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Circe

Madeline Miller

Start date: January 1, 2019

Finish date: January 31, 2019

Discussion: Past Book Discussions 2014-19

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Past Book Discussions 2014-19

Dec 2019: The World That We Knew by Alice Hoffman
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December 2017 Buddy Read: Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate
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What Members Thought

Dec 10, 2018 Candi rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: anneautumn2018challenge, favorites, fantasy, historical-fiction

"A golden cage is still a cage."

What a spectacular and moving reading experience this has been! I was educated in the particulars of mythology while partaking in one of my favorite pastimes, rather than running the risk of enduring a lengthy discourse in a lecture hall. I grasped so much on a personal level and was moved to tears when I reached the finish line. Furthermore, I have found a favorite witch in Circe to extol along with my best-loved sorcerer of all-time – Mary Stewart’s Merlin!

Prio "A golden cage is still a cage."

What a spectacular and moving reading experience this has been! I was educated in the particulars of mythology while partaking in one of my favorite pastimes, rather than running the risk of enduring a lengthy discourse in a lecture hall. I grasped so much on a personal level and was moved to tears when I reached the finish line. Furthermore, I have found a favorite witch in Circe to extol along with my best-loved sorcerer of all-time – Mary Stewart’s Merlin!

Prior to reading this, I was not well-versed in mythology. I recall taking a ‘mini-course’ about the major gods and goddesses in elementary school, followed by a little production with my classmates. I found it fascinating, but not something I pursued further until a high school English class introduced me to Odysseus and company. That was ages ago, and I’m still a novice. I have been interested in reading Circe ever since some outstanding reviews caught my attention several months ago. I’m always game to try a fantasy novel with the hope I may find a new favorite for that genre shelf that is not quite full enough.

"When I was born, the name for what I was did not exist. They called me nymph, assuming I would be like my mother and aunts and thousand cousins. Least of the lesser goddesses, our powers were so modest they could scarcely ensure our eternities. We spoke to fish and nurtured flowers, coaxed drops from the clouds or salt from the waves. The word, nymph, paced out the length and breadth of our futures. In our language, it means not just goddess, but bride."

Right from the beginning Circe does not fit in, not even with her own kind, her own family. Her destiny seems to be mapped out for her. She will not be someone to remember, not celebrated or worshiped like the greater gods and goddesses. When she provokes the wrath of her father, Helios, she is exiled to the island of Aiaia where it seems her eternal life will be friendless and without meaning. Circe will have none of that, however, and takes matters, as well as her newly discovered gifts, into her own hands. "I will not be like a bird bred in a cage, I thought, too dull to fly even when the door stands open. I stepped into those woods and my life began." She hones her craft, pharmakeia, using the resources of the island and working hard to grow her herbs and nurture their magical properties. She befriends the animals of the island, keeping a lioness by her side as her familiar. Yet, her soul is always yearning for the company of another. For a while, Hermes, messenger of the gods, fulfills this role as he is the one deity that comes and goes freely on Aiaia. But one day when mortal men appear on her shore, Circe’s whole being thirsts for this very different sort of companionship.

I won't delve into all of Circe’s encounters here. She will of course suffer from disappointment with mankind, causing her to use her craft as a weapon, meting out punishment to those that have abused her hospitality and trust. At the same time, she learns and grows from her experiences. There is such depth of development in Circe’s character. She eventually meets Odysseus, relishing his physical presence as well as his intellect. "I was not careful. I was reckless, headlong. He was another knife, I could feel it. A different sort, but a knife still. I did not care. I thought: give me the blade. Some things are worth spilling blood for." She remains always on guard, while enjoying his company. I was delighted when I realized that this was still Circe’s story, and not just another homage to the famed adventurer and hero.

