Circe by Madeline Miller
4/5 stars ****
Premise- (3.5/5) On one hand, I love anything about ancient Greece. I’ve been interested in Circe since it came out, and was really looking forward to reading it. The timing actually worked out really well because I spent last semester deep into research about Circe and other classical witch figures for my 20-page capstone paper, so I was particularly interested to see Miller’s take on Circe’s story. On the other hand, I was disappointed with Miller’s first book, The Song of Achilles. Despite my interest in its story, and its popularity, I just didn’t love it. When it came to Circe, I was approaching with cautious optimism.
Characters- (4.5/5) One of my favorite things about reading ancient literature is that the myriad versions of every story provide opportunities for very complex, multi-faceted characters. Miller did a pretty good job of bringing that depth and complexity to her characters. It was fascinating to see characters like Daedalus, Odysseus, and Penelope through Circe’s eyes. I also appreciated Miller’s navigation of the complicated politics of god and mortal, and Circe’s precarious place between them. Minus half a star because I still felt a little weird about the relationship at the end of the book, but that’s pretty much my only complaint here.
Plot- (5/5) Any mythical retelling is an enormous undertaking because there are simply so many story and character combinations to choose from. For me, Miller did an excellent job weaving together the storylines she chose. Those choices brought a lot of logic and clarity to Circe’s character. She was also able to sidestep the potential difficulties of Circe’s solitary island lifestyle (which I admit I was worried might make the book slow and boring) in a way that made sense and allowed readers to see Circe interact with other characters in a way that contributed to her growth. From Circe’s upbringing and family life to her relationships, I found the plot well-constructed and compelling.
World- (3.5/5) The mythological world building in Circe was fairly standard. Part historical and part fantastical, Realistic enough for me, if sometimes lacking in practical detail. Still, a world which was easy to immerse myself in.
Writing- (4/5) When I read Miller’s first book, The Song of Achilles, writing was actually my biggest complaint. I felt that Miller’s style was overblown and trying too hard. I guess one or both of us must have matured since then, because the writing was part of what made this book for me. This time I thought the poetic style flowed well, and especially appreciated the way the language in some ways demonstrated some very Greek epic styles of description (epithets!). Although a tad slow at times, I really enjoyed Miller’s writing in Circe. Maybe I need to go back and give The Song of Achilles a re-read.
Overall- (4.1/5) Circe was pretty much everything I was looking for in a mythical retelling. Whether I’ve matured as a reader or Miller has matured as a writer, I liked Circe more than The Song of Achilles for its lyrical prose and varied cast of characters. With a really strong plot and poignant reflection on what it means to be human, Circe was a great read for my classics-loving self.
Trigger warnings: Rape, death, gore, mild self-harm