The captivating Sunday Times and New York Times number one bestseller by the Orange Prize-winning author of The Song of Achilles.
God. Mortal. Daughter.
Monster. Saviour. Outcast.
Lover. Destroyer. Creator.
Mother. Witch.
Scorned, rejected and at last exiled from her father's house for her dark gifts, Circe arrives on the remote island of Aiaia with nothing but her wits and magic to help her. But there is danger for a solitary woman in the world, and Circe's independence and strange powers draw 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.
Complicated and wounded, gifted and passionate, Madeline Miller's captivating Circe steps out of myth and into the present as a heroine for our time, and all times.
What We're Reading: "Loving it so far! Totally tore through The Song of Achilles, too." - Natalia, ABC Amsterdam staff, March 2019.
Customer Review
A lot of people know this mythical witch, whether you have read The Odyssey or not.
Most of the time she is portrayed as the villain of the story. This book, however, will change your mind. Madeline Miller has written this book from Circe's point of view. The reader sympathises with her as the story goes.She has always been the outcast of her family. Her mother, brother, sister and the rest of the family never gave her a home. When she is, eventually, banished from the house of Helios, God of the Sun, she finally has a place of her own, where no-one judges.
All of this makes Circe a pleasure to read!
Staff Choice: Iris
I know next to nothing about Greek mythology, and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get the 'full experience' because of that. Boy, was I wrong. Madeline Miller's subtly enchanting writing drew me right in.
Born without any special powers or particular beauty, Circe (daughter of sun god Helios and Perse, a naiad), Circe lives an unremarkable life in the halls of her father. Until, that is, she discovers she has an affinity for witchcraft. She is banished to an island, which is the best thing that could have happened to her: she is finally free. All kinds of important Greek gods and heroes make an appearance in this story (and even I recognized most of them).
A highly recommended read!
Staff Choice: Bruna
I know, there are so many Greek retellings in the market right now, but this one… this one stands out to me. Greek mythology is usually full of great heroes, explorers, gods, mostly men, so I love that Madeline Miller chose to dive into a woman/goddess story. She gives Circe an epic tone to the narrative, which is very different from The Song of Achilles that reads much more intimate. I think this is a very original choice since most of the epic books are about men.
I love that we see a lot of beautiful descriptions of nature, since Circe is a witch and so very connected with the natural world. The book is captivating and I would say even cozy to read.