A review by hazeyjane_2
Galatea by Madeline Miller

inspiring sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

SpoilerPowerful story about a stone maiden brought to life by a man. I was unfamiliar with the original story, but so many scenes here struck home: the role playing of Galatea waking from stone, her husband being unnamed here just as she is in the original, the the sexual assault and the desire for Galatea to lie unmoving and be convalescent, the duty a creator owes to his creation, the idea that something once created is yours forever, the idea that a woman is a literal object, the idea that a silent, subdued, still, woman is better except when she is demurely animated, as by blushing. Miller takes this a step up from the misogynistic original.

Jealousy is also brought up. I enjoyed hearing about Galatea and Paphos' adventures in the hills and their learning letters.
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