Ancient of Lays, vibrantly and powerfully brought to life
Madeline Miller’s first book, The Song of Achilles, was a standout, stunning read. So it was with a mixture of trepidation and delight that I embarked on this, her second, Circe.
Within a few sentences I settled back with a huge sigh of surrendering relief, as it was clear from the off that the very high bar Miller had set for herself with her working of the story of Achilles was going to be equalled by Circe.
I can’t say this book is better than that one, or that one than this. In truth, she has sung another magical song for Circe.
There won’t be any surprises in the narrative, not for anyone enamoured of Ancient Greek – what do we call it, mythology? history?
When I was born, the name for what I was did not exist. They called me nymph, assuming I would be like my mother and aunts and thousand cousins. Least of the lesser goddesses, out powers were so modest they could scarcely ensure our eternities. We spoke to fish and nurtured flowers, coaxed drops from the clouds or salt from the waves. That word, nymph, paced out the length and breadth of our futures. In our language, it means not just goddess, but bride
Here again is part of the story laid out in Homer
Circe is in sharpest relief as part of Odysseus’ task/journey. She is the daughter of Helios, one of the Titans – older, more archaic and unpredictable gods, who were overthrown by the Olympians. Circe, who transgressed in some way, ends up banished to an island. Her story connects with Odysseus as she is a witch/some kind of punitive goddess, and turned Odysseus’ sailors, and other sailors, into swine. Odysseus ‘tricks’ her, or is wise enough to be alert to how her spell happens (just don’t drink wine offered by witches)
Brides, nymphs were called, but that is not really how the world saw us. We were an endless feast laid out upon a table, beautiful and renewing. And so very bad at getting away
The Wine of Circe, Edward Burne-Jones
But there is a lot more to Circe’s connections with these ancient lays, Jason, Medea, Theseus, the Minotaur, Ariadne, Prometheus, Daedalus, Icarus and more, all have stories which touch hers
Beneath the smooth, familiar face of things is another that waits to tear the world in two
Miller, who I think is shaping up – if not exceeding, the carrying of Mary Renault’s mantle, breathes vibrant, relevant life into these tales of long ago.
She is immersed, as someone who went the academic route into the study of classical Greece, in her research. But, she is a transformative, magical, inspired writer. Either she knows the spells to get the Muses to descend, or she has inherited Circe’s special magical gift of ‘transformation’ because this gripping, intense, lush story springs off the page, and I have to say this ‘real’ world felt a flatter, colour leached one, compared to the enduring power of those classical times
Beware the Moly – like all skilled witches Circe is a dab hand with plants for good and ill
I really cannot recommend this highly enough. Narrative, character, thought provoking substance and a skill with the craft of writing itself, all are superb.
Let me say what sorcery is not. It is not divine power, which comes with a thought and a blink. It must be made and worked, planned and searched out, dug up, dried, chopped and ground, cooked, spoken over and sung. Even after all that it can fail, as gods do not
I have to say that those Ancient Greeks have exerted a strong pull on me since childhood – mythic, archetypical, speaking to powerful collective unconscious depths. They are so much more than ‘fantasy’ And Miller, as a writer, gets those hairs up on the back of the neck shivers in this reader, echoing what some of those ancient sites in Greece do.
Another powerful woman who should not be messed with – Janelle Monae, Django Jane
Circe, in Miller’s telling, might easily be a Sister. Even though there is ONE bit of skulduggery against a prettier nymph, but, oh she realises her fault
I was delighted to read this as an ARC from Netgalley.
Lady Fancifull 
I’ve not read anything by this author but this does sound excellent – a good way to comment on how women are figured in society without losing sight of a good story! I’ll look out for Miller in future.
Oh she is brilliant. My only sorrow is, I think the wait between Achilles and Circe was about 5 years, so I’m guessing 2023 for book 3…
I hadn’t heard of this author before, nor had I seen your previous review, but I decided to give it a go, and ordered a copy of Song of Achilles. A few years ago I offered The Last of the Wine to my husband who has a passion for Greek mythology. He’s already read the Illiad, so it will be interesting to hear his opinion on this. The King Must Die and The Bull from the Sea are also on my waiting list.
Oh Mary Renault is a marvel . And Miller too! So I hope you enjoy her, and further immersion in Renault. I can feel a Theseus re-read coming on!
I somehow had missed out on Miller’s books, but they’re getting a lot of love in the book blogosphere now! An author to keep an eye out for… 😉
Good old fashioned writing skills Karen. I would like to lock everyone in a room with this one!
I’m captured by your review! Yes, I too was enthralled by the mythological world of the Greeks in childhood and in adulthood when I did some studies in literature. I know I will be immersed in Miller’s expressive writing and I’ll start with Song of Achilles. I love the sisterly link you made between Janelle Monáe and her Django Jane and Circe!
I’m pretty confident you’ll thrill to Miller. And I’m SO pleased you got the apt connection with Janelle Monáe. I have only JUST discovered how to get to accents on the tablet keyboard, so I could spell her last name properly!
I think finding links such as Janelle Monáe both affirms and keeps archetypes alive! It really made me smile with delight to recognise the Circe resonances in Janelle’s performance and her song character.
Once I found how on the tablet keyboard, I realised it’s even easier to add accents than on the PC keyboard. I do like to give full respect to names whenever I can manage to make it work.
You’ve nailed it absolutely, re archetypes alive and well. Am SO pleased you got such pleasure from it – me too!
Yes, having now found out how to add the diacritics on the tablet, it is SO much easier than doing it on the PC, having to scroll through pages and pages of symbols etc to find the right one
I’m really minded to revisit the excellent Mary Renault now……….
I will look our for this, we had The Wine of Circe on the wall as a child (my mum does so love a Pre-Raphealite print), and seeing any art from the childhood homes elsewhere in the world is always strange, as if we were the only person who had it.
Oh yes, isn’t it just! I WAS almost rendered speechless when a particular print which we had when I was a child, and which I now have was recognised and named by a most unlikely person who had come to do some work here (i.e, not, as far as I knew anyone with an art history) He gave ME information I didn’t know – the name of the print, and I from that found out the artist – a less well known late Victorian. It turns out the original is now in Australia.