A review by emtay
Galatea by Madeline Miller

dark emotional reflective sad fast-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

3.0

It is a very tight, skillful piece and Galatea is clever, likeable, and tenacious in the face of her suffering. I, however, love both My Fair Lady and Pretty Woman- both more positive (and perhaps, to some, non-feminist) tellings of the same story. I believe the key element in differentiating all these versions are nuances of character and realistic depictions of a larger society. 

In the front cover I wrote: “all these stories- old fables, creation myths- are meant to show us truth through metaphor and encouraging us to see clearly and engage meaningfully with our own and others’ folly. 

Pygmalian is Holden. Galatea is Phoebe. Bringing incel into it abstracts it from these universal and shame-based truths to a equally hateful present. It leaves me with the desire to plunge myself into the sea too and think on how to retold these individuals into the fold. Are they so gone from reality?
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