivating and spellbinding. I am not a very big fan of mythology but after reading this, I was completely in awe. This book was an absolute pleasure to read and it has left me with an overwhelming feeling, my emotions are all over this piece of literary brilliance. Honestly, this is writing at its best and Miller is a genius, bringing out the story of a complex and misunderstood mythological figure with sheer meticulousness and magnificence.
“When I was born, the word for what I was did not exist”
Circe, the first-born daughter of Helios (the sun god) and the nymph Perse is unique, brave and clever but born without the strength of her father and the wickedness of her mother. All her life her siblings and other nymph jilt her for her thin mortal voice and sharp chin. Unable to find her place in the house of gods, she turns to mortals for companionship but instead discovers herself with the possession of power like no other- the power of witchcraft. A power that gives her distinctive abilities and a sense of supremacy among gods and mortals. Threatened by her, Zeus banishes her to a lonely island for the rest of eternity. Circe although disheartened, finds herself most at peace in her island with her tamed wild beasts and among plant and herbs, while she hones her skill to become a great witch. Centuries passes by, Circe encounters the various mortals, and immortals during her stay in her island called Aiaia including the Minotaur, Hermes, Daedalus and his son Icarus, Medea, Odysseus and later Penelope and Telemachus.
“It was my first lesson. Beneath the smooth familiar face of things is another that waits to tear the world in two”.
However, as a woman of immense power and living alone on a wild island, she faces harsh challenges and draws the fury of both mortals and immortals alike. Ultimately, she is pitted in a war against a great and ruthless Olympian for something that she holds most dear, which also concludes this fabulous story. A fascinating story of Circe’s life before and after her banishment as she struggles to find her place among Gods and men.
“Odysseus, son of Laertes, the great traveller, prince of wiles and tricks and a thousand ways. He showed me his scars, and in return pretend that I had none.”
Circe is the story of women, written with utmost sincerity and compassion. This book has done a wonderful job in humanizing her, the character from Greek mythology, a goddess, a witch. I felt for Circe and rooted for her until the end. The book no doubt is written extremely well, and is character driven with a life of its own; it is sumptuous in narrative and facts. Circe has been belittled and snubbed by malevolent men, yet she stands her ground, muster her powers and fights for herself. She is resilient in will and it is a treat to read about her resourcefulness while living on the lonely island. Her growth as a character is magnificent; she is tough, kind and compassionate in her own way. We see her struggle with her own past, the guilt of her actions and we see her struggle through the present, to be honest it is so painful to see a women go through so much and not be appreciated in the least. The power of her character is what makes this novel so amazing. There are several other appearances of famous figures but this novel is Circe’s story through and through. It is her journey from the halls of titan to the lonely island. Betrayed by family yet resolute in her spirit, facing the vindictiveness of Men and God, finding and loosing love, embracing the bliss of motherhood with all its numerous difficulties and above all understanding one’s own worth and finding the power that resides within each of us. Madeline Miller has woven a tale of a lesser-known heroine and turned it into a sweeping saga of love, loss, angsts and conquests.
“It is a common saying that women are delicate creatures, flowers, eggs, anything that maybe crushed in a moment’s carelessness. If I had ever believed it, I no longer did.”
Why read Circe?
· Strong female character flawed yet marvellous with a voice of its own.
· Awesome narrative, luscious quotes and opulent writing.
· Very educative, empowering and entertaining at the same time.
· A unique perspective of a classic story from the feminist point of view.
· If you love reading about witches, magic, adventure, mayhem, treachery, fiends and vile Greek gods.
I really loved this book; it is such a page-turner and will always hold a special place in my heart. For lovers of mythology this book is a piece of heaven but even if you are new to this genre, this book has a detailed character reference, which will help you know the characters. I will highly recommend this to everyone. However, I believe that this is a book written by a woman, about a woman, for a woman.
PLEASE READ THIS AMAZING BOOK!
TRIGGER CONTENT- Rape and graphic violence