Challenge Corner discussion

In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child--not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power--the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves.

Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus.

But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love.

Going to start tomorrow!!

Chapter 1-5 (view spoiler)[ feel so sorry for what circe had to go through.how her mother only cares about the prophecy that her kids bring to show them love and care.and how her own siblings hurt her so.and worst of all what the guy who she saved did to her when she said she loved him just cause he cares about beauty.hate them all (hide spoiler)]

Ashy Khaira wrote: "Chapter 1-5 [spoilers removed]"

Yeah they suck!

Ch. 7 (view spoiler)[ I'm really enjoying this so far! I struggled a bit at the beginning because there was so much description, but now the action is catching up. I really hate all of Circe's family? I know they're gods/Titans, but that doesn't give them license to be so cruel and insensitive. I can't wait for Pasiphae to get her comeuppance. I hope Perses does too ugh. And Aeetes!? Wtf is his problem, Circe fucking raised him and he can't even try to appreciate that or explain more about the powers they have. And Glaucos, ugh I hope Scylla eats him! SO excited seeing Circe's transformation during her exile. (hide spoiler)]

Ch. 14 (view spoiler)[ Circe to Hermes FINALLY


I liked seeing other myths come to fruition and I definitely could've gotten behind a Circe/Daedalus ship. Even if he was a mortal. The freaking nymphs are annoying too. And Medea--oooo girls gonna get a shock when Circe is 100% right. Stupid girl ugh. And those men fucking came to Circe's island, ate all her food and then RAPED her omfg no. Not okay! So glad Circe got her vengeance on them. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 6-10 (view spoiler)[ wow she actually is a witch just like the rest of her siblings only not as powerful.And she ended up confessing what she did.Glaucous is an ass.And Circe sister is so goddamned mean to do what she did. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 11-15 (view spoiler)[ wow she had it hard.first her exile gets turned into some sort if exile for others and drives her mad.then she gets raped and more men come to try and steal her treasures or rae her and she turns them into pigs.and finally she meets odysseus.hmm interesting (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 16-21 (view spoiler)[ hmm seems liek telegonus sure is a handful.and on top of that athena wants to kill him why?sad to see that odysseus got killed and changed so much and that he really broke apart his own family,or that his own men never do listen to him. (hide spoiler)]

Finished (view spoiler)[ hmmm never expected that turn of events.penelope and telemachus came back with telegonus and lived with circe.athena revokes her patronship on telemathus when he turns down her offer of taking his inheritance,and the boy she wants to kill gets offered it in his stead.and then circe and telemathus fall in love?what??? (hide spoiler)]

Ch. 20 (view spoiler)[ Idk what to think about her son. I understand his curiosity but he also has these crazy ideals about his own father. He put him on a pedestal and Circe enabled that. Odysseus is human too and everyone has their faults. I don't really understand why Athena wanted to kill the boy tho (hide spoiler)]

Finished (view spoiler)[ HOLY FUCKING SHIT THAT ENDING! I don't even know how to feel. But I loved this so much. Telegonus is totally gay! Penelope became the new witch! MY SHIP FUCKING SAILED I'm so happy for Circe I wanna cry (hide spoiler)]

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RESTARTING JULY 20TH, 2018

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Ch. 5
(view spoiler)[
I am not familiar with Greek mythology at all. I can't tell whether the book would be better if I was. It seems a lot of the characters might be familiar to me, but I don't feel like anything isn't making sense yet.
(hide spoiler)]

Ch. 10
(view spoiler)[
I like the story okay, I feel like it picked up a bit after the first 5 chapters. I do think maybe I would appreciate the book more if I knew more mythology, so that I could compare the characters in the book to how I had thought of them before. So far my favorite part is how everyone knows that Aeetes used his sorcery on purpose, but he pretends he didn’t and Zeus pretends to believe him, and Circe gets punished because she admits what she did. It’s so unfair! I think it happens in real life too, though.
(hide spoiler)]

Ch. 15
(view spoiler)[
It’s weird how Circe says she is lonely, but then the minute some nymphs show up she says don’t talk to me, I don’t even want to know that you’re here. Just hearing them laugh makes her say she can’t live that way! You would think she would be glad to hear some laughter!

