Cover of Circe

Circe

  • 2018 first published
  • 404 pages
  • β˜… 4.2 (109 ratings)
  • 36 editions

Madeline Miller's Circe (2018) is a historical fantasy and fairy-tale retelling novel. It is set in Ancient Times. Characters include Odysseus, Zeus and Circe. Key subjects include Mythology, retellings, gods and witches.

Open Library readers give it an average of 4.2 out of 5 from 109 ratings, and 934 more have it on their want-to-read list. It has been published in 36 editions across 5 languages. It appeared on the New York Times Audio Fiction bestseller list in 2018.

At about 404 pages, most readers finish it in 7–8 hours.

About Circe

In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child--not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power--the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves. Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus. But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love. With unforgettably vivid characters, mesmerizing language and page-turning suspense, Circe is a triumph of storytelling, an intoxicating epic of family rivalry, palace intrigue, love and loss, as well as a celebration of indomitable female strength in a man's world.
Description from Open Library

Awards & lists

  • ✦Mythopoeic Awards 2019 β€” Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature (nominee)
  • πŸ“°New York Times bestseller list β€” Audio Fiction, 2018
  • πŸ“°New York Times bestseller list β€” Combined Print And E-Book Fiction, 2018

Themes, setting & tropes

Genres

Era

  • Ancient Times

Characters

  • Odysseus
  • Zeus
  • Circe
  • Medea of Colchis
  • Daedalus
  • Minotaur
  • Helius
  • Icarus
  • AeΓ«tes
  • Boreas

Subjects

  • Fantasy
  • Mythology
  • Historical Fiction
  • Retellings
  • Gods
  • Paranormal fiction
  • Historical fantasy
  • Witches
  • Magic
  • Greek Mythology
  • Historical
  • Ancient
  • Witchcraft
  • Circe
  • Mythology, greek
  • Fiction / historical / ancient

Quick answers

Who wrote Circe?

Circe was written by Madeline Miller and first published in 2018.

What genre is Circe?

It is usually shelved as Historical Fantasy, Fairy Tale Retellings, Myth & Legend Fiction and Witch Fiction.

How long is Circe?

The median edition has 404 pages, about 7–8 hours of reading at 250 words per minute.

What books are similar to Circe?

Readers who like it often enjoy Stardust, Wicked and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Books like Circe