Circe
Written By: Madeline Miller
Synopsis:
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.
My Thoughts:
I love Greek mythology, I have been fascinated by myths ever since I was a little girl. I have heard of Circe the daughter of the Helios and a nymph, but I never knew how her story really went. I received this book as a gift and was thrilled when I opened the box and saw it, the cover is really beautiful and simple.
When I started this book I will admit it was a little slow moving, however I had to read more about Circe. I felt so sad for Circe and the way that her family treated and tormented her. I had never really thought about the fact that the titans and Gods of myth would be so cruel but it actually kind of makes sense that they would because they would have seen themselves as better than any lesser beings. I was very upset when Circe's brother just turned on her after she had cared for him so deeply and was very thrown off at the thought of Helios extreme love for his cows. I found myself feeling everything Circe was going through and understood her transformation into the powerful witch who never took any grief from anyone.
I enjoyed the last half of the book the most, especially after Circe went to aid her sister during her unusual pregnancy. I felt that Circe was very humanized and extremely easy to relate to. I found myself rooting for her even when maybe I shouldn't have been. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in a woman character who finds her strength and preserves through tragedy and torment, as well as anyone who loves Greek mythology.
