Book Review 🏛 |

Genre: Fantasy
Trope: Greek Mythology
Format: 🎧
Pub Date: 4.10.2018
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆.5

Summary:

“In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child – not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power – the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves.

Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus.

But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love.”

Review:

“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 was he to me.”

I was in the mood to read a book with a strong female character that would make me feel a little bit more in control of my life; enter Circe. If you’re looking for a character who takes all that life throws at her and is not willing to back down but instead pushes back, this is the story for you. For a “minor” Greek Goodness, Circe truly shines throughout this novel.

Circe’s character development was phenomenal, and I applauded her acceptance that her life may have been forced to be one way, but she didn’t have to accept it. She deeply respected nature, and I enjoyed watching her learn how nature could provide for her.

I also loved the development of Circe’s relationship with Penelope. I don’t want to give too much away about this part of the story, but I will say it left me feeling hopeful and appreciative of both women.

🏛 Retelling of Greek Mythology
💪🏼 Strong female MC
✨ Witchcraft
🎧 Audiobook brought the story to life

❌ – rape

As mentioned before, I recommend reading Circe if you want a story with a strong female main character. You do not have to be knowledgeable about Greek Mythology to appreciate the beauty of this exceptional retelling.

Do you enjoy reading about Greek Mythology? Any books you recommend I add to my reading list?

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Circe was a Book of the Month Pick for 2018 and also a Book of the Year for that same year. You can sign-up today, using this link. I’ve been a BOTM subscriber for 4 years and love that I have the option to skip a month if I don’t see anything that interests me. I definitely prefer hardback books and this is a way to get brand new releases at a reasonable price – they also have A LOT of debut novelists. If you want more information about BOTM, send me an email!

BOOK INFO
Format: 393 pages, Hardback
ISBN 9780316556347 (ISBN10: 0316556343