Circe by Madeline Miller recounts the story of the goddess Circe’s life. Spanning millennia, this book documents her early years in the palace of her father, Helios, and later into her life in exile on the remote island of Aiaia. As I read this book, I watched Circe’s character development from a simple and naive child grow into an empowered and defiant sorceress. As Circe comes from Greek mythology, Miller weaves together classic ancient Greek stories into the life story of Circe, with cameos from famous characters such as the Minotaur and Odysseus. I adored getting to live in the world of gods and mortals with Circe, meeting people of legend from her perspective. I enjoyed how the book brought up important messages that could apply to the world today, an example being how different types of men would react to a young-looking woman living alone in a remote area. Throughout the book, Circe encounters many visitors on her island, some of them kind and appreciative of her help, while others become greedy and instead want to take advantage of her. This novel is perfect for fans of fantasy and mythology, who will feel empathy and connection to protagonist Circe.

Review by: Gabriel Friedman

Gabriel is a teen volunteer at the Palms-Rancho Park Library. He is a 9th grader at the Geffen Academy at UCLA.

—Emily Meehan, Palms-Rancho Park Branch Library