CIRCE by Madeline Miller

Review by Margaret McNiells

When a partygoer and family friend recommended I read Circe by Madeline Miller on Memorial Day weekend, I put the title at the end of a towering list of tomes I plan to read for fun after I finish my MFA. But a random trip to Sag Harbor, NY, and the last available parking space on Main Street, put me face to face with Harbor Books and the stunning cover of Circe. I know we’re not supposed to judge books by their covers but this one drew me in. Before I knew it, I’d purchased the hardcover. I didn’t get to crack it open until after residency, but in this last week, I devoured this book.

Miller’s prose is gorgeous, lyrical and efficient. Though some of the plot was predictable, I attributed it to how well I knew the protagonist. What captivated my attention the most was Miller’s ability to breathe new life into tales that were first told thousands of years ago, this time through a female point of view. Though I set out to read this book purely for my own enjoyment, there is much to enjoy about Miller’s authorial skill as well.

Margaret McNiells is a current degree candidate at The Mountainview Low Residency MFA in Fiction and Nonfiction.