Greek mythology! I’ve loved it ever since the middle school, although I have always found the writing raw and a bit hard to digest. That is, until I discovered that there are authors out there who take the ancient myths and spin them into wonderful tales of their own.
David Gemmel was the first one I’ve come across, and his “Troy” series was pure pleasure to read for a geek like me. Unlike Gemmel, whose fantasy novels I’ve been devouring for years, the discovery of Madeline Miller’s “Circe” came quite unexpectedly. The book was reviewed and discussed on one of my favorite literary podcasts – “Bad on Paper”. Once I familiarized myself with the plot, I knew I had to add it to my reading list.
Born as a daughter of a titan and a naiad, Circe was what we would call an “ugly duckling” among the immortals. She was not as beautiful as her siblings, her voice sounded awkward among the deities, and she didn’t seem to possess any special talents. Living on her father’s court, overshadowed by her glamorous relatives, Circe felt like a nobody. Everything changed when she discovered her power of witchcraft, which labeled her as a threat and lead to her being banished to a life of solitude on an island of Aiaia. This is where most readers might recognize her from – the famous witch that turned the crew of Odysseus into pigs, vividly portrayed by Homer in “Odyssey”. However, the heroine created by Madeline Miller is far more complex than Homer’s version of her.
Miller has succeeded to take a myth and transform it, creating a goddess for our times – an independent strong woman, refreshingly complex and gloriously feminist in many of her actions, a far cry from Homer’s depiction. I love how Miller made Circe herself acknowledge this in the novel: “I was not surprised by the portrait of myself,” Circe said, “the proud witch undone before the hero’s sword, kneeling and begging for mercy. Humbling women seems to me a chief pastime for poets. As if there can be no story unless we crawl and weep.”. Rubbing off a layer of male heroism from a classic myth is part of what makes this novel so special.
I know that some readers might hesitate before picking up this book, assuming that they won’t find it interesting – in the end, Circe’s story has already been told centuries ago. But was it really? I couldn’t help but find this novel utterly captivating. espite knowing well how the main plot unfolds, I thoroughly enjoyed all the small twists and turns that the author skillfully incorporated into the main story, endowing it with newfound energy.
And it’s not only the story of Circe herself. Many of Greek mythology’s major events are described in the novel too, witnessed by Circe through centuries of her immortality. Creation of Scylla, the story of Minotaur (who’s actually related to our heroine), the life and death of Daedalus and Icarus, Jason’s quest and his relationship with Medea, and of course the tale of Odysseus and his crew are only some of them. Their stories are as entertaining as they are meaningful and complex.
I had huge expectations of “Circe” and I am happy to report that the book did not disappoint. It makes for a magical read – poetic and lyrical, but at the same time so easy to digest. I would risk saying that it’s enjoyable even if you have not been as smitten by ancient mythology as I have.
Read if:
- You’ve always been annoyed by how women are depicted in ancient mythology.
- You like when the author is an actual expert on what they write about.
Avoid if:
- You’re not keen on re-told stories, even if it’s done with great skill.
- You’re a die-hard fan of Homer’s version of Circe.
