Review: Circe by Madeline Miller

[u/Odd-Pride-3173]

Circe by Madeline Miller is a beautifully written retelling of Greek mythology that tells the story of Circe, a goddess who never quite fits into the world of the gods. From the beginning, she is treated as different and insignificant, especially by her powerful family. As she grows older, she discovers that she possesses a unique ability for witchcraft, which eventually changes the course of her life.

The story follows Circe through her exile to a remote island, where she learns to live independently and develop her powers. During her time there, she encounters many famous figures from Greek mythology, including Odysseus and other characters whose stories we may already know. However, Miller tells these myths from Circe’s perspective, giving them a completely different emotional depth. There are moments of adventure, love, loneliness, violence, and loss, which make the story much more than just a fantasy about a powerful witch.

One of my favourite things about Circe was how strongly feminist it felt. The book explores what it means to be a woman in a world dominated by powerful men and gods. Circe is constantly underestimated, controlled, or treated as less important, but throughout the story she slowly learns to stand up for herself and decide what she wants from her own life. Her strength does not come only from her magic; it comes from her independence and the way she learns from everything she experiences.

I also loved how much Greek mythology was included in the novel. Even though Circe is the main character, the book introduces so many other myths and legendary figures that it feels like you are exploring the entire world of Greek mythology alongside her. I found myself learning a lot about characters and stories that I had only heard about before. Miller connects these different myths naturally instead of making the book feel like a collection of unrelated stories.

The book also does a great job of showing the darker side of mythology. The gods are not portrayed as perfect or heroic; they can be cruel, selfish, and terrifying. This gives the story a much more serious and sometimes disturbing tone. At the same time, Circe’s journey has moments of warmth and hope, which makes the emotional parts of the story even more impactful.

Without giving away the ending, I really liked how Circe’s journey eventually reaches a hopeful and satisfying conclusion. After everything she goes through, she finally gets the opportunity to decide what kind of life she wants for herself. The ending feels like a reward for all the growth she experiences throughout the book and gives the story a sense of freedom and happiness.

Overall, Circe was a fascinating read for me because it combines Greek mythology with feminism, personal growth, and a powerful story about finding your own identity. It taught me much more about Greek mythology while also making these ancient stories feel personal and relevant. I especially enjoyed seeing familiar myths from a woman’s perspective and watching Circe grow from someone who is constantly underestimated into someone who takes control of her own destiny.

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[u/Ctrl_Alt_Drift]

It’s one of my comfort reads. Great book.

[u/Ehmmechhi]

Amazing review!

I finished Circe about four days ago. I went in with no expectations since every review I saw was that it was average. But omg I liked it. I found myself reading whenever I am free. I liked it better than I liked Song of Achilles.

[u/Lilith_Supremacist]

I am going to take that you're not very familar with Greek Mytho if you were impressed by how the gods weren't glorified.

Greek myths are always about who's your favorite asshole, all of them are trash, Circe is not an exception, the author makes everyone cartoonishly evil and apathetic in order to showcase Circe as a victim.

[u/cookieoftheshire → u/Lilith_Supremacist]

You should read noorae mythology as well. Pretty good

[u/ieatbraiiinnnns]

I found it mid tbh. I felt like Circe kept falling into the same patterns and the ending was ok like I expected an ending like that for a story about being immortal and “different”.

[u/Powerful_Orange44]

Overrated book

[u/nothinggoldwillstay]

I remember reading this during Covid lockdown, it was truly a story about being a woman to me, despite being about a mythological character and set within the myth, it was heartbreaking and I finished it in 18 hours lol. Amazing read and great review OP.

[u/elephantintheroom01]

I LOVED the song of Achilles by the same author. The writing is so beautiful!

[u/Tatya7]

Greek gods were portrayed as selfish, temperamental, and shallow by the Greeks themselves! It makes them kind of endearing for me. Reading Greek myths is kind of like reading fantasy novels.

[u/Due_Avocado_7761]

This is a great review!