Circe is born and is already seen as someone different; she is not as powerful as her father Helios (the god of the sun and the most powerful of the Titans) and not as beautiful as her mother Perse (a nymph that is one of the daughters of Oceanos). She looks to mortals for acceptance since she doesn't get any from her family. She discovers that she has the power of witchcraft - a power that is intimidating to the gods themselves. Zeus, the King among the gods and ruler of Olympus, banishes her to a deserted island that gives her the opportunity to expand her skills in the craft. There are multiple iconic characters in this novel, such as the Minotaur, Daedalus, and his son Icarus, Medea, and Odysseus. As a woman, Circe is faced with dangers from both the gods and mortals, finding herself in a constant battle with trying to get seclusion and peace. Her development is a journey that ends in a choice - a choice between her family or the mortals that she has come to love.
Madeline Miller is an author that offers a lot of expectation for what comes next in her retelling of these classic stories, and this is an epic that contains so many themes that are still relatable in the twenty-first century.
Love and loss, family rivalry, and the power of female strength in a man's world all showcase what this novel has to offer. For those who love Greek mythology and grew up with the works of Rick Riordan, this new and upcoming author offers a more mature voice in making these ancient myths modern and enjoyable to today's readers. Explore this witch's story because she is more than what she seems in her previous portrayal in "The Odyssey."
"A bold and subversive retelling of the goddess's story," this #1 New York Times bestseller is "both epic and intimate in its scope, recasting the most infamous female figure from the 'The Odyssey' as a hero in her own right." - Alexandra Alter, "The New York Times"