This is a dazzling story of a strong woman that we can all admire, men and women alike. At a time when women are using their voices even more and are charting their own courses, Circe stands as an ideal heroine – not despite her flaws and insecurities, but because of them. She exemplifies what it means to rise above these imperfections, to learn from them, and to come out the other side as a better person. Standing by your choices and having faith and confidence in yourself will carry you far. Circe has enriched my thoughts on love, companionship, hard work, motherhood, and what it means to be mortal versus immortal. This is a book I would love to give to my own daughter to read one day, as well as one that I will keep on my favorites shelf at home. If you have given any thought to reading this book, now is the time! Put this on your Christmas list, if you celebrate. Or treat yourself to a copy – you deserve it! If you think you will not ‘get’ the mythological aspects, never fear. You are in excellent hands with Madeline Miller. I cannot wait to read more of her superb writing. A huge thank you to my friend Arah-Lynda, who recommended this book to me and whose outstanding review guided me towards this in the first place.

"It is a common saying that women are delicate creatures, flowers, eggs, anything that may be crushed in a moment’s carelessness. If I had ever believed it, I no longer did." ...more

316 likes · Like · see review

May 01, 2018 Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin rated it really liked it

Shelves: own

I thought this book was fantastic!

I felt sorry for Circe. But I did love reading about all of the gods and just the story line itself!

This was the first book I have read by this author and it was a pleasant surprise.

And that's all I have, there is no point in writing big reviews. You can read all of the book bumpers that have a million likes that write long reviews. I just can't do it any more.

Happy Reading!

Mel ...more

314 likes · Like · see review

Jun 22, 2021 Maureen rated it really liked it

Shelves: nyt-best-books-21-centuty

“When I was born, the name for what I was did not exist. They called me nymph, assuming I would be like my mother and thousand cousins.”

Circe is a strange child not powerful like her father nor alluring like her mother.
She finds she posses the power of witchcraft.
She is banished to live on a deserted island all alone.

This book is well written and compelling but yet it did not draw me in as much as Song of Achilles, which I truly loved.
It is a fascinating story as I know little about Greek Mytho ...more

32 likes · Like · see review

Oct 25, 2021 Book Concierge rated it it was amazing

Shelves: literary-fiction, audio, greece, library, concierge, strong-women, mythology, witches

Audiobook performed by Perdita Weeks

In this marvelous work of literary fiction, Miller, tells us the story of Circe, daughter of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, and possibly best known for turning Odysseus’s men into swine.

I studied the classics in high school so was familiar with the basic story line, and some of the family connections, but Miller gives me so much more detail and really fleshes out these characters. With the possible exception of Scylla, no one is all good ...more

18 likes · Like · see review

Nov 25, 2018 Tasha rated it it was amazing

Shelves: own, favorites-2018, fantasy-sci-fi

Beautifully crafted and executed. Madeline Miller has amazing talent. I love learning about the Gods and Goddesses from her gorgeous writing. She is one of my favorites.

9 likes · Like · see review

Mar 27, 2020 Kris (My Novelesque Life) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-netgalley, fiction, elibrary, historical-fiction, audiobook, mythology

RATING: 4 STARS
2018; Little, Brown and Company

Circe is one of those novels you probably have on your shelf, but have put off for no real reasons. As soon as you start reading it, you will ask yourself, "Why did I wait so long to read this one?!" It is a beautifully written novel, that you can tell has been researched well. Circe is a strong and interesting character. I would recommend this one if you are looking to get lost in another world for awhile. It was great company as I work from home.

