2025 Reading Challenge discussion

I have always loved the stories about the Greek heros and gods. I was introduced to the author via the song of Achilles. I loved that story do much I immediately ran out to get Circe. I knew of the story of Circe from books like the Iliad and the Odyssey but those stories gave her a negative personality. I especially enjoyed this book showed her as a woman of strength and character in a man’s world. She wasn’t the evil portrayed in those other books but instead a woman using her power and her cunning to secure her future and that of her son. she refused to be a puppet to the gods or to the will of men.

Would like to join this buddy read

i always liked reading mythology stories when i was in school, so i never felt like it was torture reading any of them as opposed to a lot of the other stuff we were forced to read. i remember reading the odyssey, and although i dont remember hearing much about circe, i do remember the name so she mustve been mentioned at some point. it was interesting seeing stories i already kind of had some familiarity with from her perspective and to learn more about her story. ordinarily i may not have bothered to read this because it is almost like something i would have been required to read back when i was in school, but being that more than one book club i am in chose it i decided to give it a shot and have to say i did enjoy it so i may look into reading more mythology type books in the future.

I read this in July 2019 and it was one of my favorite books from last year. I listened to the audiobook and highly recommend it the narrator was really good and made the writing flow so well it was relaxing to listen to and hard to pause it. Can’t wait to read more by the author because I love mythology and how she writes. Haven’t read song of Achilles yet but I want to!

I have yet to start this one. I LOVED The Song of Achilles! And I was lucky enough to meet her last year and now own two of her books personally inscribed by her. She is fascinating to listen to and watch. This is definitely her lifelong PASSION! She has studied mythology virtually her whole life. I never found mythology particularly interesting and never read much of it.

I finished this book last night and I have some mixed feelings about it...
The writing and storytelling was amazing and it had me hooked throughout the whole book, (view spoiler)[but I can't help to think that the story of Circe 'only makes sense' when it's framed around the men that visit her, like only when she has a lover does the story progress. I think she was a character round enough for her to be able to tell her story without focusing so much on the romantic parts.
In the end I think I expected there to be less romantic love and more self love -which there is, just not as I had imagined. (hide spoiler)]
Overall it's an amazing story of a powerful character and I loved the author's writing.

I definitely agree with you Luci on what you shared in the spoiler section of your comment. Although I didn't mind some of the slower parts. When I read it, I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was really good so the way she read even the slower parts were interesting to listen to. I really recommend the audiobook if you end up reading it through again in the future. I loved how lyrical the writing was and how well it flowed. Can't wait to read more by the author. I wonder what greek mythology character she's going to write about next.

Just started this one!

L'm behind, will start this week!

I am about 1/3 through this and did find it required a bit more time for me to get into as opposed to The Song of Achilles. However, I think much of that has to do with the plethora of characters immediately introduced, whereas I just remember The Song of Achilles dealing with the two main characters right off the bat. I hope to finish this today.