Those men are a different story! Serves them right to be turned into pigs! I do wonder if Circe was a bit hasty with some of them, though. Like when she says she didn’t wait any more for them to come at her - what if they weren’t going to? I can kind of understand, though, since if she waits too long she might not be able to say her spell.
(hide spoiler)]

Ch. 19
(view spoiler)[
Wow, I feel really bad for Telegonus! I’m sure Circe is right and Athena will kill him if he leaves the island, but it would be awful to spend your whole life trapped on an island! I mean, it is awful for Circe too, but I feel even worse for Telegonus. I think it’s because he is mortal, so wasting time is worse for him.
(hide spoiler)]

Finished!
(view spoiler)[
Hm, well the end of the book was a lot more eventful than the beginning! Circe had a lot more relationships by the end instead of just being on the island by herself all the time. Looking back, though, it feels like the book was kind of disjointed. A few things came together, like Circe undoing her creation of Scylla, but a lot of things never really went anywhere, like the part about Medea.
(hide spoiler)]

Caroline wrote: "Ch. 5

I am not familiar with Greek mythology at all. I can't tell whether the book would be better if I was. It seems a lot of the characters might be familiar to me, but I don't feel like anythin..."

Girlll I felt the same way... I don't know what to think the influx of characters kinda confused me too...

Caroline wrote: "Ch. 10

I like the story okay, I feel like it picked up a bit after the first 5 chapters. I do think maybe I would appreciate the book more if I knew more mythology, so that I could compare the cha..."

Yeah I didn't like that she got punished but I think that was more of a blessing in disguise.

Caroline wrote: "Ch. 15

It’s weird how Circe says she is lonely, but then the minute some nymphs show up she says don’t talk to me, I don’t even want to know that you’re here. Just hearing them laugh makes her say..."

I think she didn't want to make friends... and I am glad about what she did to those men they deserved it those dang pigs!!!

Caroline wrote: "Ch. 19

Wow, I feel really bad for Telegonus! I’m sure Circe is right and Athena will kill him if he leaves the island, but it would be awful to spend your whole life trapped on an island! I mean, ..."

I do feel bad for him too but I think it's good for him to go... chance it... and I am glad she didn't tell him about her (view spoiler)[ baby in her belly! (hide spoiler)]

Caroline wrote: "Finished!

Hm, well the end of the book was a lot more eventful than the beginning! Circe had a lot more relationships by the end instead of just being on the island by herself all the time. Lookin..."

Yes that ending had so much good things I think that is what made me actually give it a 5 the whole time I was reading I was thinking maybe 3 but then we get to the last chapters and WOAH I loved it!

31.0% (view spoiler)[ What the heck? Why would her sister make a monster and what the heck Daedalus? I think Circe still loves him. She is willing to sacrifice her fingers. Eww (hide spoiler)]

47.0% (view spoiler)[ Omg I can’t believe those men did that. They should’ve just been grateful for the hospitality and moved on but noooo. They thought they could just rape her!!! That’s what they get pigs!!!! (hide spoiler)]

70.0% (view spoiler)[ Awww I hope nothing happens to Telegonus. I can’t blame him for wanting to see who his father is. This is actually getting better. (hide spoiler)]

93.0% (view spoiler)[ What???? I don’t know how to feel about her and Telemachus 🤔. But I am glad she has someone to share some of her life with. (hide spoiler)]

Finished... (view spoiler)[ I loved this ending!!! I like that she loves Telemachus so much and had babies with him and decided to die with him too... (hide spoiler)]

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RESTARTING FEBRUARY 18TH, 2021

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starting this a little early!

chapter 3 (view spoiler)[ I feel incredibly sorry for Circe because her family sounds like absolute shit. Even her brother had to turn out for the worst... i'm liking the descriptions a lot though right now, they really make a scene come alive (hide spoiler)]

starting this one a little early!

Chapter 12 (view spoiler)[ Circe's story is somewhat fucked up. I really feel for her since she is in exile but I woupd have definitely not have helped her sister if I were her. Even though she seems pretty powerful I get the feeling that she is quite indecisive and afraid to act about anything. I really don't like her somehow denying her powers. (hide spoiler)]

chapter 18 (view spoiler)[ I like the motherly version of Circe... she really does remind me of a first time mom (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 22 (view spoiler)[ Knowing that Circe will hook up with Telemachos is kind of weird, especially with his mum being there and all. i've never understood why Gods couldn't just keep it in their pants (hide spoiler)]

26% (view spoiler)[ I am interested so far it is just telling the story of Circe from the beginning. Circe is an interesting character she is to the point she was spurned so she made her love rival a monster so she is now on a island living out her days. This is an interesting book I will see where it goes from here. (hide spoiler)]

52% (view spoiler)[ I am enjoying this book it is great to see another perceptive of Circe than what the Odyssey gives you. I find Circe to be an interesting character she at one time welcomed the men that stopped at her island after what happened to turns them into pigs to avoid someone from trying that again. The story is interesting it just takes me longer to get through it than some other books. (hide spoiler)]

