Circe (novel)
OCLC 1029608347 | | |
Website | http://madelinemiller.com/circe/ |
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Circe is a 2018 novel by American writer Madeline Miller. Set during the Greek Heroic Age, it is an adaptation of various Greek myths, most notably the Odyssey, as told from the perspective of the witch Circe. The novel explores Circe's origin story and narrates Circe's encounters with mythological figures such as Hermes, the Minotaur, Jason, and Medea, and ultimately her romance with Odysseus and his son, Telemachus.
Plot
Circe is the
As punishment for admitting her witchcraft, Circe is banished by Zeus to eternal
Circe enters a period of loneliness after her confrontation with Medea, and is excited to host a group of forlorn sailors who arrive one night on Aiaia in search of food and rest. However, once the sailors realize that Circe lives alone on the island with no men to protect her, the ship captain rapes her. Circe then uses her witchcraft to kill all of the men. Remorseful about having killed so many men, and now wary of visitors, when the next ship comes to her island she uses her witchcraft to transform the men into pigs.
Circe bestows the same fate upon hundreds more sailors who come to her island over the coming years. One particular ship arrives led by the hero Odysseus, who charms Circe into sparing his crew and hosting them on her island over the winter. Odysseus and his crew ultimately stay on Aiaia for one year, during which a romance grows between Circe and Odysseus. After Odysseus leaves to continue his journey back to Ithaca, Circe gives birth to a son, Telegonus.
Raising the infant Telegonus, Circe quickly realizes that something is amiss and learns that the goddess Athena threatens her son. Circe casts a spell to protect the island while Telegonus grows. When the teenage Telegonus begs to leave the island to meet his father, Circe acquires the tail of the stingray god Trygon and begrudgingly sends her son off, armed with the tail atop a spear. When Telegonus meets his father, however, Odysseus attacks him and is accidentally killed by the poisoned spear. Guilty, Telegonus returns home with Odysseus' wife Penelope and son Telemachus.
Having lost her hero Odysseus, Athena visits Aiaia to offer her patronage to Telemachus, who refuses her. Telegonus accepts in his stead, and embarks on his own heroic journey. Forlorn by the loss of her son, Circe negotiates with Helios to end her exile. With Telemachus' help, Circe uses the poison spear to turn Scylla to stone and collects more of the flowers she once used on Glaucos. Finding love with Telemachus, Circe uses the flowers' magic on herself with the intention of becoming mortal and living out her days traveling with Telemachus.
Critical reception
In a review for the
In 2018, Circe was named the Best Fantasy novel in the
Adaptations
In 2019,
See also
References
- ^ Messud, Claire (2018-05-28). "December's Book Club Pick: Turning Circe Into a Good Witch". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ "Review | The original nasty woman is a goddess for our times". Washington Post. 9 Apr 2018. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ Edemariam, Aida (21 Apr 2018). "Circe by Madeline Miller review – myth, magic and single motherhood". the Guardian. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ Jarema, Kerri (4 December 2018). "The 2018 Goodreads Choice Awards Winners Are Here & 'The Hate U Give' Won In A BIG Way". Bustle. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ Chandler, Mark (16 April 2019). "Miller's Circe picks up Red Tentacle at Kitschies | The Bookseller". www.thebookseller.com. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ "Literary Award". The Athenaeum of Philadelphia. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ Jean-Philippe, McKenzie (2019-04-29). "An Oprah's Book Club Pick Just Made the Women's Prize for Fiction Shortlist". Oprah Daily. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ Emerson, David (5 June 2019). "The Mythopoeic Society: 2019 Mythopoeic Awards finalists announced". www.mythsoc.org. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ Otterson, Joe (2019-07-30). "HBO Max Orders Greek Mythology Drama 'Circe' From Amanda Silver, Rick Jaffa". Variety. Retrieved 7 June 2021.