A review by sycamore22
Circe by Madeline Miller

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

I checked this out from the library, but I would purchase it to reread. The prose of this story is absolutely stunning. I love the themes of identity, growth, bearing a painful past, hurtful vs. healthy relationships, and willpower, being sick of the world, but still finding joy within it. I love the way this book spanned hundreds of years, but I felt that I perceived that time as fast as it went for the main character. I especially loved the scene with Trygon. I saw a lot of pieces of myself in Circe (good and bad), the experience of womanhood and all the internal workings of it resonated with me deeply. I loved being able to vicariously live my own dream of being a forest recluse through her. Man, this book is a work of art. The only thing that was weird to me was that she eventually became partners with her son’s half brother. Greek mythology is full of those kinds of relationships though, so I wasn’t all that surprised. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault

Minor: Sexual assault

Sexual assault of nymphs is mentioned. The main character is sexually assaulted during her exile on the island by a passing sailor. It is described briefly, but not in gruesome detail. The author gave just enough information to know what happened. As a sexual assault survivor myself, I appreciated the way the subject was handled. The author was considerate in sparing triggering details, and took care in acknowledging the emotional impact of the event. In the aftermath, the main character seeks vengeance by turning all the men who visit into pigs from then on.