Author(s): Madeline Miller

Fiction | Anna's Book Talkers

From the Orange Prize-winning, internationally bestselling author of The Song of Achilles comes the powerful story of the mythological witch Circe, inspired by Homer's Odyssey. In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe has neither the look nor the voice of divinity, and is scorned and rejected by her kin. Increasingly isolated, she turns to mortals for companionship, leading her to discover a power forbidden to the gods: witchcraft. When love drives Circe to cast a dark spell, wrathful Zeus banishes her to the remote island of Aiaia. There she learns to harness her occult craft, drawing strength from nature. But she will not always be alone; many are destined to pass through Circe's place of exile, entwining their fates with hers. The messenger god, Hermes. The craftsman, Daedalus. A ship bearing a golden fleece. And wily Odysseus, on his epic voyage home. There is danger for a solitary woman in this world, and Circe's independence draws the wrath of men and gods alike. To protect what she holds dear, Circe must decide whether she belongs with the deities she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love. 

Breathing life into the ancient world, Madeline Miller weaves an intoxicating tale of gods and heroes, magic and monsters, survival and transformation.

CONSTANT READER STAFF REVIEW: ANNA

Well we all know the legends of Circe the witch – a cruel seductress who turned desperate men into pigs – but who was the woman behind the myths, and what might her motivations have been? Madeline Miller skilfully weaves this story, showing us a side of Circe that inspires empathy and is deeply relatable.

Circe is the daughter of Helios the sun god and a water nymph, but as a young girl she little resembles either. Always feeling an outsider in her own realm, she turns to the mortal world for companionship. When Circe experiments with witchcraft, desperate for her human lover to become immortal, she is punished with exile to a lonely island. Despite her banishment Circe has a place in many of the most legendary stories. She is there for the birth of the Minotaur, she befriends Daedalus, curses Skylla the nymph into a nightmare monster, takes Odysseus as a lover, and stands defiant against Athena. Circe is no two-dimensional villain, but a vivid and determined woman struggling to find her place in the world and her path through life.

Madeline Miller does an amazing job of exploring this oft sidelined character, giving her a backstory, motivations, and emotions rarely granted to female antagonists. In truth, after reading this book I can barely bring myself to think of Circe as even an antagonist, let alone the villain she is often portrayed as. Miller’s writing is an absolute art form – evocative, beautiful, and vivid. I cannot recommend her highly enough!