Have you ever read an adaptation of Greek mythology that focuses on a nymph and her journey to gain her family’s approval, win her husband’s love, and help Odysseus on his quest in the Odyssey?
“Circe” is told from the first-person point-of-view of the daughter of Helios, the nymph and enchantress Circe, who discovers her powers of witchcraft after being banished by Zeus to the island of Aiaia, where her power of persuasion leads men and gods to fall in love with her, resulting in her affair with Odysseus on his path back home.
This book will captivate people who are just being introduced to the world of Greek mythology. Circe’s perspective is an effective way to highlight her struggles with love and her urge to aid others for whom she cares. Madeline Miller’s writing throughout the book also animates the worlds of Ithaka and the house of Helios, where Circe navigates throughout her adventures. Miller’s Circe pulls you into the story to the point where you don’t want to put the book down.
One of my favorite quotes from the book comes from Circe’s opening monologue. “When I was born,” Circe says, “the name for what I was did not exist. They called me nymph, assuming I would be like my mother and aunts and thousand cousins. Least of the lesser goddesses, our powers were so modest they could scarcely ensure our eternities.” You quickly understand the forces that Circe is up against, which pulled me into the story immediately.
The book also includes moments from “The Odyssey,” featuring Odysseus, that explore Homer’s epic from Circe’s point-of-view, elucidating her infatuation with Odysseus and the impact of her character’s dynamic. She even cares about Odysseus’s son, Telemachus, sharing a future with him after the grand finale of “The Odyssey.” Miller’s novel also delves into Circe’s fraught communication with other gods and goddesses, which makes Odysseus’s journey more difficult. Hearing the story from Circe’s perspective even allows us to understand that she thinks her magic can sometimes be morally wrong.
Seeing the world of Aiaia from Circe’s perspective is compelling because you get to experience the things she is going through and everyone she interacts with. The pain she deals with from talking to gods and mortals leads her to know that she is so much more than what she first believed. And we can see that she’s so much more than Homer gives us in “The Odyssey.”
Overall, I give this book five stars and highly recommend it. If you have already read it, or have it on your reading list, I also recommend Miller’s other books, The Song of Achilles and Galatea, which also tell stories from Greek mythology from the perspectives of their main characters.
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