Book Review - Circe by Madeline Miller

Being a huge fan of Percy Jackson as well as mythology in general, I was very excited when a friend recommended this book to me. I hadn't read a good book in quite a while and this promised to be exciting as well as in familiar territory.  The first six chapters of the book were rather dreary. It spoke of a woman who no one cared about and was systematically suppressed. So it took me quite sometime to pick up the book again and continue reading. But the second time I sat down to read, I was pleasantly surprised about how mistaken I was. The plot started to become rather gripping and I felt bad that I wasn't able to devote more time to it. It became the story of a woman who dared to stand toe to toe with the very Gods who were said to control her fate. She may have not made a big name for herself but she managed to dictate the terms on her island and in her sphere of power. Will and work were the two pillars of her success. I found this phase of the novel to be very empowering as Circe had most things going against her and yet she was able to swim against the tide. It was the story of a girl who was shunned for centuries but eventually lost her naivety and evolved into a mature lady. She accepted that she couldn't control everything but at the same time did not give up her sway over life. The first time I read about Circe (in PJO), I thought she was ruthless, cunning and wicked. After reading her side of the story, all I can say is that she was just looking out for herself. Overall, I'd say it was an enriching experience and I'd most definitely recommend it to others. Note:- Greek myths often tend to overlap each other and thus this is only one version of the story of the Witch of Aiaia. Fun Fact:- It is pronounced as KIR-kee.