Genre: Fantasy / Mythology / Historical
Pages: 393
Published: 2018
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Synopsis:
Circe is the daughter of the powerful Titan, Helios, god of the sun. Unlike her parents or her siblings, she is strange and ordinary and has a difficult time fitting in with the rest of the immortals. In time she discovers her affinity for witchcraft. Threatened by this unique gift, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island. It is there that she learns how to hone her craft. Although she is cursed to spend the eternity of her immortal years in isolation, Circe meets many traveling strangers who dock on her island – some are dangerous, even to her, some take her on perilous adventures to cross paths with other infamous mythological beings, and some will change her heart and her destiny.
Review:
The story is told from Circe’s perspective as she recants her life. Like an omniscient storyteller revealing clues as the journey weaves, there are interesting bits of foreshadowing sprinkled throughout. It kept me intrigued to find out more.
Madeline Miller’s writing is spectacular and meticulous, the way she is able to say so much with so few words. Every choice is carefully made and has meaning that brings life to the story. Her descriptive language is beautiful, painting a picture worthy of a gallery, and is refreshingly unique in ways that invited more from the senses.
“All my life had been murk and depths, but I was not a part of that dark water. I was a creature within it.”
The characters are well-built and shown through actions and interactions. As we get to see life through Circe’s eyes and what is was like to grow up and come into her own, she imparts wisdom and truths on the reader.
“It was my first lesson. Beneath the smooth, familiar face of things is another that waits to tear the world in two.”
We get to see Circe through many relationships, each shaping her in different ways. I found the vulnerability in Circe’s character particularly endearing.
“He showed me his scars, and in return he let me pretend that I had none.”
One of the themes I enjoyed most in this book is family dynamics. Whether striving to rebel or live up to expectations, our families affect us in ways that we may never fully understand. We see this dynamic play out in many ways throughout the book.
“Perhaps no parent can truly see their child. When we look we see only the mirror of our own faults.”
I enjoyed the pacing, as every chapter has its own arc and hook that meld into the larger structure of the book as a whole.
The ending was all I could have hoped for and more!
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