Trigger warning: Rape.

Finally read the book I’ve had on my shelves for years. I thought it was a great retelling of Circe. The ending leaves things on a mini cliffhanger, but it works for the story.

Full review: I think most readers are familiar with the goddess Circe and her origins. Miller does a solid retelling here I think with her keeping most of the core elements around her, but just giving us a more "human" side to Circe and what she did to cause her to be exiled. I also liked how this story dipped into the Minotaur and Medea much better. Honestly, I would love it if Miller did a retelling of Medea based on the version in this book (a desperate woman not realizing she lost the man she loved as soon as she killed her brother).

At times the book does feel slow, but it didn't bother me at all. I felt for Circe who really just wanted her parents and siblings to love her. But through the centuries with her, we start to see her harden a bit, but also get less naïve. When she has her mini showdown with Medea I ended up pitying the character, because I know what is coming for her.

The ending though takes a while to get through and I thought the parts with Circe and Telemachus was wearing a bit thin at times, but I thought it was good to get the perspective of Odyssey's son and what he saw as his father's failings.