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GREAT READ
I had previously read another one of Madeline Miller’s books and was hoping this one would match my expectations…which it did. There was a beautiful story here with so much growth and visualization of this setting. 4.5⭐️!!!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
The BEST❤️
One of the best book I’ve read all year. I will read it again and again and again.🥹
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
A new classic ❤️❤️❤️
I expected this to be engaging but it was a hundredfold better than expected. Fantastic narrative voice, thought provoking existential questions, action, and immense character growth! I especially loved seeing a detailed continuation of the story of my favorite character from The Odyssey, Telemachus!!! ❤️
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
A Gorgeous Retelling
This was a reread for me, and it absolutely held up. If anything, I loved it even more the second time around. I highly recommend the audiobook version, as the narrator brings a deeply humanized perspective to Circe’s tragic, often misunderstood story. ✨ Why I Gave It 5 Stars: 🔊 Audiobook Excellence – The narrator perfectly captures the emotion and weight behind Circe’s reflections, adding layers of depth to her character that I hadn’t fully appreciated in my first read. It felt like listening to an ancient, powerful figure finally telling her side of the story. 💔 A Tragic, Human Tale – Miller’s writing breathes life into a figure often reduced to a footnote in male-dominated epics. Circe’s journey is one of isolation, resilience, and self-discovery, and Miller captures the heartbreak and strength of her character beautifully. 📚 A New Perspective on the Classics – This is the kind of book that reclaims history, giving voice to the silenced and forgotten. It’s a powerful reminder that even the most feared and mythologized figures have their own side of the story. 💬 Final Take: If you haven’t experienced Circe in audio form, you’re missing out. It’s a beautifully told, deeply moving story that will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about this iconic witch.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Exquisite retelling of classic story
I was familiar with parts of Circe's tale in myths but this brought her alive to me. It is well written and pulls you into the action around Circe. You feel the isolation when She is banished and understand her fascination with Odysseus. I loved how other mythical beings like Prometheus, Daedalus, Icarus and Medea are woven into the story. It is an engaging read I never would have picked up except it was my bookclub's selection. Highly recommended.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
My Favorite Book of All Time - Circe
Circe by Madeline Miller is for me, a book that will I never stop revisiting and remembering. The themes and takeaways are something I think I will never forget. It is by far one of the best works in modern fiction we have today, let alone contemporary mythological writing. Without giving away too much, the book follows the title character, Circe, a minor villain from Homer's "Odyssey" who's life and story we only get a small glimpse into in the original epic. As one of the first depictions of a woman thriving on her own in western literature, she was of course instantly vilified and made out to be the evil witch most people who read the Odyssey boil her down to. However, Miller's writing ability and immaculate prose shows you the unabashedly independent and-- come to find out, traumatized-- daughter of the Greek god of the sun. As the story unfolds, you follow Circe as she comes into her own and comes to term with the "life" she was given and struggles with her mortality (or immortality, for that matter). An absolute must-read for anybody interested in Greek mythology, even in the slightest, or just anybody looking for a book that stays with you forever. As my favorite book of all time, I thoroughly hope you decide to get your hands on it as soon as you can, dive in, and learn about the unforgettable character of Circe.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Circe: Impossible to put down the book!
Circe is a marvelous retelling of the ancient Greek mythological goddess of witchcraft. The book cast its own sort of spell onto the reader causing them to be so hooked that they loose track of time and reality. It is a must read for all who enjoy Greek Mythology!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Circe’s inner dialog- felt so personal
I just want to say thank you to the author for writing Circe. I love to read atmospheric and lyrical type books which feature female characters, but there was something really personal about Circe to me that I can’t adequately articulate. It wasn’t her strength alone or loneliness, but the way she reflected on people. The way she tried to understand what motivated other people in and out of her life, even those who hurt or dismissed her she never grew petty resentment, etc. Her inner world felt psychologically familiar in a way I rarely run into in fiction. She observed people with this genuine and ungrasping curiosity, emotional intelligence, and this kind of reflective tolerance… Her way of processing humanity is the way I do too and it was so neat listening to her. I just wanted to thank you, Ms. Miller, for creating a character whose consciousness felt really familiar. It was amazing to follow her and hear what she thinks of things in her life. What incredible adventures that came her way, and that very ending: “it’s gonna be okay”…. Omg! In that moment she felt the joy that moment brought her… that very present moment with her man and children… it was the only moment there was, that very “now” was all there is, and it was all she needed. I was so happy she finally found someone who saw her. Penelope did too but it’s a little different when it’s the opposite sex and who you’re in love with. What an incredible woman! The best book I read. _|\_
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com