The book follows the life of Circe, a nymph born to Helios, god of the sun. Circe is undermined and laughed at by almost everyone. An outcast in her own family, she is neither as powerful as her father nor as mesmerizing as her mother. She is not treated well, the reason being her not as beautiful as her siblings and to add up she has a very mundane voice. But she is unaware of the fact that she possesses a few unique qualities that even Zeus, the god of sky and thunder is afraid of. The book follows Circe’s life as she falls in love with a mortal and the things she does for love.
“You are wise,” he said.
“If it is so,” I said, “it is only because I have been fool enough for a hundred lifetimes.”
– Madeline Miller, Circe
Starting off, Circe is shown as a timid and lifeless girl living a mundane life surrounded by her family who leaves no stone unturned to criticize her. She tries hard to make people accept her and love her but to no luck. Following a series of events, she discovers a hidden quality of hers. She has been gifted with witchcraft. She can play with herbs and use them as her weapon to protect, kill and destroy. She is eventually sent into exile on a far isolated island. This island is where Circe finally accepts herself and works on herself. She makes the island a place that she can call home. The island was supposed to be her prison but she makes it a heaven with her witchcraft and willpower. Here, she befriends lions and wolves and fights off sailors who mean no good. Centuries pass and here she meets some interesting characters who have a significant importance in her life. Hermes, Icarus, Dedalus, Athena, and finally Odysseus who changes her life. She gives birth to a son named Telegonus. To protect her son, she summons all the strength she has and confronts the powerful “Trygon” and challenges and wins his poisonous tail.
“They do not care if you are good. They barely care if you are wicked. The only thing that makes them listen is power.”
– Madeline Miller, Circe
The author has wonderfully added thrill and spice to the epic story. A spell bounding retelling of the story of Circe. The character development of Circe is very inspiring. She transforms herself from a timid lesser god to a powerful Goddess who is feared. The book is divided into parts. Parts of the life of Circe where she finds her power, where she meets Dedalus, Minotaur, Medea, Athena, and of course Odysseus. This makes the story simplified and easy to read. I loved her savage replies to Athena and her fervent efforts to protect her son from Athena.
“Timidity creates nothing.”
– Madeline Miller, Circe
Overall, A compelling story of Circe and her search for freedom and love. A highly recommended read.
Damsel In The Bookland 