Circe
The stunning new anniversary edition from the author of international bestseller The Song of Achilles
-
-
4.4 • 405 Ratings
-
-
- £7.99
-
- £7.99
Publisher Description
The international Number One bestseller from the author of The Song of Achilles, shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction
Woman. Witch. Myth. Mortal. Outcast. Lover. Destroyer. Survivor. CIRCE.
In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. Circe is a strange child – not powerful and terrible, like her father, nor gorgeous and mercenary like her mother. Scorned and rejected, Circe grows up in the shadows, at home in neither the world of gods or mortals. But Circe has a dark power of her own: witchcraft. When her gift threatens the gods, she is banished to the island of Aiaia where she hones her occult craft, casting spells, gathering strange herbs and taming wild beasts. Yet a woman who stands alone will never be left in peace for long – and among her island's guests is an unexpected visitor: the mortal Odysseus, for whom Circe will risk everything.
So Circe sets forth her tale, a vivid, mesmerizing epic of family rivalry, love and loss – the defiant, inextinguishable song of woman burning hot and bright through the darkness of a man's world.
THE NUMBER ONE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER
CHOSEN AS A BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE GUARDIAN, TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, I PAPER, SUNDAY EXPRESS, IRISH TIMES, TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT, AMAZON, AUDIBLE, BUZZFEED, REFINERY 29, WASHINGTON POST, BOSTON GLOBE, SEATTLE TIMES, TIME MAGAZINE, NEWSWEEK, PEOPLE, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY, KIRKUS, PUBLISHERS WEEKLY AND GOODREADS
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Miller follows her impressive debut (The Song of Achilles) with a spirited novel about Circe's evolution from insignificant nymph to formidable witch best known for turning Odysseus's sailors into swine. Her narrative begins with a description of growing up the awkward daughter of Helios, the sun god. She does not discover her gift for pharmakeia (the art of using herbs and spells) until she transforms her first love, a poor fisherman, into a god. When he rejects her in favor of vain Scylla, Circe turns Scylla into a sea monster. Now considered dangerous, Circe is exiled to an island, where she experiments with local flora and fauna. After returning from a visit to Crete to help her sister give birth to the Minotaur, Circe is joined on the island by errant nymphs sentenced to do their penance in her service. By the time Odysseus's ship arrives, winding its way home from the Trojan War, Circe reigns over a prosperous household. Welcome guests enjoy her hospitality; unwelcome guests are turned into wild pigs. Neither the goddess Athena nor the deadliest poison known to man makes Circe flinch. Weaving together Homer's tale with other sources, Miller crafts a classic story of female empowerment. She paints an uncompromising portrait of a superheroine who learns to wield divine power while coming to understand what it means to be mortal.
Customer Reviews
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
You’re in for a real treat with this book, as Madeline Miller weaves a rich tale of Circe, a young girl born to a God and nymph. Despite her parentage, Circe is neither powerful, nor alluring - so how did she become the feared witch of Aiaia?
I really enjoyed this book, as Madeline Millers wonderfully descriptive language made the mythology come alive. It is easy to believe you are there alongside Circe to bear witness to her story. This was a real page turner!
I will definitely be adding Madeline millers A song of Achilles to my to be read list.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Stunning
This wonderful read now tops the list of my favourite books of all time - not only for its fascinating breadth but also for its lyricism.
I can’t recommend it too highly and am sure that it will become a modern classic.
Best book I’ve ever read
This is a phenomenal read. The world building is just intoxicating and I love and hate the characters like I know them. I cannot wait to read more from this author as this is the first I have read. 1
100 out of 5 stars.