Circe

In Madeline Miller’s Circe, we are swept into the raw, luminous world of Greek myth through the eyes of its most unlikely heroine: the sorceress Circe, daughter of Helios, the sun Titan. Shunned by gods and mortals alike for her mortal voice and uncertain power, Circe discovers her unique gift for transformative magic. Banished to the remote island of Aiaia, she hones her craft, turning men into beasts and bending the will of creatures both divine and mortal. Over centuries, Circe’s lonely exile becomes a vibrant tapestry of encounters—with the cunning Hermes, the tragic Daedalus, the monstrous Minotaur, and the enigmatic Medea—each revealing a different facet of her strength and compassion. When the legendary Odysseus washes ashore, Circe faces her most daunting test: love tempered by betrayal, power challenged by mortality, and freedom weighed against the bonds of family. As war looms on the horizon, Circe must decide whether to embrace her divine heritage or forge her own destiny among humans she has come to cherish. Rich in lyrical language, fiercely feminist in its vision, and alive with ancient wonder, Circe invites readers into a world where magic shapeshifts the soul, and an extraordinary woman’s journey delivers a timeless meditation on identity, resilience, and the true cost of power. Layered with mythological intrigue and emotional depth, this novel resonates long after the final page, reminding us that every transformation—whether of gods or humans—carries its own sacrifice and triumph.