Reviews tagging 'Animal death'

Circe by Madeline Miller

364 reviews

hammie_32's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

This was really disappointing. I had a lot of hopes for a dark, reflective retelling of a myth often starring a villainous evil bitch, easily defeated. And this gets 2.5 stars ONLY because for precisely the first 50% of the book, it was the dark, captivating, sorrowful tale I was promised.

And then it turned into a shitty "feminist" novel. And I know that makes me sound gross, but it's in quotes for a reason. Because why, why does every book featuring a powerful woman always have to end up about

motherhood

? I have nothing against it, and yes, sometimes that IS a powerful statement to be made. Not like this, and not this often. If someone somewhere needs permission, you have my allowance to write a feminist, feminine power, woman-dominated, whatever else story where your main female character DOESN'T

get pregnant

!! Doesn't "

find power in nurturing

." Doesn't

use a child to remedy their own traumas

!!! Successfully might I add! It's just never the feminist statement that these authors think it is, and I'm so sick of having to read it after hearing the same sentiment shouted from the rooftops for years by young women and femmes.

I wish I could have more love for this book. But I want 500 pages of an immortal's torment at the hands of humanity. I want a narrative of her suffering on finding a few kind souls, only to be torn apart by the next pack of dogs. I want a dark assemblage of our species' sins told via a recollection of an eternal life's worth of memories. I want her to be twisted and cold and cruel and I want it to be justified because that would be real. If someone wants something happy in there, throw a Sapphic romance in at the end that doesn't "fix" her. But I can't stand to read Circe talking about the cruelties of men, cruelties of gods and goddesses, cruelties of LIFE, just to turn around and

pop out a baby

because she wishes a reprieve of her solitude.

And then she

fucks her stepson

, and that just made me mad.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Sexism

Moderate: Sexual content, Death, Gore, Pedophilia, Blood, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence

Minor: Animal death, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, and War

janey_bones's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I loved this book so much 😭

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Body horror, Cannibalism, Animal cruelty, and Animal death

Moderate: Death, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Confinement, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Grief

Minor: Misogyny, Murder, Rape, Pregnancy, and Slavery

inkwellimps's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Would have been a 5/5, but I didn't care for the ending. The lead character ends up

with the half-brother of her son. I know it's normal for gods, but reading it in a modern context is "ick" to me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Misogyny, Body horror, Abandonment, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Incest, and Fire/Fire injury

lauramcc7's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Abandonment, Rape, Violence, Death, Torture, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Body horror, Animal death, and Infidelity

koiolee's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I can't say why this isn't a 5 star read for me, but it just didn't feel like a 5 star read. Usually when I think that it's actually because theres no diversity or whatever, but this book is really only about Circe, so there's no point in diversity because only a few people come to her island in the first place.
ANYWAYS This book was fantastic. I love the way Miller writes and it's so captivating. I love the way Miller picks the characters that are mentioned but don't actually get the limelight in the classical tales. I've been told people either love or hate this book, and I'm on the love it side. Circe is painted as a docile goddess who gets taken advantage of and pushed too far too often. She learns to wear violence as a shield as shes seen and picked up from other gods and nymphs often. I liked the way this story ends where she finally accepts and becomes her truest self, not the goddess, but a mortal witch Circe. I love that for her.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Sexual assault, Grief, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Rape

Moderate: Incest

elanuruysal's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Rape, Blood, and Animal death

felofhe's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment

Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Ableism, Incest, Bullying, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, War, Confinement, Death of parent, Grief, Murder, Death, Mental illness, and Slavery

saskiahill's review against another edition

medium-paced

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Death, Violence, Gore, Grief, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Infidelity, War, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Animal death, Blood, Toxic relationship, and Murder

crowcrow's review

challenging dark sad

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

As always Madeline Miller delivers. Her writing style is a delight, it's comforting and you can tell she puts a lot of work into it. I was absolutely captivated the moment I started reading, Circe was such a compelling character no matter where she was. I was rooting for her the entire time. The side characters were also compelling, I was particularly excited to see Odysseus, but I was surprised how interest she made the others too. I think the book's best quirk was the complexity between all of Circe's relationships, it was so fun to read.

I'd also like to give it props for how it portrayed SA. I was afraid that it would change Circe's completely, completely rewriting her to be weak and scared, but no! It was handled extremely well! I like that it shows that trauma doesn't need to tie you down. I appreciate it!

All that aside I was extremely disappointed in the ending.

I found it morbid that Circe hooked up with Telemachus. Y'know? Her past lover's son. Icks all over the floor and sky. Wtf? Why was that necessary. And the daydreams she had of them having kids? Yuck, no.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Gore, Grief, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Rape

kds247's review against another edition

adventurous reflective relaxing slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

This book doesn’t have much of a plot but the descriptiveness of it is just stunning. The writing feels like a warm blanket and even though some horrible things happen in this book, Circe’s inner monologue is gorgeous. Miller can really capture thoughts and emotions perfectly onto a page

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Child abuse, Death, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Sexual assault, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Rape, and Sexism

Moderate: Bullying, Misogyny, Gore, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Murder, Physical abuse, Torture, War, and Sexual content

Minor: Torture and Injury/Injury detail