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A review by frantically
Circe by Madeline Miller
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
circe is a literary masterpiece. it's currently my favourite book and it wholeheartedly deserves that spot.
madeline miller writes like her books are poetry and it's absolutely mesmerising. circe is a well-rounded and interesting character, who you can't help but root for. i've always had a soft spot for female antagonists in greek mythology - yes, of course, some of them are just plain evil (and good for them!!) but i feel like, often there's more to the story than what we see from the hero's perspective.
the book felt more like a collection of short stories, of sort, at some points in the book, instead of having a clear plotline but i still enjoyed that.
it's a fresh and modern take on the myths with characters who are more than just black or white. what i liked was that none of the deities - be that olympians or titans - were potrayed in a completely positive light (something i feel like modern adaptations do very rarely). they aren't good people, they don't adhere to our moral standards or societal conventions. that's what can make them intriguing characters and miller fully uses that.
the ending was beautiful and just really wrapped it all up nicely. when i first read it, i was conflicted about it but the second time around, having paid attention to smaller details, i think it's the best possible ending for the story.
this is one of those books that i will recommend to just anyone who will listen. it's simply incredible.
madeline miller writes like her books are poetry and it's absolutely mesmerising. circe is a well-rounded and interesting character, who you can't help but root for. i've always had a soft spot for female antagonists in greek mythology - yes, of course, some of them are just plain evil (and good for them!!) but i feel like, often there's more to the story than what we see from the hero's perspective.
the book felt more like a collection of short stories, of sort, at some points in the book, instead of having a clear plotline but i still enjoyed that.
it's a fresh and modern take on the myths with characters who are more than just black or white. what i liked was that none of the deities - be that olympians or titans - were potrayed in a completely positive light (something i feel like modern adaptations do very rarely). they aren't good people, they don't adhere to our moral standards or societal conventions. that's what can make them intriguing characters and miller fully uses that.
the ending was beautiful and just really wrapped it all up nicely. when i first read it, i was conflicted about it but the second time around, having paid attention to smaller details, i think it's the best possible ending for the story.
this is one of those books that i will recommend to just anyone who will listen. it's simply incredible.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Gore, Incest, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and War
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Child death