Circe

Madeline Miller

I noticed Madeline Miller’s Circe last summer when I was in Istanbul. My favorite bookshop had an entire table stacked with it—it was hard to miss. I believe there’s little randomness in the books we choose to read. That summer, I read exactly the books I needed to. But it wasn’t until this rainy February, with the non-stop downpour outside, that I finally picked up Circe—and I’m glad I did.
‍Circe is a captivating read. When it comes to Greek gods and mythology, my previous attempts to read such books didn’t last long. However, Miller makes it effortless to immerse yourself in the story of Circe, a lesser-known goddess in Greek mythology. If you’re looking for an escape—one that transports you to lands only our imagination can reach—this book is a good candidate. Before reading it, I came across mentions of its feminist stance, but I didn’t find that theme to be prominent in the book. I think if the author had forced such a theme onto this Greek mythology, it wouldn’t have felt genuine. Sometimes, stories are simply stories—trying to categorize them as one thing and not another is rarely useful.
I like that Circe is a mythical novel told in the first person, drawing us into the gripping story of its protagonist. I didn’t read her as an inherently good goddess or an evil witch—she simply is who she is. Reading this book feels like watching a fairytale unfold on a distant, breathtaking island, where every scene carries you away. It’s unique, immersive, and effortlessly enjoyable.