2025 Reading Challenge discussion

This thread is to discuss Circe by Madeline Miller.

Pages: 393 pages

Length: 1 month (September)

Participants: Beth, Valerie, Mansi V

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 }.

I read this a couple of years ago. Is it OK if I lurk in your group?
:-)

Of course! Should be getting to my library in the next few days so expecting to start it at the beginning of September! I haven't read The Song of Achilles yet but excited to read this one.

This will be a reread for me as it’s this month’s choice for one of my reading circles. It will be later in the month before I start but pretty sure you will enjoy it.

Yes, lurk away!

I will read this within the next two weeks. I already have it on load from Libby, and it's due in 12 days.

May I join this buddy read? I am more than halfway, and am delighted with it.

Happy unofficial end of summer!

I read this a few weeks ago. It was fabulous.

I started my reread today with the first 2 chapters and it was a welcome return to the magical but malicious world of the Greek gods. (view spoiler)[ right from the start we see Circe is something of an outcast, lacking the combination of perfect beauty and cruelty of her parents and siblings. Her kindness to Prometheus marks her out as different- and like him she feels an attraction for mortals (hide spoiler)]

I'm only 40 pages in, but I've been in a bit of a reading slump so I'm finding it really hard to get into at the moment. In general I also find I personally don't always enjoy first person which is making it even harder for me to get into.

Mansi V wrote: "I'm only 40 pages in, but I've been in a bit of a reading slump so I'm finding it really hard to get into at the moment. In general I also find I personally don't always enjoy first person which is..."
Maybe not the book for this moment for you Mansi. Hope you get out of your slump soon.

End of chapter 7. I like the way the author adds little twists to a story we know (view spoiler)[ Circe discovers her enchantress nature but she has to quite literally get her hands dirty to develop her skills; she’s punished with an exile that, given the family she left behind, is actually a release. She seems so fulfilled and content that we almost want to leave her alone. (hide spoiler)]

I've only just got around to getting this on audio CD so I'm a bit behind you guys.

I'm around 2/3 of the way through now. I'm liking it more than I did at the beginning BUT I still just don't feel fully engaged. At first I thought it was my reading slump, but I'm getting really into the other books I'm currently reading. We'll see how the final third goes though...

If people have read her other book 'the song of Achilles', I'd be interested to know which they preferred.

I have read that but haven't started 'Circe' yet. I'll comment when I do.

Hi, Emily. I have read both books, and I struggled to finish both. I have degrees in English and history. My focus was on World Literature and oral history. I mention this only because I have interest in the field/subject matter. I too thought the problem was me.

I finished the book but unfortunately I just don't think this book was for me. But it's very much a me problem and not the book. I wasn't particularly as interested in the story and character but I didn't mind her writing style so I would still definitely want to try and read The Song of Achilles sometime in the future!

Mansi V, I feel the same way. I have read two of her books, and while I didn't really connect with them, I didn't hate them either. I generally try to read three books by an author before giving up. Of course, some authors I don't give another chance if the content warrants such a decision.

Oooh I really need to start following the 3 book rule. I've heard she's working on a book on Persephone which I'll definitely check out when it eventually releases. I didn't actually realise just how long Circe and Song of Achilles have been out for.

Mansi V I know what you mean. Before I wrote my post, I checked her author page, and was shocked at the dates. Like you, I am interested in how she handles the story of Persephone

I’m at the halfway stage and enjoying taking my time as this is a reread for me. I like the way the author weaves a wider mythology, creating the links between different stories, twisting them to make them darker, and displacing heroes from the centre to be replaced by women.
As for Circe (view spoiler)[ the question is why is she different from her family members? Her magical powers give her the ability to be just as cruel and ruthless but, although she can react to strong emotions with vengeance, she doesn’t have the same indifference to suffering or the same need for power (hide spoiler)]

@Valerie Reyes it might be because she was treated cruelly by them that she resented their indifference to each other. However, she was cruel in her own way: she turned the nymph into a monster and that wreaks havoc on humans and gods alike. In my view, her conversation with Prometheus allowed her to reflect on her and her family's actions and led to her confessing and later being exiled.

Valerie wrote: "I’m at the halfway stage and enjoying taking my time as this is a reread for me. I like the way the author weaves a wider mythology, creating the links between different stories, twisting them to m..."

Just got the audio book from the library and started t last night.

Finally starting this today. Currently just finished Chapter 4. It's OK so far but not really pulling my interest. I'm not overly familiar with Circe's legend, so I don't have a clear picture of what's legend and what's the author's adds. (EX: Did Circe really (view spoiler)[provide nectar to Prometheus, or is that a literary device within this novel? (hide spoiler)])

I'll keep pressing on. As I recall it took me a while to get into Song of Achilles. In the end, I rated that just 3 stars (my review).

Beth wrote: "Finally starting this today. Currently just finished Chapter 4. It's OK so far but not really pulling my interest. I'm not overly familiar with Circe's legend, so I don't have a clear picture of wh..."
To answer your question, the author says she invented that part although of course there is no one definitive version of any of the myths. They have constantly evolved through time.
I agree that it takes a bit to really get going and draw you in.

I read this last month. I didn't enjoy the first half of the book much. I liked the second half of the book much better but I still ended up only rating it a 3 out of 5 stars. Her writing is really pretty but I didn't feel like there was much of a plot.

It did pique my interest for the overall characters though. So much so that I read The Penelopiad last week and I'm not currently reading The Song of Achilles. Kind of the same thing with both of them. The writing is pretty. The Penelopiad was a really quick read. It was fun but didn't really give me anything on the characters that I was looking for. The Song of Achilles is also the same thing. I'm enjoying the second half of the book much more.

End of chapter 20. This was very much the part of the book which all the rest led up to: (view spoiler)[ her relationship with Odysseus, the deadly anger of Athena, the birth and upbringing of their son, the prophecy. All building up to setting her son free to fulfil his destiny. I know what will happen but still find myself hoping it won’t (hide spoiler)]

I'm now half way through. It seems she had a sad life.

Finished. For me, the last quarter is the strongest part of the book, probably because it is the least tied to the original myths and so the author is able to give free rein to her imagination. I felt that the ending tied things up well especially for Circe.
A highly enjoyable reread for me.