** ...more

5 likes · Like · see review

Nov 12, 2018 Theresa rated it really liked it

Shelves: feminism, dragons-spotted-in-the-wild, myth-legend-fairytale, highly-recommended-by-me, classics-and-classic-redos, buddy-reads

This, at first, seems to be the story of Circe - goddess, witch, daughter of Helios, the Titan Sun God - a simple retelling of Greek myth and lore. Most of us know Circe from Homer's The Odyssey, where Odysseus encounters her and her penchant for turning sailors into pigs during his long effort to return home after the Trojan War. The gods and the mortals of Greek myth are humanized, brought to earth so to speak, and their stories are told from Circe's POV, as she saw and heard them in her time. This, at first, seems to be the story of Circe - goddess, witch, daughter of Helios, the Titan Sun God - a simple retelling of Greek myth and lore. Most of us know Circe from Homer's The Odyssey, where Odysseus encounters her and her penchant for turning sailors into pigs during his long effort to return home after the Trojan War. The gods and the mortals of Greek myth are humanized, brought to earth so to speak, and their stories are told from Circe's POV, as she saw and heard them in her time. All that and more can be found in this novel.

But I hazard to suggest that this is actually the story of a woman who is neglected, tormented, abused, and exiled. It is about a woman who constantly doubts herself, her strength and her abilities, and one who believes she deserves all that befalls her. This is a woman whose inability to conform to expectations leads first to isolation and ridicule within her family and social milieu, then repudiation and banishment. She is socially awkward, non-conformist, plain, and believes she is powerless. This is a book that is also about exile, the deep, unmitigated, relentless loneliness and isolation of exile, and how exile is a crucible for all who are exiles. And, ultimately, this is a book about a woman who finally finds and becomes her true self within the crucible of exile.

This was not as engaging to read as I had expected, and I'm not really sure why. The strengths include the writing which is absolutely gorgeous - Miller uses a vocabulary rich in nature and the earth which suits Circe, who is so very grounded in the earth and at one with nature. Each character you meet comes to life as an individual with strengths and weaknesses, from Helios the Titan God of the Sun to Hermes the Messenger, to Penelope the patient mortal wife of Odysseus, and many more. They are not necessarily the same as in the familiar myths, but that's a good thing for those of us who are perhaps too familiar with Greek myths, lore, history, and literature. In fact, that's why I think I found this not as compelling or engaging a read - I'm too familiar with the core subject.

But, the final 2 chapters absolutely blew me away. It was a bit shocking but felt so right. It made me reconsider the entire experience of reading the novel; that is not something a writer easily accomplishes! And I will say no more so as not to spoil it. I am very glad I persevered.

I keep flopping between giving it 3 stars and 4 stars because of that. Certainly there are strong reasons for both ratings -- here is a prime example of why we should be able to give fractional ratings! Ultimately, I decided on 4 stars because the only real negative was that I was not deeply engaged from the beginning, and IMHO that's not sufficient reason to ding a book this beautiful. ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Aug 06, 2019 Lory Sakay rated it liked it · review of another edition

Although I liked this read, I never became "obsessed" with having to read more and didn't feel any kind of connection with any of the characters, including Circe. After so much acclaim I wanted to devour it and then, unfortunately, it just fell a little flat for me. Miller's writing was beautiful, but the story was a little bland; I also did struggle a bit trying to keep track of all the gods, titans, mortals, etc... only to find out that there was a handy guide at the end of the book (digital e ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Nov 24, 2018 Joanne rated it really liked it

I was not sure what to expect from this re-telling of Greek Mythology-having not read a bit on it since Freshmen year in College-

Miller spins a re-imagined life of the Nymph/Witch Circe. daughter of Helios. a long the way we meet the monsters, the gods, the mortals who existed in the world.

Miller takes a minor goddess, and spins her with all the emotions and characteristics of a mortal. I felt myself wanting to hug Circe, to try to assure her that everything would be OK. I suppose that is the nu ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Jun 29, 2018 Phair rated it liked it

Shelves: classical-era, retellings-literary, folklore-mythology

3.5*
Promising start (family life of gods and Titans) and killer ending but a bit sluggish in the middle. The whole part where she is raising her 'wild child' son with great difficulty felt tedious and could have been edited down imho. Loved seeing many of the Classical Greek myths played out through Circe's eyes. I also really enjoyed her rapport with nature and the animals on her island and the evolution of her 'magic'. The ending was satisfying. ...more

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