This #1 New York Times bestseller is a “bold and subversive retelling of the goddess’s story” that brilliantly reimagines the life of Circe, formidable sorceress of The Odyssey (Alexandra Alter, TheNew York Times).
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.
With unforgettably vivid characters, mesmerizing language, and page-turning suspense, Circe is a triumph of storytelling, an intoxicating epic of family rivalry, palace intrigue, love and loss, as well as a celebration of indomitable female strength in a man’s world.
#1 New York Times Bestseller — named one of the Best Books of the Year by NPR, the Washington Post, People, Time, Amazon, Entertainment Weekly, Bustle, Newsweek, the A.V. Club, Christian Science Monitor, Refinery 29, Buzzfeed, Paste, Audible, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Thrillist, NYPL, Self, Real Simple, Goodreads, Boston Globe, Electric Literature, BookPage, the Guardian, Book Riot, Seattle Times, and Business Insider.
Henrique –
Valeu muito a pena comprar, chegou antes do prazo e sem nenhum sequer dano ao livro!
Nabila Carrillo –
Lo compré porque “The Song of Achilles” fue mi mejor lectura del año y se convirtió en mi libro favorito. Estoy segura de que será un clásico en unos años. No puedo hablar UNA cosa mala de ese libro y por eso decidí leer Circe. Yo no sabía nada de su historia y quedé boquiabierta todo el libro. Me reí y lloré, es un libro que te hace sentir de todo, a demás de que salen las figuras más famosas de la mitología griega, el minotauro, Daedalus, hasta Aquiles. El final me encantó. Un libro 10/10. Madeleine Miller es una diosa de la lectura. Escribe de una manera preciosa que te tiene sin poder dejar de pensar en el libro.
Nabila Carrillo –
I could not put this book down. It was so raw with emotion and the story was so descriptive and well written. I will definitely be reading it again.
TJB –
Let me first say that I think Madeline Miller is a wonderful writer. Her writing plowed me through this book which I read because it was a book club selection. Mythology and the Greek gods hold little interest for me, so I didn’t find the story particularly compelling, but if this is a genre you enjoy, you will love this book.
Danielle –
Una entrega rápida y en magníficas condiciones.
Aún no he leído el libro pero también tiene pinta de que será maravilloso.
wami –
I saw this book in a video and it immediately caught my attention, was calling me to read it and I had to get it. It just came in and has some smudges and scratches on the cover (her face) but is a beautiful cover and I am loving the story so far. I have a feeling this will be one of my favorite books, which will make Madeline Miller one of my favorite authors. This is the first novel I’ve read of hers and it certainly will not be the last. I def recommend Circe.
EDIT: This is my favorite book, so much so that not only did purchase ours (American version), but I also purchased both of the UK versions (hardback and the small paperback that was on the shortlist for an award) and the French version for my husband (to come in soon). I guess I’m collecting Circe books lol. My new books (UK versions) are so beautiful, even more in person, love them so much. I knew it would take some time to come in, but each came in brand new (the hardcover was also in plastic as well) and came in better condition than some that come from Amazon. Thank you to the sellers and I would recommend not only this book but the sellers as well.
Kelsey –
I cannot recommend this book more to anyone who’s somewhat enjoyed any Greek mythology, particularly the work of Homer. The tale spans thousands of years, from Circe’s birth to a certain number of years after Odysseus’ visit to her island (the specifics of it are spoiler-y), but the story still moves at a satisfying pace, and I definitely did the “ok ok just one more chapter/just one more section break” thing while reading. By far the most satisfying aspect of the story, besides the tour of major Greek myths that we get, is the evolution of Circe herself. Miller very much humanizes Circe (pun intended), giving her dynamic relationships with gods and mortals, a passion for cultivating her gifts, and a satisfying and organic character arc. Other character she meets–Daedalus, Odysseus, and her own divine siblings–are also well-realized, well-written, and given depth and humanity they weren’t afforded in the myths.
