The Procrastinators Book Club discussion

This is the thread for Circe!

This thread is open for discussion beginning June 1st! Please keep in mind that spoilers are allowed (mark as a spoiler) in this thread but only up to the group's current reading place. Do not spoil the book if you've read further than the group. Any extra time can be used to catch up with reading.

The suggested Group Read Discussion schedule is as follows:

Week of 6/1
June 1: Chapters 1-2
June 2: Chapters 3-4
June 3: Chapters 5-6
June 4: Chapters 7-8
June 5: Chapters 9-10
June 6: Chapters 11-12
June 7: Chapters 13-14
June 8: Chapters 15-16

Week of 6/9
June 9: Chapters 17-18
June 10: Chapters 19-20
June 11: Chapters 21-22
June 12: Chapters 23-24
June 13: Chapters 25-27

I just read this last month so it's recent. Not my usual genre, I haven't been in the mood for mythology for some time. Still i enjoyed it alot. It was a bit slow at times but it was really interesting seeing myths I have heard before from a different perspective. Also I've never been curious enough to read up on Circe, so I only knew her from Odyssey. It was really nice seeing so many stories linked with her. I had these myths in my mind kinda chronologically but didn't think how they could be linked to each other. Can't wait to hear what you think
*also how awesome is that metallic cover? I'm kinda sad I got it in ebook form

I have it in bookform and it is just stunning! I hope I'm able to stick to this plan :)

I am excited to read this with you guys. I might have to wait to read it though due to school.

I didn't plan on reading that one but maybe I will. The cover is gorgeous! Don't know if I'll be able to get it in time though, I have to check the library (and I'm already reading 3 other books^^)

I definitely want to try reading this one!

I like the way this book is written, like Mythos by Stephen Fry. I also just love the charcters and that we are reading it from Circe's perspective and not just an overall story about the greek gods.

I read Song of Achilles not too long ago, maybe in April, and it didn't totally agree with me, but I'm hoping the audiobook was mostly to blame for that. I am more interested in Circe's story than Achilles and Patroclus anyway, so fingers crossed that I like this one better! I liked the first couple chapters; so far so good!

I kinda forgot this is starting today 😅 In my defence I still haven't registered that May is over. I've read a mythology encyclopedia and I still don't know, or I have forgoten, who is who and which myth is conected to whom, so my first stop is the Character list, hopefully that'll make things easier from the start.

Also, thank the universe for audio books otherwise I would've butchered the names or simply skipped over them.

Read now till chapter 4, and it is so wonderful! I love Circe and following her story, Her love for the mortals has begun to show and I am so excited to read more.

I like the way it's told; like it's happening in the present which for Circe it is, but since we know some of the stories for us all it's ancient history. Is it bad that I like that she's miserable? Because I'm enjoying that blanket of sadness that she's covered with.

I read the 5th chap too (view spoiler)[ I was surprised that she found a way to make Glaucos a god, sadly that didn't end up well for her. And up till the point when she decides to use the flowers to show Scylla's true self I was so sorry for her, however when that happened I was damn impressed by her move (hide spoiler)]

I feel sorry for Circe, she only wants to be someone who is at least mildly respected and wants a love that she has never had before. Glaucos was an ass, and I just want the best for her. She is so precious.

I finallly started reading!
Read up to chapter 5 (view spoiler)[I thought Circe would have more personality, though I understand that her life is still short and she can't compare the hate their family gives. I thought Glaucos was going to be worse, like he kidnapped and raped her on his boat and she couldn't get back. I didn't think she would make him a god.
And I'm really confused that the titans aren't really ombipresent? Or they are just playing with her saying that's impossible she could transform Glaucos or Scylla? (hide spoiler)]

Bopeep wrote: "I finallly started reading!
Read up to chapter 5 I thought Circe would have more personality, though I understand that her life is still short and she can't compare the hate their family gives. I t..."

yay! A new buddy 😁
I didn't think she would do it either, I thought she'll cry and let it be.

I think that they see her as useless since she doesn't have any powers and the possibility, that she could do somehting powerful as to transform someone, is absurd to them. With that being said, claiming she's responsible for not one, but two, transformations she becomes a laughingstock for all the deities.

Honestly, I really love it so far. I do wish we could have gotten a more descriptive prosses about her learning the witchcraft, but alas, we didn't get that.

Chapter 6 (I think)
(view spoiler)[I've now read when they exile Circe to a deserted island and I thought how lucky she is now, far away from all that toxic gods and titans.
I liked his brother before, but now he's kind of an idiot like the others. (hide spoiler)]

how is the book going for you guys? How is Circe as a character?

I have been having my exam so I haven't gotten to where I'm supposed to be, but I am highly enjoying the book and Circe as a character.

I'm behind the plan too, hopefully when the week starts I'll catch up. What I read so far I liked, and I'm looking forward to getting to know Circe more.

Jessica wrote: "I have been having my exam so I haven't gotten to where I'm supposed to be, but I am highly enjoying the book and Circe as a character."

great to hear that the book is going great for you so far!

mina wrote: "I'm behind the plan too, hopefully when the week starts I'll catch up. What I read so far I liked, and I'm looking forward to getting to know Circe more."

nice!! how's the mythology?

@Althea I like it 😁 I generally like when things connect so this is great.

Ok so I am really far behind (chapter 14) but I still love Circe. I feel like you can't really judge the different characters personality because they are god, and so different from normal stories about humans. I do however enjoy the way they are written, their characters are shown through the way they speak and their actions.