80% (view spoiler)[ This story is very unique I have never read anything quite like it is very interesting. I still really like Circe the other characters bring so much to the story as well Circe made a great mother I liked how her son was depicted. The plot is very interesting at this point the story of Odysseus played out he left Circe found out she was pregnant her son was born and was targeted by Athena other things happen her son leaves and then comes back saying he accidently killed his Father I am liking the story so far. (hide spoiler)]

100% (view spoiler)[ This book was really good the end pushed it to a 5 star read to me. The characters were so interesting especially Circe and Telemachus I liked their relationship and I liked how he was depicted in the story. The ending was pretty good Circe spent time with Telemachus threatened her Father Helios so she could leave she left with Telemachus bested the monster she created went back and spend her time with Telemachus and his mother and had more children I really loved the ending it was very fitting. (hide spoiler)]

Ch 7 (view spoiler)[Aside from vaguely recalling the Iliad & the Odyssey I’m not too knowledgeable about the history of Circe. Damn if I don’t feel bad for her and yet I still want to smack her upside the head. After the way everyone has treated her she still thinks some of them love her smh, I hate how long and hard she’s continually tried to make them care about her 😭 Hopefully now she has magic she grows a backbone. (hide spoiler)]

Ch 15 (view spoiler)[At this point I’m hating Circe’s dumb gullible ass more than I even feel bad for her. I mean she’s been exiled here for hundreds of years, teased/used yet again by other gods and family members, yet when she’s assaulted she hopes they will come for her. I mean come on girl you’re thousands of years old at this point still looking for love in all the wrong places, I want to strangle her. I thought she’d turn into a badass or something and instead she’s just embarrassing and weaker than ever. (hide spoiler)]

Ch 22 (view spoiler)[I still don’t trust Penelope or her son yet. Are they just putting on an act, but why? Everyone has an ulterior motive when it comes to Circe so I’m glad she’s as least skeptical. (hide spoiler)]

Finished (view spoiler)[Wow ok so she ends up finally with someone who truly cares about her and it’s her sons half brother. Pretty crazy... but umm wtf is that end? Did it work? Did she turn mortal, monster or what?!?! Did her visions of the future with children come to pass? Such a shit end not knowing (hide spoiler)]

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RESTARTING MAY 17TH 2021

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Read the book finish a few days ago but forget to post my thoughts here. Circe is the second book I've read on Greek mythology, so I wasn't really familiar with all the name drops in the book. It was a bit confusing to me at times. Overall, the book had a good end

40% (view spoiler)[The Minotaur arc was interesting to read. I hadn't realized in the original myths that Circe was involved in that. It wasn't bad.

ETA: I've also never read that version of Theseus and the Minotaur. It's always either Theseus leaves her and Dionysus marries Ariadne, or Theseus dies and Dionysus marries Ariadne. I've never read the version where Artemis kills Ariadne, and I can't imagine why. I will admit I'm still very much in a Percy Jackson mindset about all the Greek myths, so there are a few I'm definitely misinterpreting here. (hide spoiler)]

50% (view spoiler)[I kind of hated the Odysseus arc. I feel like both of them behaved poorly in terms of the way they convinced each other it would be okay if he and his men stayed. It does show her in a better light than just the pig witch, though. (hide spoiler)]

70% (view spoiler)[I never read anything that says she has a son with Odysseus. I'm not sure if this is a fictionalization or imagining, since I feel like she is mostly forgotten about in the myths. I am glad he survived to adulthood, though. She definitely was not ready to be a mother, especially when Athena condemned him to death. I wonder what the problem with him is. (hide spoiler)]

FINISHED (view spoiler)[The last 20-30% of the book changed my outlook on the story. The fact that it had so much more of her own story, and not just retellings of the old myths, is definitely a plus. It's also interesting that we get to see a lot more of the story from all sides after Odysseus returns. (hide spoiler)]

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RESTARTING JULY 3RD, 2022

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I usually struggle with mythology and the time of gods but I'm really enjoying this so far

Through Chapter 7

(view spoiler)[ I feel bad for Circe but she also had too big of a heart. If she had stood up for herself and pushed back, I think her family would have respected her more.

Her mom was just awful but I think that's in line with gods and what I think they would do as well.

The guy she loved - that was awful
even her brother was cruel and unfeeling. Interesting to see where this goes. since I'm not familiar with Circe's story at all, I have no idea what happens!! (hide spoiler)]

Through 15

wow, I'ver never felt like I should know certain stories and I don't (view spoiler)[ but I don't know Odysseus or his story at all. Interesting that he already knew of her and how to protect himself.
Interesting the stories he tells as well. . .I wonder how this will all play out

and now I'm curious about Ariadne's story because I've seen that cover going around too! Might have to get my hands on it! (hide spoiler)]