I’ve heard this book described as a “feminist retelling,” but I feel like that sells Miller’s work short. Referring to a story about a woman as “feminist” risks pigeonholing it into being an SJW diatribe. Yes it technically is feminist because it’s about Circe and gives her agency, but that’s only because her story to us before this book was just “daughter of Helios who turned some dudebros into pigs one time.” Saying that Circe (the book, not the goddess) is feminist implies that the story is one big annoying message, which couldn’t be further from the truth. Circe is a fully developed character, and the only agenda the book has is to realize her as such. [note: there is a scene of sexual assault. It’s unmistakable that that’s what’s happening, but it’s not graphic.]
I only have 2 complaints about this book, which is why I’ve given it 4 stars and not 5. There are times when the writing (descriptions of places, Circe’s observations, etc) gets to be a bit pretentious; however, I suppose that’s mostly excusable because the story is set in an ancient, classical era, and plus it makes the story quotable. My second complaint is that [SORT OF A SPOILER SO STOP HERE IF YOU WANT TO GO INTO THE BOOK TOTALLY BLIND] the gods that Circe personally interacts with, (Helios, Perse, Aeetes, Pasiphae, Hermes, Athena), are total jerks to the point of being unsympathetic in contrast to Circe herself. Their behavior is dissected by her throughout the book and therefore made a bit believable, but it still made Circe’s differing nature seem unlikely–why are no other gods lonely, or having a hard time fitting in? Do no other gods genuinely like mortals? I understand that gods are jerks in the myths–that’s practically the whole point of them–but still, it’s hard to believe that no other god got along better with Circe.
Basically, please read this book. It’s a well-told, well-researched, and well-written story.
Ts –
Stunning language, vivid characters. Mesmerizing book! This is a gift. Now I will read everything she has ever written. BRAVO!
Perfume lover –
Even if you have never been acquainted with the classics, or the Greek and Roman gods; even if you don’t know that Prometheus was made to suffer so we mortals could have fire, this book will charm you and obsess you and keep you reading way past the time you should have left for work.
Here is Circe: sea nymph with witchcraft. She longs for a lover. And she poisons her competition. She clings to her brother, a mortal with the power of Gods. We feel her loneliness and her desire. She wants a lover.
The author is a professor of classics. She decided to tell the story of the siege of Troy, the Trojan horse, the hero Achilles, and his powerful goddess mother.
The author reimagines the gods and the warriors and the kings as being just like us: they lust, they envy, and they suffer. Kings and Gods we feel should know better, go to war for the wrong reasons; they steal, and they lie. Yet their life loves, their heart pains, their infidelities, attachments and longings, tear our hearts too. We root for them as we turn the page. We long for our heroes to prevail. Our hearts bleed for Achilles’s mother. This is after all her son.
Achilles slaughters and kills. He has no reservations about what is needed to win a battle. He glories in the deaths of his foes. But he like his mother also longs for love and fears the power of the gods.
The author does not just tell us a story we will want to hear, she embellishes it with texture- nudity, shame, beauty, the touch of intimacy, the gore of killing, the size of the fleet, the weariness of slaughter and the colors of blood. Here is a story for all time told with deliberate pace. The climax will leave you shattered, surprised, and satisfied.
I am hoping the author is already onto her third book. Her last two, of which this is one, still resonate in my imagination. You will never think of Circe, the legend of Achilles or the Trojan war in the same way.
This is a book of wonder, magic, power, and love. I highly recommend it.
Evie Mercury –
If any babes are out there in their celestial era trying to scrounge for some fiction that inspires, pick this up. It leaves you wanting more, but in the best way! Beautifully written, an excellent story, and an interesting lens on the passage of time, unconditional love, and self-discovery.
Sofía –
I really enjoyed circe. The writing is poetric, engaging and enchanting. The story itself almost breaks your heart with its unforgivable and self serving characters (specifically the Gods). I really loved how well rounded the characters are, with every one Bang given flaws and at times base desires. It felt like the theme of the book is having the flaws of a Human is a beautiful thing, as is having the flaws of our short but meaningful time here.
I especially find myself reflecting on Curve herself; her desperate loneliness and how her familial relationships never healed. It’s heart breaking but profoundly human