I have had a love of Greek mythology as long as I remember. Of all the pantheons, the Greeks have always enthralled me, and specifically it was tales of women that stuck with me. Circe is a fantastic example of that. I loved reading her side of the interaction with Odysseus, among other (male) figures from the myths. She is complicated, smart, maybe a little vain (but hey, she is a goddess), and I enjoyed reading about her in this retelling. I would love to read more from Miller if she continues to reinvent the myths from the ladies' point of view.

It has taken me a few days to mull over exactly how I feel about Miller's Circe. The book is a beautiful, well-written, reimagined tale of the witch briefly referenced in Greek mythology. I struggled to determine just how much I enjoyed it based on the fact that Miller took a fierce "deity" and made her more human (?). I had to think about if I was okay with that--turns out that when looking at the character Miller has created, Circe becomes not only more human (and more relatable) but also still fiercely able to protect herself once she stops being so naive. Miller's ability to bring to life the mythological characters is a wonder; each twist in the novel kept me surprised and wanting more. I truly admire what Miller is able to do when she sets "pen to paper". I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a good story-full of a plethora of themes and characters, and anyone that enjoys mythology. Truly 4 1/2 stars-Best Fiction I have read this year so far!

5 out of 5 stars - and if I could give it more - I would.

Circe by Madeline Miller is an utter masterpiece. It is a story of womanhood, family, love and self-discovery. It is written with precision - no word wasted, no story left open.

Circe tells a story of a nymph, a daughter of Helios and Perse (an Oceanid nymph). After being born, she is scorned by her family and court because she is not beautiful and has no magical abilities. After a lifetime of mental abuse, Circe risk transforming a mortal into a god so that she can be happy with him. Alas, he falls in love with another, and Circe, in her jealousy, transforms her into the six headed monster Scyla. For this - she is exiled to the island Aiaia, after her brother tells her that what she can do is witchery. Here, Circe perfects her skills and grows to be strong.

The fact that Miller made every single page interesting and deep is just incredible. Circe is not just a retelling of a Greek mythology, but it is a tale of a woman’s place in the world. The dichotomy of male and female, their place in the world, their expected behavior and even their dreams is stark here. I would go so far as to call this a feministic novel - with sexism all around Circe - she never gives up, never stops fighting and never looses her ‘humanity.’ Miller also makes a clear distinction of what it is to be mortal and immortal and what it is to be loved by a god and a human. I will warn readers about one thing - Miller stays true to the Greek Mythology and rape is prevalent in the book.

I cannot in all honesty describe just how much I adored this book. I could spend a month writing the review and I will not do the book justice. Read it - you will not regret it. I will recommend this book to anyone who loves Greek mythology, any college student and any historical fiction lover. Miller is truly a master of re-telling Greek tragedies and I will wait eagerly for her next book.

Beautiful. Not that anyone is surprised, but Madeline Miller's writing is stunning. Even though Circe is not the sweeping love story that Song of Achilles is, I found myself pondering motherhood and mortality and feminism instead, and her prose is, always, the perfect balance between classical and modern.

Miller scores another winner with this beautifully written book. In her hands Circe comes alive, bringing to the reader not just insights into Circe, with whom many readers will not have been very familiar, but into the rest of us “mere mortals.” Narrated by Circe, the story focuses on overcoming imperfection and the actions of others by discovering oneself. Miller brings life to characters many of us know in a two-dimensional sense and makes us care about them much more than expected. This is a beautiful book that will touch its readers deeply.

Another wonderful book from Madeline Miller! Can she just retell ALL the Greek myths? I loved how "Circe" breathed new life into the well-known story by putting Circe front and center. You definitely get a different perspective on the various characters in The Odyssey by seeing the events through Circe's eyes rather than Odysseus'. Miller has such a wonderful writing style; I'll read anything she writes.

From birth, Circe is immediately deemed insignificant and strange. She is naive where the other gods are cynical; she strives for goodness when they crave only power. It is because of these differences that when the Olympians discover her and her siblings' magic, she alone is punished with banishment. Throughout her exile, though, she meets those who will become legend and witnesses the events that will become the stuff of myth. Miller expertly weaves a tale in which the Greek tragedies not only come alive, but are finally told through a woman's eyes.