2025 Reading Challenge discussion

This thread is to discuss Circe by Madeline Miller.

Pages: 393 pages

Length: 1 Month (July)

Participants: Dikshita, Alexxy.

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.


Happy Buddy Reading!

I read this book last year and really enjoyed it! I won't be re-reading it now, but I hope to remember to come back and see what everyone thought of it :)

Starting the book today! Looking forward to the discussions

Chapter 3

(view spoiler)[ Circe’s affection towards Aeetes touched my heart so much. But her loneliness after he leaves broke my heart. The exclusion that Circe faces in the family because she is different than others is shattering. (hide spoiler)]

I will receive the book in a few days and I'll start then. Looking forward to the discussions as well!

Chapter 6
This book is so beautifully written.

(view spoiler)[ The treatment that Circe has received from her family makes my heart ache. It shakes you to the core that differences are not celebrated. Just because she looked different and had certain different abilities. Or because she doesn’t qualify to her family’s definition of ‘beautiful’.
Makes me think about the examples of bullying and ill treatment that we see around us.
Glad that she has been exiled. It may lead her to a better life and dignity. (hide spoiler)]

I know that we are more than halfway through the month. May I join this read? I should be able to finish this by the month end.

of course. The more the merrier

okay. I am in :D

My heart bled for Circe throughout the book!

I read this last month and it was sooo good!!

Dikshita wrote: "Chapter 3

[spoilers removed]" Just done with this chapter and I agree.

I just noticed this post - I started reading the book a few days ago and would love to join the challenge. This is definitely a different type of book for me but so far I'm enjoying it.

I started it and stopped in between. Will restart again. Will keep updating my views here

Laureen wrote: "I just noticed this post - I started reading the book a few days ago and would love to join the challenge. This is definitely a different type of book for me but so far I'm enjoying it."

As Dikshita said to me, the more the merrier. We are in the last week of the month and hopefully we will finish this. Do let us know what you think!

I made some good progress during this weekend. I am more than half way through, in chapter 17.

(view spoiler)[ I clearly see the difference between the Circe before exile and the person she has become since the exile. While her former self lacked confidence, was discriminated, felt very emotionally dependent and was acting without thinking about consequences, the latter one was more confident and mature. One another character I loved was Daedalus. I had a little idea about Daedalus from Percy Jackson stories (might not be the best source to know about greek mythology), but this one here painted a different picture. I felt him kind and passionate and it felt natural when Circe liked him. I also like how he kept to his boundaries (with Circe being a goddess and he being a mortal) while being open with most of his talk with Circe. His end felt a little sad. I was a little surprised with those revelations from Pasiphae. I think the physical assault on Circe by the mortals (pirates) seemed a certain turning point for her. I love Odysseus and I feel very bad for both him and Circe. (hide spoiler)]

This book feels certainly different from my previous reads and as of this point, I like how it is going.

I finished it before the month ended (yay!). I loved it. At some points, it felt intense and heavy. I like the writing style.. It feels more like you are in Circe's journey with her. I will put more thoughts in detail tomorrow.

Irma wrote: "My heart bled for Circe throughout the book!"

You definitely feel for her through out the book. But there was one part (view spoiler)[ when she gives birth to telegonus, goes against Athena to protect him and keeps making spells to protect him on the island where I feel her more mortal than a goddess. You see a mother trying her best to protect her child (hide spoiler)].

Shi ❀ wrote: "I read this last month and it was sooo good!!"

I loved the book. It wasnt my typical fantasy read. I loved the story, the character arcs and the transformation of Circe through out her story.