Circe
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4.5 • 4.8K Ratings
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- $2.99
Publisher Description
This #1 New York Times bestseller brilliantly reimagines the life of Circe, formidable sorceress of The Odyssey, as she discovers her own power, forges her identity, and challenges the gods who seek to control her.
"[A] bold and subversive retelling of the goddess's story." —The New York Times
In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child—not 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.
Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus.
But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love.
With unforgettably vivid characters, mesmerizing language, and page-turning suspense, Circe is a triumph of storytelling, an intoxicating epic of family rivalry, palace intrigue, love and loss, as well as a celebration of indomitable female strength in a man's world.
Named one of the Best Books of the Year by NPR, Washington Post, People, Time, Amazon, Entertainment Weekly, Bustle, Newsweek, A.V. Club, Christian Science Monitor, Refinery 29, Buzzfeed, Paste, Audible, Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, Thrillist, NYPL, Self, Real Simple, Goodreads, Boston Globe, Electric Literature, BookPage, Guardian, Book Riot, Seattle Times, and Business Insider.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Passionate and poetic, Circe is the epic tale of a lesser Greek goddess whose compassion for human life draws the disdain and anger of her fellow deities. Madeline Miller, an astonishingly gifted storyteller and former classics scholar, introduced readers to her revelatory insights into mythology with the 2011 bestseller The Song of Achilles. Her rendition of Circe’s unorthodox quest for love and a meaningful existence is a gorgeously written, unforgettable saga that thrills from start to finish.
Customer Reviews
An Incredible Story of Realization
This book moved me in ways I didn’t think possible. Mythology is not a subject I’m fond of, and I was intimidated that the complicated cast of famous characters would distract me trying to keep the relationships straight. But, I was proven wrong. Miller weaves her story beautifully and makes it easy to draw connections between the gods, mortals and monsters. Circe is more than a retelling of an age old tale, it’s a coming of age - a story of realizing ones true purpose as a witch, a woman, a daughter and a mother exiled to learn about herself and her relationships through a series of adventures. Relatable in ways I didn’t expect, I highly recommend this.
I Needed This Book
Amazing. Vivid imagery and visceral emotions make for a gorgeous reading experience. All hail M. Miller!
Thought-provoking book
This novel brings the age of Odysseus to life through the lens of Circe. She has to fight tradition and sexism as she searches for her true self.