By Madeline Miller
Daughter of a Titan and a Nymph, Circe is a Goddess.
Much maligned by her family, Circe was long overlooked as being nothing spectacular. She did not seem to possess the power of her Titan father Helios, who crosses the Earth’s sky daily bringing light and life and was not beguiling and beautiful like her ocean Nymph mother Perse. Escaping to the world of men for solace, she soon learns that her status as a god would mean she could never fully walk among them. Looking within, Circe realizes that she too possesses a gift, one that would make both gods and men take notice. She is a witch and could harness the power of her craft to bring her rivals to their knees and cause the gods themselves to fear.
A threat to the fragile balance of power between the Olympians and the Titans, Zeus and Helios conspire to banish Circe to the island of Aiaia. At first the deserted and solitary island seems cold and lonely, but it is here that Circe makes her home, hones her craft, and crosses paths with Greek legends, including Daedalus and Odysseus. Forever caught between the world of men and gods, Circe finally takes a stand and finds her place in the world.
Weaving the stories from Greek myths with a strong female voice, Madeline Miller creates the perfect blend of defiance, strength, intellect and beauty in the character of Circe and a mesmerizing tale all her own.
