Circe: A Book Review
Ada Lambert | September 13, 2023
Goddess of Aiaia, creator of the monster Scylla, a skilled witch — Circe, goddess of sorcery, who turns mortal men into pigs. If you have read the Odyssey, you might recall Circe, a minor character, the daughter of the sun god Helios. Madeleine Miller’s novel “Circe” is a close, intimate look at the first witch of Greek mythology.
Written in the first person, this novel follows Circe from childhood to exile. When Circe is born, she is deemed ugly and useless amongst her powerful family of gods and goddesses. She goes most of her youth being degraded by those around her, especially her siblings (one of whom went on to birth the Minotaur, funny enough.)
Circe meets a mortal when she is a bit older, he is a fisherman, Glaucos, whom she encounters on the beach where she spends her time. They fall in love, but she is forbidden from being with a mortal. So, like any young, irrational goddess, she takes him to an island that is home to mythical flowers she had heard of in legends. The flowers have the power to reveal someone’s true nature, which to Circe, meant they would make Glaucos into a god so she could be with him.
Surprisingly enough, it works. Glaucos shifts from a mortal, weak man to a blue-tentacled, arrogant god. Circe is enthusiastic and ready to start her life with this man. But of course, that is not how it goes. Glaucos has the pick of the crop now that he is beloved amongst gods, and he sets his eyes on a beautiful nymph named Scylla.
Circe resents Scylla, not only for her interest in Glaucos but for her boring personality. In a state of anger, Circe returns to the island once again to retrieve the flowers. She goes to the cave where Scylla lives in the middle of the night, while the nymphs sleep, and pours a concoction in the water with the intention to reveal her true form. The next morning, there is gossip of Scylla growing twelve feet and six heads on long snaky necks, each head having a triple row of shark-like teeth.
Eventually, Circe confesses, in which nobody believes her. How could they? To them, Circe is powerless– but then, Circe’s siblings come forward, telling their father Helios that Circe is not lying, that they all possess this power. After they demonstrate their powers, the other gods are fearful. Zeus calls for Circe to be exiled for her witchcraft, to which she gladly goes. This is where her story really begins when she arrives at Aiaia.
She spends the beginning of her exile honing her witchcraft skills and creating draughts. For years, she has been alone, with the exception of occasional stranded sailors who wash up on her shore. She is taken advantage of the first time she allows them in her home, and after that, she devises a plan to defend herself by creating a spell that will instantly turn men into pigs with one word. After turning a group of sailors into pigs, she keeps them until they are ready for slaughter. Badass, if you ask me.
Circe grows into a passionate, independent woman in her time of exile. She falls in love many times, but none of those romances define her eternal life. Her story is about learning to be alone with oneself and finding power in that liberty. Her exile to Aiaia is never truly a curse to her, she is enlightened by her lovely corner of the Earth. She is embodied by life, finding solace in nature and creatures. There is peace for her, away from the gaudy gods and their tyranny.
This is not the end of the story, of course. Her life is full of adventure despite her exile. Gods are surprisingly flexible. I will not spoil the rest of it for you. Don’t miss this one if you’re a lover of Greek mythology like me.
Purchase the book here.