Circe” by Madeline Miller is a book that reimagines the Greek Mythology character Circe as she discovers her powers of witchcraft. Abandoned by everyone she knows, Gods and family alike, she finds solace in her independence through self-discovery.
Although this book was really hard to get through for me, I’m really glad I did. The book starts out a little intimidating if you don’t particularly enjoy books surrounding mythology. However, I think that the message behind the story was worth the initial struggle.
This story blends fantasy and a feminist perspective with a character who is often portrayed as a villain in traditional myths. Circe finds empowerment in the abilities that she was once ridiculed for, she defies the patriarchal norms and expectations imposed upon her, and she explores the multifaceted challenges of motherhood.
The beautiful part about this book is that you can pick it up for just a fun read to escape reality into a fantasy world, but at the same time you can unravel all the layers of Miller’s message. Miller writes this book in a way where it doesn’t feel like she’s screaming these messages in your face, but you don’t have to search too far to find them.