I am really excited to see where this is going now that she has a child! I have been reading up on the different backgrounds of the gods and people involved in the book and it is so interesting. I also feel like I am learning more because it reads as a story like any other fiction book so I am more interested in it and it sticks better.

mina wrote: "@Althea I like it 😁 I generally like when things connect so this is great."

glad to heart that! since I'm usually scared that the mythology isn't that great in these kind of books, especially when they're hyped a lot <3

I'm so far behind (on chapter 10 actually) but the writing style is kinda of... slow? and a bit boring for me, I don't know. I like the plot, and all that stories connected to Circe but I'm so slow because of the writing style.
English isn't my first language, but sometime I feel that the writing lacks words and I'm not sure if the author want to simulate an "old" english style or if it's the lack of correction, duh.

~ Althea ~ ☾ wrote: "glad to heart that! since I'm usually scared that the mythology isn't that great in these kind of books, especially when they're hyped a lot <3"

Well, it's surely different for different people. I'm liking it, but since I know nothing of myths with Circe (I'm not sure that I even heard of her; chances are yes, but in Serbian it's surelly writen and pronounced different) and the myths connecting to her, being the authors version or the real myth, is interesting to me. It reminds me a bit of OUAT because of that 😁

I just don't like Medea...

So I have catched up (almost, ch 20.5), and I am not the biggest fan of her son and what's going on at the moment. I really liked it when it was only her and all the different people she met, but I know this is part of her mythology story so I guess it's okay..

I'm on chap 19 and I just have to say that her son irritates me SO much. He's still a child and such a brat. I assume more of his years will be told which brings joy to my heart...not.

I remember when I was reading that part it felt so slow, I was just trying to get through it.. For the rest of the book the mythology was pulling me through since I wanted to see how the stories connect, but I hadn't read anything about her son before and it just felt too long.

The stories connecting is my favorite part :D I don't know anything about Circe so everything is new to me, when I finish the book I'll read more about her.

I do like the story, but since the beginning I didn't like that much the way it's told and at first I thought it'll change. Usaully I feel that the story is happening and I'm in the center of it but with Circe it's like we are standing beside the road and watching how her life had already been. Maybe I'm not liking that part because it's new (less seen) to me.

For me I was dragged into the Circe universe from the first page. I enjoy different styles of writing, and this one in particulare made me really into it. I honestly love it and imo if it was written any other way I'm not sure I would have liked it as much.

I also enjoy the connection of stories, it's probably the thing I enjoy the most about it.

I am done with the book, on time! This was honestly such an amazing read and I am happy I got to share my thought about this book with someone else. Happy reading people!

My next chapter is 21 and hopefully I too will be finishing it today :D

I finished reading this last night, but I was too tired to write my thoughts.

I liked it, however I enjoyed the first part more. When her son comes into the story.. eh didn't like it as much as the part without him. Also I wasn't that fond of the fact that she ended up being with her son's half brother.

Duh, I'm SO FAR behind. I just read the chapter where Circe goes back to her island after Pasiphaë gives birth to the Minotaur.

The pace of this book is really slow for me, so I'll probably finish it on July... And I think that I don't get all the context of what Circe explains, but maybe that's because she isn't as sharp as others...

Knowing a bit of mythology, it's just me that when Circe meets a man (both mortal or God) I instatly think they're gonna rape her?

Bopeep wrote: "Duh, I'm SO FAR behind. I just read the chapter where Circe goes back to her island after Pasiphaë gives birth to the Minotaur.

The pace of this book is really slow for me, so I'll probably finis..."
I think it must have been intended, cuz it really felt like that...

I've been avoiding this thread like the plague because I was super behind on reading this book, but I finally finished it! I feel like I'm the opposite opinion of a lot of of you. I thought the first half was pretty slow and boring and I liked it when she had a kid. It took me probably two and a half weeks to read to that part, but once I got there, I finished it in just a couple of days. I also struggled with the writing style a lot, but I reeeeeeeeally liked the very ending.

After reading all you comments about an annoying child I didn't think he was annoying at all haha. I mean, babies are always crying and looking for attention, and think that in the past, heroes were much young than we expect.


I just have this book to read right now so I will be centred on it and I hope I finish it before Sunday *-*

I finally started the book too^^ I'm only about 180 pages in and I'm liking it so far, but I had to get used to the writing style since I feel like it's more of a telling of events after another than a coherent story.

any final thoughts for those who read it? what did you guys like and not like?

I guess I would say, as the only person in this room, that the writing style was such a favourite for me. I loved the way I got dragged into Circe's world. I also enjoyed the connection between different mythologystories. I didn't really enjoy her child, it was as if a part of her was gone and she had to focus her life on this little kid instead of working on herself etcetc. But overall, it was a great read for me!

Jessica wrote: "I guess I would say, as the only person in this room, that the writing style was such a favourite for me. I loved the way I got dragged into Circe's world. I also enjoyed the connection between dif..."

glad you enjoyed it Jessica! I started the audiobook and just got to a few chapters but I really liked it based on the nugget of the book that I finished

I'll definitely continue it soon after reading all of your comments XD

I liked how the characters of different myths interacted and how the story was mixed because of that, I only read from one perspective some of the myths so that was awesome.

I didn't like her kid and how she overprotected him, shielding him from reality, because when he went into the world that didn't end up so well.

BTW didn't anyone think that Circe's son is in love with his soldier when he says he won't have any kiids? because it was like WOW you insinuated that in front of all your family and it's freaking fine <3

great Group Read everyone! :)