Circe
• Fiction, Fantasy, MythologyIn the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child--neither powerful like her father nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power: the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves.
Thoughts
After The Song of Achilles helped reignite my passion for reading, I was in search of similar stories when I came across this book from the same author, Madeline Miller.
The novel is a beautiful feminist adaptation of Greek myth as told from the perspective of the witch Circe. It recontextualises much of the prior literature, in which she is portrayed as an abominable seductress, by depicting her as an outcast driven to selfish acts by a hostile environment. Much like some reinterpretations of Medusa’s myth, it allows us to see things in a new light, bringing details that we might have overlooked into focus to paint a modern picture of a character largely known as a villain.
The synopsis made me think that the encounter with Odysseus would drive most of the plot. Instead, the book feels like a collection of stories that Circe has lived through, with Odysseus’ arrival being one of many tales she has been part of. I was glad, as I am not particularly interested in romance.
If I had to find fault in it, I’d have to mention the particularly unlikeable cast of characters that could make it difficult to pick the book back up at times. But that’s just how Greek mythology works, isn’t it?
As usual, Madeline Miller’s writing is beautiful and almost poetic, while effectively communicating the narrator’s personality. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for any news from her.