Madeline Miller has such a way of making characters who are literally above humanity feel human. I know OF Circe. I know OF Daedalus and Icarus and the dangers of flying too close to the sun. I know OF Hermes and his tricks, and OF Athena and her cunning. But the way this book talks about them and the plethora of other characters included, I suddenly know them personally. These gods and goddesses and demigods and nymphs and monsters are all 3D and relatable. I felt the same way about The Song of Achilles, and is a huge credit to Miller's writing and expertise in the field.

What is also brilliant is that this story could have easily gone from "the story of Circe" to "the story of the heroes that surround Circe." But even if the story was centered on other characters for the time being, you cared about Circe, and felt her sorrows and joys (but mostly sorrows) along with her.

I think if you're read anything by Madeline Miller, it goes without saying that her prose is beautiful. It is touching and magical, and when it needs to be, grisly. It really makes the stories feel legendary and gives them the epic weight they deserve.

Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who loves a slow, character-driven story. And I think you can enjoy this book no matter how familiar you are with the original mythology. It's written very accessibly.