Sophie’s choice
– Tuesday 10th September 2019 at 7.30 pm
Book: Circe
Author: Madeline Miller
Synopsis
In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. Circe is a strange child – not powerful and terrible, like her father, nor gorgeous and mercenary like her mother. Scorned and rejected, Circe grows up in the shadows, at home in neither the world of gods or mortals.
But Circe has a dark power of her own: witchcraft. When her gift threatens the gods, she is banished to the island of Aiaia where she hones her occult craft, casting spells, gathering strange herbs and taming wild beasts.
Yet a woman who stands alone will never be left in peace for long – and among her island’s guests is an unexpected visitor: the mortal Odysseus, for whom Circe will risk everything.
So Circe sets forth her tale, a vivid, mesmerizing epic of family rivalry, love and loss – the defiant, inextinguishable song of woman burning hot and bright through the darkness of a man’s world.
Our Review
Circe, a witch, infamous for turning men into pigs, in portrayed in a sympathetic light and given a modern twist. She was a hard, ruthless character who after encountering heroes, gods and legends eventually learned to love unselfishly. We all enjoyed this unusual book and finding out more about a little-known woman of Greek mythology.