A review by wogslandwriter
Circe by Madeline Miller

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

5.0

The epic and endless life of a goddess distilled into a beautiful story that makes sense to us mortals. Miller does an amazing job communicating complex emotions and complicated topics without preaching. The first person narration lends the story an intimate feel and Miller leans heavily on the idea that Circe, herself, is telling us the story of her past to excellent effect and emotional impact. The novel feels and reads like an intimate literary novel while still being solidly founded in the fantasy and mythology of the Circe mythos. Overall, it was an excellent read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Alcohol, Blood, Death, Sexism, Gore, Murder, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, War, and Slavery

Minor: Torture, Animal death, and Xenophobia

Circe is raped at one point by sailors who visit her island. It is not described in explicit detail, but it is not actively shied away from either. Immediately afterwards, she murders the man who did it and his friends.