note | I read this for a group read on a discord server; otherwise this would not have struck my interest as I attempted to read Song of Achilles and couldn’t get into it.
content | on the page rape in chapter 14, bullying, family rejection, threats of harm, bestiality, brutal childbirth twice
visibility | Bi/pansexuality appears to be the common sexual orientation, though the label is never used.
reader health | The absence of misogyny is clear in the author’s narrative and in Circe’s wisdom itself. Circe is revealed to be clever and observant, though the author is careful to make clear she is not all-knowing and the chapter about her sister is beautiful regarding this. It’s deeply validating to watch her address misogyny often and prevail.
education | Those of you who are mild nerds about the Greek gods will probably love the mentions like I did.
characters | Circe is a wonderful character to spend an entire book with. She is an underdog, underappreciated and rejected, and she grows before our eyes from child to so much more. Some of my favorite spiritual figures are mentioned, like Prometheus and Hera, and some of my favorite fictional characters like Medea, so I was giddy throughout. All of the characters are brilliantly written, full of kaleidoscopes of personality traits and behavioral strengths and mistakes. I loved experiencing them through Circe’s eyes.
writing style, plot, & entertainment/pleasure | If I may be so bold, this was an epic. At first it reads like a formula: Circe is in the middle of something, conflict ensures, Circe suffers; but after a bit of that the story expands as we see Circe grow from her experiences. There were some sentences in here that are life-changing, as fit for a book about a goddess. I enjoyed every moment of it and dreaded its ending, though I appreciate the way the author handled that as well.
etc. | I rated it ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐; add to tbr?
wish fulfillment 