Circe by Madeline Miller
The story starts gently lit by the past-tense words of our heroine (though she would despise this title). Immediately, we know two things: one, this story starts at everyone’s beginning; how their parents came together to create and two, she must take us back this far so that we may get the full picture.
Our storyteller, Circe, is the daughter of the Titan, Helios and Perse, the nymph daughter of Titan Oceanos. She certainly comes from a divine lineage even if no one agrees that she deserves it. As she grows, she learns of her limits, feels the wrath of the Gods (in one instance too closely), and bears a gift she could never have fathomed. This gift turns curse when it results in her exile from not only the halls of her Titan father but to all reaches of the world. From there we learn of the hardships and surprises of what even Gods are forced to confront.
Circe’s tale is ultimately the tale of man. She discovers love’s petals and thorns from her first crush, the torment of fate as it tears Gods and mortals alike from her, both childbirth and child-rearing and what little anyone knows of it, and what it takes to become your true self and not what your lineage and brethren make you.
Alas, it’s impossible to tell all that happens in this epic unraveling of one goddess’ myth as Miller covers several mortal lifetimes into the span of this single novel.
Circe is indeed a tale of warning and never overlooks an opportunity for a lesson learned. If you’re impatient, don’t like Gods and mortals alike to be preachy, and above all get easily queasy, then this is not for you because oh yes, mortals be dying left and right.
But if you can swallow a slow-burn, and seek characters reflected in yourself, then this will be for you what our heroine is, magic.
Rating: 3.5/5
The Genre: Mythology, Drama
The Season: Summer mostly, with sprinklings of the other seasons.
The Cast: Ensemble. Too many to name that our author included a Cast of Characters at the end of the book, but if we try:
Seen and told through the eyes of Circe, daughter of Helios. Fire brought by Helios, leader of the Titans, God of the sun. Twists and tricks delivered by the messenger of Gods, Hermes. Appearances from a select handful of mortals worthy of being Gods; to give their names here would spoil the fun. Athena, goddess of wisdom and war. Featuring a very memorable scene from both Apollo, God of light, music, and prophecy, and the Minotaur, flesh-eater of the Labyrinth. Last but not least, the transformative Scylla, nymph then monster.
The Mood: Prickling, Woeful, Willful
If it were a film: actor convictions of “The Witch” (2015) with the story progression of “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford” (2007), featuring costumes and set decoration of “Tale of Tales” (2015).
Films to watch to put you in a similar headspace: see above but also include “The Fountain” (2006), “Gladiator” (2000), and “Mad Max: Fury Road” (2015).
