Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Circe by Madeline Miller

103 reviews

catesaav's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, and Violence

Minor: Animal death, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Blood, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and War

olive_ia's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

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

5.0

This was a wonderful book full of stories from Greek Mythology from the perspective of the minor goddess Circe. Circe is a very likeable, powerful, and incredibly well written character, this book made me want to research more about Circe's story in Mythology. The book is fast paced and made me want to keep reading more, I very highly recommend Circe! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and War

Moderate: Animal death, Blood, and Murder

Minor: Alcohol

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

juliaaaaaa's review against another edition

adventurous reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

the writing style is beautiful. Love circe's story, how she longed to be mortal and saw beauty in it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Infidelity, Rape, Blood, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

Moderate: Animal death

Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Eating disorder, and Alcohol

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

minnxes's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad medium-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Death, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal death, Incest, and War

kayceeisbookish's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

kelisabeth's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

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

mxmorganic's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-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

An incredibly smart flip of Greek myth as it’s survived from antiquity, and of the Odyssey especially, rendered in Miller’s endlessly varied, rich prose, this novel surprised me in just how much it delighted me. Absolutely worth a read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment

Moderate: Misogyny, Slavery, Vomit, and Alcohol

Minor: War