Circe
A witch finding her power through centuries of exile and heartbreak
Circe is Madeline Miller's second novel, and it's more ambitious than The Song of Achilles. It follows the witch Circe from her early days among the gods through centuries of exile on the island of Aiaia. It's a coming-of-power story, a feminist retelling, and ultimately a book about finding agency in a world designed to keep you powerless.
The romance is secondary to Circe's journey, but when it comes, it's earned. Miller shows Circe learning from multiple relationships, figuring out what she wants, refusing to settle for men who want to diminish her. When she finally finds love, it's with someone who sees her power and doesn't flinch from it.
Miller writes Circe with complexity and sympathy. In the Odyssey, she's just an obstacle, a witch who turns men to pigs. Miller asks why she does that, what her life has been, what it costs to be powerful and alone. The book is about transformation in every sense.
Circe by Madeline Miller retells the story of the witch Circe from the Odyssey, following her centuries-long journey from exile to self-discovery. The book is a feminist exploration of power, agency, and finding love with someone who doesn't diminish you. It won multiple awards and was a New York Times bestseller.
A witch finding her power through centuries of exile and heartbreak
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What you're really looking for when you search for books like Circe
You want feminist retellings that center women's experiences. You want books that take minor female characters from mythology and give them full inner lives, complex motivations, agency. You want authors who ask what the old stories look like from the women's perspectives.
You're also looking for slow-burn character development. Not just romance, but books about women growing into their power over time. You want to see characters make mistakes, learn, become more themselves. You want the satisfaction of watching someone claim their agency.
And you want beautiful prose and deep mythology. You want books that are both page-turners and literature. You want authors who clearly love the source material and use it to tell new stories.
The reader take
Miller takes a character who's usually just an obstacle in men's stories and gives her a full, complex life. Circe's journey from powerless to powerful, from alone to loved, from bitter to compassionate, is deeply satisfying. The prose is gorgeous and the character work is even better.
Book recommendations
The Song of Achilles
by Madeline Miller
Miller's first novel is more overtly romantic than Circe but shares its gorgeous prose and deep engagement with Greek mythology. If you loved Circe, this is essential.
The Mere Wife
by Maria Dahvana Headley
A modern retelling of Beowulf from the perspective of Grendel's mother. It's weird and feminist and turns the original story completely inside out. Headley writes with Miller's mythic scope.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
by V.E. Schwab
A woman makes a deal for immortality and spends 300 years being forgotten by everyone she meets until she finds someone who remembers. It has Circe's scope and interest in what immortality costs.
Spinning Silver
by Naomi Novik
A feminist retelling of Rumpelstiltskin with three interconnected women's stories. Novik writes smart women claiming power in systems designed to deny it to them.
The Witch's Heart
by Genevieve Gornichec
A retelling of Norse mythology from the perspective of Angrboda, a witch who bears Loki's children and knows the future. It's quieter than Circe but similarly interested in what women endure.
Common questions
Is Circe more about romance or self-discovery?
Self-discovery. The romance is real and important, but it's part of Circe's larger journey of figuring out who she is and what she wants. If you need romance to be the primary plot, this might not be your book. If you want romance woven into a larger story of self-discovery, it's perfect.
Do I need to read The Song of Achilles first?
No. They're completely separate stories set in the same mythological world. Read them in any order. Some readers prefer starting with Circe because it's less devastating, but both stand alone.
Is Circe less sad than The Song of Achilles?
Yes. It's still emotionally intense, but it's more about growth than tragedy. The ending is bittersweet but ultimately hopeful. You'll probably cry, but not in the same gutting way as Song of Achilles.
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Ember writes you into the mythological journey you've been reading. You're the one discovering your power, deciding what you're willing to sacrifice for it, choosing whether to use that power to protect or to punish. Your decisions shape whether exile hardens you into cruelty or teaches you compassion.
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