Astrid Winterstein’s Reviews > Circe > Status Update

The true loneliness Circe has in her exile seems to symbolize addiction. She will get a brief respite from her exile, with nymphs or men, but when they leave, her loneliness is magnified. Odysseus was the only one who didn't make her depression worse, as when they were together, she felt heard, and afterwards, his child was with her. Even then, I think she's just beginning to realize how oppressive her exile is.

The distinction between mortals and gods has become even more clear in the past 50 pages, and I think it represents the credibility lent to men in real life that is not granted to women. When Circe was with her mortal lover, he was dismissed, but with Hermes, the gods turn a blind eye. In her mortal form, Circe is ignored, but in her brother's form, can sway Scylla. In society, the same thing happens to women.

The past 40 pages have been opening the door to the sexism Circe faces. Her life seems so far to be a clear metaphor for how men/society treat women who are not conventionally attractive. Circe, by her own admission and the criticism of the gods, was not pretty in the way she was expected to be, as the daughter of a Titan. But after being exiled, away from those expectations, Circe flourished in her own true way.

The first thing I noticed was the exquisite diction and syntax of Madeline Miller's writing. It is detailed and far from cliched, with language you do not often see in modern writing. While I do not find it overly difficult to understand, it matches the craftsmanship of books written in the 1800s, the likes of Jane Austen. The plot itself is also quite rich, with a weaving storyline that is still coherent.