Circe by Madeline Miller
"In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child—not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power—the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves.
Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus.
But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love."
“But in a solitary life, there are rare moments when another soul dips near yours, as stars once a year brush the earth. Such a constellation was he to me.”
― Madeline Miller, Circe
So I really loved this book! Growing up I used to love ancient mythology stories. But somewhere along the way, I became much more aware of the violence in the stories, and they were much less enjoyable in my mind. I was nervous about starting this. Since it was dealt with Greek mythology and of course the Odyssey. But I’m so glad did! This feels like a much-needed retelling of well-known stories. It felt fitting for the time we’re in now, for a historically vilified character to speak up and tell her own story. It was such a great read, seeing Circe’s character grow and take back her story from the hands of those who liked to tell her who she is. Such a good read!
Genre: fantasy, mythology, retellings
Representation: vague queer content
Content Warnings: Body horror, Childbirth (with complications), Rape