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A review by eliziaeve7
Circe by Madeline Miller
emotional
inspiring
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? It's complicated
4.25
For me, the experience of reading the book was akin to following a person around as they are living their life and developing. I couldn't put the book down honestly and finished it in a couple of days and a major contributing factor for the same was that I could see myself in her, the earlier naivete and fear that stunted her growth in her father's court, then when the exile exacerbated her loneliness and lead to her believing all mortals are good and naturally not to be wary of. To view the book to be about a god would be a mistake, because circe was one who was ashamed of her divinity, she hated the fact that at some level she was the same as her abusers- her family essentially and the entire book was about her trying her hardest to be different from them, to set herself apart from their cruelty and indifference. She did succeed in setting herself apart while growing out of her naivety and understanding human nature while living on that island.
I wouldn't necessarily call it a feminist book, which would be a highly reductive term to use, rather Circe would be a reflection of patriarchy, which essentially views women as lesser beings, how the only way for her to make something of herself was through marriage, how her exile was a blessing in disguise, given it allowed her to take her first steps into being alive and discovering freedom away from society which had held her back for so long within its limited framework. Often, as is stated in the book itself, women are depicted as black and white characters, either villains or damsel in distresses, nothing in between, how Hermes forced her to take on one of the other personality rather than allowing her to be a complex, dynamic person who doesn't necessarily has to fit a mold.
The villain aspect has never been touched upon in her ither adaptations that paint her as a cruel shrew, we can finally witness her being fleshed out, painting her bleak reality, what the world of the God's looked like, how limited she was with her lack of power and helplessness, especially with not even being able to prevent the nymphs from arriving at her home. Her turning the men into swines sort of signified her breaking those shackles, finally having power essentially to change her circumstances.
I suppose the largest sign of her growth was when she negotiated with her father, having finally learned how to get what she wanted, without being taken advantage of, given how she had been betrayed by Aeetes and Glaucus.
I could, in a way, see the end coming, as is often in stories revolving around Immortals, they often wish to be mortals, having endured for centuries without respite or being tired of an unchanging life. Her being mortal sort of consolidated her desire to be different than the gods and finally gave her the life she always wished for.
I wouldn't necessarily call it a feminist book, which would be a highly reductive term to use, rather Circe would be a reflection of patriarchy, which essentially views women as lesser beings, how the only way for her to make something of herself was through marriage, how her exile was a blessing in disguise, given it allowed her to take her first steps into being alive and discovering freedom away from society which had held her back for so long within its limited framework. Often, as is stated in the book itself, women are depicted as black and white characters, either villains or damsel in distresses, nothing in between, how Hermes forced her to take on one of the other personality rather than allowing her to be a complex, dynamic person who doesn't necessarily has to fit a mold.
The villain aspect has never been touched upon in her ither adaptations that paint her as a cruel shrew, we can finally witness her being fleshed out, painting her bleak reality, what the world of the God's looked like, how limited she was with her lack of power and helplessness, especially with not even being able to prevent the nymphs from arriving at her home. Her turning the men into swines sort of signified her breaking those shackles, finally having power essentially to change her circumstances.
I suppose the largest sign of her growth was when she negotiated with her father, having finally learned how to get what she wanted, without being taken advantage of, given how she had been betrayed by Aeetes and Glaucus.
I could, in a way, see the end coming, as is often in stories revolving around Immortals, they often wish to be mortals, having endured for centuries without respite or being tired of an unchanging life. Her being mortal sort of consolidated her desire to be different than the gods and finally gave her the life she always wished for.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, War, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Sexism, Bullying, Classism, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, and Gaslighting