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Circe

a Novel
Jul 30, 2019RandomLibrarian rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Madeline Miller follows up her Orange Prize-winning debut, "The Song of Achilles", with another atmospheric, powerful story of the ancient gods of Greece and the mortals who dare to defy them. Miller's writing is descriptive, lyrical, and as poetic as the epic stories by Homer upon which she bases her books. The audio book is read by British voice talent Perdita Weeks, and she was an excellent choice as narrator. Though a nymph, Circe has the voice and appearance of a human, and also the capacity for compassion like humans. She is not the cold, self-absorbed creature we see in the gods around her, and this is often used by those around her to exploit and abuse her. Unlike the sea nymph Thetis, the powerful and terrifying mother of Patroclus in "The Song of Achilles", Circe is mistaken for human by humans and overlooked by the gods. In this relative obscurity, she begins to hone the skill of witchcraft that will make mortals and gods alike fear her. This book was rightfully the Book of the Month Club Book of the Year for 2018 and picked for many book clubs. If you haven't read "Circe", what are you waiting for? Consider this your invitation.