Reviews with content warning for Abandonment - Circe

Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

Circe by Madeline Miller

267 reviews

catesaav's review against another edition

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emotional reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.25

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snarkycrafter's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-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

3.5

I will admit that I am not very well-versed in Greek mythology, so there were a lot of things that I had to look up while I was reading this book. And I’m sure that there are still a lot of things that went over my head. However, I found it a really enjoyable read, especially in the second half. The first half was a little slow and it took me a little while to get into it… Probably because I wasn’t familiar with Circe’s story to begin with.

It was interesting to see how she was treated by her father when she admitted to being a witch. And no surprise, she was excommunicated and exiled. It was beautiful to see her come into her own power and become more and more confident in her abilities.

Very enjoyable Greek mythology retelling.

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singalana's review against another edition

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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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