Circe

By: Madeline Miller

Narrated by: Perdita Weeks

"A bold and subversive retelling of the goddess's story," this #1 New York Times bestseller is "both epic and intimate in its scope, recasting the most infamous female figure from the Odyssey as a hero in her own right" (Alexandra Alter, The New York Times).

In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child—not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power—the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves.

Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus.

But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love.

With unforgettably vivid characters, mesmerizing language, and thrilling suspense, Circe is a triumph of storytelling, an intoxicating epic of family rivalry, palace intrigue, love and loss, as well as a celebration of indomitable female strength in a man's world.

#1 New York Times Bestseller—named one of the Best Books of the Year by NPR, the Washington Post, People, Time, Amazon, Entertainment Weekly, Bustle, Newsweek, the A.V. Club, Christian Science Monitor, Refinery 29, Buzzfeed, Paste, Audible, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Thrillist, NYPL, Self, Real Simple, Goodreads, Boston Globe, Electric Literature, BookPage, the Guardian, Book Riot, Seattle Times, and Business Insider.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2018 Madeline Miller (P)2018 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

Winner of the 2019 Indie Choice Award

Shortlisted for the 2019 Women's Prize for Fiction

Named one of the 'Best Books of 2018' by NPR, The Washington Post, Buzzfeed, People, Time, Amazon, Entertainment Weekly, Bustle, Newsweek, the A.V. Club, Christian Science Monitor, Southern Living, and Refinery 29.

"Circe,' [is] a bold and subversive retelling of the goddess's story that manages to be both epic and intimate in its scope, recasting the most infamous female figure from the Odyssey as a hero in her own right."—Alexandra Alter, New York Times

"One of the most amazing qualities of this novel [is]: We know how everything here turns out—we've known it for thousands of years—and yet in Miller's lush reimagining, the story feels harrowing and unexpected. The feminist light she shines on these events never distorts their original shape; it only illuminates details we hadn't noticed before."—Ron Charles, Washington Post

"[Miller] gives voice to Circe as a multifaceted and evolving character...'Circe' is very pleasurable to read, combining lively versions of familiar tales and snippets of other, related standards with a highly psychologized, redemptive and ultimately exculpatory account of the protagonist herself."—Claire Messud, New York Times Book Review

Brilliant

A brilliant weaving of Greek mythology around one woman's (goddess's) journey of discovery, survival, and self actualization. The story is compelling, well paced, and sheds new light on old tales. The narrator is playful and thoughtful, channeling raw emotion with great dynamism throughout. This has been one of the best audio experiences I've had to date, and is easily a new favorite.

Fantastic from start to finish

I loved everything about this story. I’ve always been a fan of Greek Mythology, but the rich layers that Madeline Miller adds to their stories is captivating! Circe was so refreshing because she wasn’t the usual petty God. I loved her human emotions and her compassion, her fierce love and even her regrets. Perdita Weeks has the most beautiful voice. I would listen to anything she narrates and hope she does many more audible performances. Most women irritate me when trying to do a mans voice but not Perdita. Her performance was perfect. I hope these two continue to pair up!

A cross between the play "Wicked" and Greek mythol

This book is a wonderful read / listen. It's the story of Circe, who is the archetypal witch - a woman who manifests her power through magic. It's written from her perspective, and turns classic stories that blame women for acting irrationally from the male perspective around to show how women will react to difficult situations in understandable ways when they arw are powerless. It pulls this off in an entertaining manner. I am looking forward to more from the author.

Enthusiastically recommend!

Circe, daughter of Helios, tells the story of her life; oh, the trials and tribulations of being a goddess!
Simply excellent narration! Loved this!!

Love!

I love this book! This was one of the most beautifully written books I’ve ever read/listened to. I never knew what I was missing in beautiful language until I heard this book. Highly recommended it!

Like a river

Loved the narrator, and alterations of her voice for characters. The storyline is slow and meandering with ebs and flows of drama. Enjoyed the storyline paralleled with Greek mythology, and dramatization of both familiar and less familiar characters. Not an edge of your seat story, but relaxing and enjoyable.

Very good book

If you love Greek/Roman mythology you will undoubtedly enjoy this book.

The book is a first person account of the immortal nymph/witch Circe’s life. It is, for the most part, beautifully written. There are a few instances where the author uses pronouns in an attempt to build suspense. Each time, this ploy backfires and only leads to annoyance for the reader. (Example: “Later He would say...” but one is left to wonder which “He” is being spoken of). The author also takes considerable creative license with the traditional myths, which may or may not be pleasing depending on your own personal taste.

The narrator does a nice job for the most part; her voice & accent are pleasant but there is very little variation in voice for the characters. The listener is sometimes left wondering which character is actually speaking the dialogue.

Overall, however, an interesting & entertaining take on the character of Circe who mostly turns up in Greek/Roman mythology as a bit player.

Feminist Classics, YES

Another amazing book from Madeline Miller. She totally recasts Circe in this absolute universe of a story, giving her a new voice and showing another side of the classical world that takes on the patriarchy of the gods. This is like a thousand stories in one and it inspired me to re-read many of my classics favorites with new eyes. My little feminist classics nerd heart cannot wait for more of her books!

Simply superb

Madeline Miller is a gifted writer and this is the rare audio book where the writing is as gorgeous as the narration. It’s not often that I consider listening twice but I will enjoy Circe one more time. Definitely a book to savor.

Miller's Circe will cast a lyrical spell on you

Beautifully written in prose that is the music of the gods and Week's performance is the nectar.