Circe (novel)
| Company type | Novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Literature, Fantasy fiction |
| Founded | 2018 |
| Founder | Madeline Miller |
| Products | Mythological fantasy novel |
| Website | www |
Circe is a mythological fantasy novel released in 2018 by American writer Madeline Miller. Set against the backdrop of the Greek Heroic Age, the story revisits ancient Greek legends—most notably the Odyssey—through the eyes of the enchantress Circe. The narrative delves into her beginnings and her encounters with notable figures such as Hermes, the Minotaur, Jason, Medea, as well as her romantic involvement with Odysseus and his offspring Telemachus.
Plot
Circe, born to the titan Helios and the water nymph Perse, is regarded as unattractive and lacking power, leading to neglect by her family. She secretly aids the titan Prometheus and forms a close bond with her brother Aeëtes, who eventually departs to govern his realm.
Her affection for the mortal fisherman Glaucos leads her to transform him into a deity using magical flowers cultivated in soil infused with the blood of titan Kronos. However, Glaucos, proud of his newfound divinity, abandons Circe in favor of the nymph Scylla. Driven by jealousy, Circe curses Scylla, turning her into a monstrous being. Upon confessing to Helios, Circe discovers that her family are witches who derive their magic from such herbs. To preserve peace between Titans and Olympians under Zeus, Helios and Perse are forbidden from bearing more children. For employing magic against a god, Circe is punished through exile to the island of Aiaia, where she lives lavishly accompanied by a tamed lion.
Her banishment becomes an opportunity for Circe to hone her sorcery. Across centuries, she encounters mythical personalities including Olympian god Hermes, who becomes her lover, and mortal craftsman Daedalus. On Crete, she aids in the birth and taming of the Minotaur. Later, hero Jason arrives with his witch wife Medea—Circe’s niece—after stealing the Golden Fleece from Aeëtes and killing Medea’s brother. Circe purifies them but cautions Medea about Jason’s waning devotion.
Isolated, Circe welcomes sailors seeking refuge. After a captain assaults her, she transforms his crew into swine through magic, sparing only those who show respect. When hero Odysseus comes to her island, he convinces Circe to spare his men; they remain for a year and engage in a romantic relationship before he returns to Ithaca. Circe later gives birth to his son, Telegonus.
Knowing that goddess Athena poses a threat to Telegonus, Circe safeguards Aiaia with protective enchantments as he matures. When Telegonus sets out to find his father, Circe equips him with poison derived from marine deity Trygon. In a tragic encounter, Odysseus is fatally wounded by Telegonus’s poisoned spear. Telegonus brings back Odysseus’s wife, Penelope, and son Telemachus to their home.
Following Odysseus’s demise, Athena offers mentorship to Telemachus, who declines; instead, Telegonus accepts and embarks on his heroic path. Mourning deeply, Circe confronts Helios demanding an end to her exile, threatening to expose her dealings with Prometheus—a move that could ignite conflict between Olympians and Titans. With assistance from Telemachus, she uses the poison spear to petrify Scylla and gathers additional magical flowers. Discovering love with Telemachus, Circe employs their combined magic on herself to become mortal and plans to journey alongside him.
Critical reception
In The New York Times, critic Claire Messud characterizes Miller's Circe as "enjoyable," lauding its feminist undertones and describing it as a "deeply psychological, redemptive, and ultimately forgiving portrayal" of Circe’s story. A review by Ron Charles in The Washington Post praises Miller’s reinterpretation of Circe’s narrative as "intense and surprising," highlighting its feminist perspective that unveils fresh insights into timeless myths. Meanwhile, The Guardian’s Aida Edemariam applauds Miller for centering the retelling on "the emotional journey of a woman," infusing originality and compelling momentum into the story.
Awards
| Year | Award | Category | Outcome | Ref. |
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| 2018 | Athenaeum Literary Award | — | Template:Won | Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
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| Goodreads Choice Awards | Fantasy | Template:Won | Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
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| Kitschies | Red Tentacle (Novel) | Template:Won | Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
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| Waterstones Book of the Year | — | Template:Sho | Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
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| 2019 | Alex Awards | — | Template:Won | Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
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| Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence | Fiction | Template:Nom | Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
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| Australian Book Industry Awards | International Book | Template:Sho | Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
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| Books Are My Bag Readers' Awards | Fiction | Template:Won | Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
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| Beautiful Book | Template:Sho | |||
| Indies Choice Book Awards | Adult Fiction | Template:Won | Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
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| Joyce Carol Oates Literary Prize | — | Template:Nom | Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
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| Mythopoeic Awards | — | Template:Sho | Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
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| RUSA CODES Reading List | Historical Fiction | Template:Sho | Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
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| Women's Prize for Fiction | — | Template:Sho | Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
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| 2020 | International Dublin Literary Award | — | Template:Nom | Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
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Adaptations
In 2019, an eight-episode series based on the book was announced by HBO Max, with Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver attached as writers and producers.
See also
External links
- 2018 American novels
- 2018 fantasy novels
- American fantasy novels
- American romance novels
- Romantic fantasy novels
- Feminist fantasy novels
- First-person narrative novels
- Novels based on the Iliad
- Novels based on the Odyssey
- Novels set in ancient Greece
- Greek and Roman deities in fiction
- Works about Medea
- Minotaur in popular culture
- Cultural depictions of Jason
- Cultural depictions of Circe
- Little, Brown and Company books