Circe by Madeline Miller
Historical fantasy, mythological retelling
Rating: 4.5 stars
“Circe, he says, it will be all right. It is not the saying of an oracle or a prophet. He does not mean that it does not hurt. He does not mean that we are not frightened. Only that we are here. This is what it means to swim in the tide, to walk to earth and feel it touch your feet. This is what it means to be alive.”
Circe is a retelling of a portion of the Odyssey and explores major themes of feminism, transformation, mortality, power, and agency. Circe - regardless of god status - is living in a man's world and has suffered greatly because of it. Time and time again, she is let down by those with power and transforms herself, her life, and others in a centuries-long quest to discover her own power and agency in a man's world. She experiments with the use of her power, as well as how to navigate relationships with mortals and gods alike.
Madeline Miller shows a style of writing that is formal, but not unfamiliar; quality of prose in this book cannot be understated. The book is well researched and tremendously paced. Miller shows that fantasy can be lyrical and does not need to be action packed on every page to hold your attention. She also has the ability to weave romance into a story without making it the defining characteristic of the protagonist. You will never find Circe reduced to a character defined by her love interest.
The loss of half a star in the rating was only due to personal preference, as I struggle with stories that span large time frames, in this case hundreds of years. That being said, this book is perfect for a reader who is looking to go on a journey. Circe meets and references dozens of characters, all of whom are outlined in a character guide in the appendix of the book. This book is perfect for the fan of mythology and retellings, but also is accessible for a literary fiction lover who wants to dip their toes in fantasy. If you are not a fan of formal language, prefer to "binge read", or like to get immediate entertainment value from an action packed story, this may not be the book for you.
Circe is a book that will stand out in my mind not only for the story it tells for Circe, but for the story it tells for women in regards to their power and agency in their own lives.