Circe by Madeline Miller
Circe is the divine daughter of the titan Helios and naiad Perse. Deemed unattractive and powerless from birth, 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.
But there is danger 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.
Circe was a real hit with the book club ladies – a thrilling mix of Greek mythology with modern feminism, it follows our protagonist as she grows from feeling powerless growing up surrounded by gods, to learning to master the power that she had in herself all along. Her resilience and ability to live independently from others is inspiring and Miller’s writing makes this book a page-turner. If you love Greek mythology, or stories of outcasts finding their own voice in a hateful world, or of women who don’t need men to be happy, this book is for you!
