Reviews tagging 'Animal cruelty'

Circe by Madeline Miller

87 reviews

k1booking's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad tense 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Blood, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Child death, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, and War

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Incest

sami_not_sammi's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse and Sexism

Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, and War

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Cannibalism

romyterhaar's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault

Moderate: Animal cruelty

dahlialover's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This story is so richly detailed and descriptive that you become absolutely engrossed and quite frankly obsessed. Circe is such a complex woman - abandoned, shunned and feared yet empowered through her own sheer will. Her love of Odysseus, friendship with Hermes and later protectiveness of her son show her capacity to have more human like traits. She’s not a ‘witch’ as we know them. Love her relationship with flora and her pack of wolves. Such a cleverly and beautifully written story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Confinement, Gore, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Murder, and Abandonment

singalana's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I thought giving both the Song of Achilles and Circe five stars was impossible, but I’m glad I was proven wrong!

Madeline Miller specialises in Greek mythology retellings. She takes her time writing her books, and it shows. In Miller’s hands, what might sound like a strange and simply outlandish children’s tale turns into something organic, like the laws of nature. Now, she tells the story of Circe - most people remember her as the witch who turned Odysseus’ men into swine. But she is so much more than that, as Miller shows.

The characters are familiar from Greek mythology. Gods and mortal men all turn into something extraordinary in Miller’s hands, each with distinctive personalities, strengths, and weaknesses. Circe’s story is full of scheming, hubris, vengeance, and love. Sometimes, I had to peek at the next chapter just to find out what happened and what to expect before continuing the story. Very few books have the power to do that. 

I marvel at Miller’s writing style: every sentence is crafted beautifully. There are bits of dialogue I want to read over and over again because the words and the message behind them are so masterfully delivered. 

But what decided the rating for me was the ending. So be warned, spoilers ahead!

Spoilers!

Madeline Miller knows when to follow the source material and when to divert from it. And I’m glad she did because the book ends on a sad yet hopeful note. In the original mythos, Odysseus and Circe have many children together, and Telemachus eventually kills Circe. But Miller’s ending gives Circe the ending she deserves.

And the cover art is gorgeous. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

hyuneybear's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Pregnancy

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and War

willoughby's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful inspiring mysterious relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Rape, Sexual assault, Medical content, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and War

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Medical content, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

boba_nbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Spice Rating: 🫑 / 5 🌶️

Greek mythology retelling? Check. Witches? Check. Female Rage? Check.

Circe is the odd child born of Helios--a mighty Titan and god of the Sun. She doesn't seem to fit in with her siblings or anyone else in Helios' house. After Circe turns to mortals for companionship, she finds out she possesses a rare power: witchcraft. Zeus, of course, finds out about Circe's power, and since he is intimidated by it, he decides to banish her to a deserted to island for the rest of her immortal life. Circe finally feels as though she belongs in a world of her own, and she is able to hone her power even more. Though she is unable to leave the island, people can come to her, and that is how she meets the famous Odysseus. Their relationship takes Circe on a path she would've never thought possible.

This novel is undoubtedly beautiful. It's written in the sort of prose that is almost always moving. Circe in and of herself is such a powerful figure who hasn't been explored in mythology, and it was so interesting to hear her story with her at the center instead of as the side character in others' stories.

I loved the female rage in this book as well as the fact that she stood strong for herself and those she closest to her. Anyone who loves Greek mythology and female empowerment will love Circe.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Rape, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Death, Sexual content, and Violence

Minor: Animal cruelty, Incest, and War

lavenderzinnia's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective tense 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Sexual content

maudesoul's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A feminist tale featuring one of the lesser known characters in Greek mythology gets her own legendary hero's journey.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Violence, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Grief, and War