“But in a solitary life, there are rare moments when another soul dips near yours, as stars once a year brush the earth. Such a constellation he was to me.” If this strikes a chord with you, you’ll be charmed by the language throughout this entire story. In Greek Mythology, Circe is the daughter of Helios and among gods, considered a witch known for her ability to turn others into animals (and in some aspects into their true selves.)

I went into this story knowing very little about Greek Mythology. When I say very little, I mean next to nothing. I recognized some of the names, but that was the extent of my knowledge. Perhaps this is why the beginning was a little shaky for me, but the buildup to her exile to the island of Aeaea felt rushed. This made more sense later on in the story once I realized the material that needed to be covered to create the badass Goddess that is Circe. But for a beginner and novice of Greek Mythology, I was left mostly confused at first.

Regardless, I’ve not a single complaint about the rest of the story. The transformation of Circe during her time on Aeaea was bold, inspiring and downright magical — excuse the pun. I felt like I was learning while also experiencing how Circe took bad situation after bad situation and overcame them. These situations were only made more beautiful and enchanting with Madeline Miller’s writing, which is an absolute force to be reckoned with all on its own.

Finally, I absolutely loved the ending. Circe was forced to adapt time and time again and it felt like the perfect closure to her story, a moment for her to take back control and for the reader to be left interpreting what it all could mean.

4/5 stars

Published: April 10th 2018
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Author: Madeline Miller
Genres: Historical Fantasy